SA man denies murdering sex partner
A man accused of murdering his married lover in an outdoor spa says she became unconscious after he kicked out at her when she angrily bit his foot.
Bevan John Brougham said they had had sex in the spa before Dianne Rogan "went ballistic" after he told her he wanted to start a family with "a friend of a mate's missus".
Giving evidence in the Supreme Court in Adelaide on Wednesday, the 53-year-old said he had been massaging Ms Rogan's upper body with his feet when she grabbed the right one and "bit down hard on it".
He said his kick hit her in the head, he slipped under the water and when he surfaced "she was floating on the water, she was unconscious".
Brougham has pleaded not guilty to murdering Ms Rogan, 52, on July 11, 2013 in the backyard of the Whyalla home she shared with her husband, who was overseas at the time.
Under questioning from his barrister Marie Shaw QC, he said he had not intended killing Ms Rogan nor causing her serious harm or injury.
He said he had intended breaking off the relationship as he wanted to travel to the Philippines.
"I was frustrated with relationships with Australian women," he said.
"I was considering a Filipino bride."
The crown has alleged that during a "sustained and extremely violent" attack, Brougham used his fists, feet and a garden plastic chair which broke into seven pieces.
Ms Rogan was found to have a piece of skin caught between her teeth, which the crown said was a DNA match with Brougham and matched an injury on the sole of his foot.
"It is likely the deceased, still conscious, bit his foot in an effort to defend herself as the foot was being ground or stomped in her face," prosecutor Mark Norman SC said.
Brougham said they were both fairly drunk and he panicked after she became unconscious.
He said he stood on the garden chair to try and pull her out of the spa, but it broke and he dropped her.
He finally managed to heave her out but she slipped from his grip and ended up falling on the paving before he half carried and half dragged her to the lawn where he attempted CPR for "a long time".
The trial is continuing before Justice John Sulan, without a jury.
