Murdered students 'died slowly'

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Two French students murdered in a bedsit in south-east London "just wouldn't die", the Old Bailey heard.

Gabriel Ferez and Laurent Bonomo, both 23, suffered hundreds of stab wounds in the attack in New Cross in June 2008.

Dano Sonnex, 23, of Peckham, south London, and Nigel Farmer, 33, of no fixed address, deny two counts of murder, arson and false imprisonment.

Mr Farmer's former girlfriend Fay Culyer said he had confessed to her details of his role in the crime.

Miss Culyer, 26, said: "He said that he had these two guys there, that he had stabbed them and it wasn't a pleasant sight."

They wouldn't die, they just wouldn't die Fay Culyer

Crispin Aylett QC, prosecuting, asked: "Did you understand that the men died quickly or slowly?"

Miss Culyer replied: "Slowly. They wouldn't die, they just wouldn't die."

Mr Bonomo's girlfriend fled the court in tears after hearing the details of his violent death.

Marie Bertez had to be supported by two other women as she ran out of court wailing loudly after hearing details of the crime.

Jurors have been told firefighters found the bodies of the two French students in a scene of "almost unimaginable horror".

The pair, who had been studying biochemistry at Imperial College, had been tied up during the robbery, the Old Bailey heard.

Mr Farmer and Mr Sonnex also deny trying to pervert the course of justice.

Mr Sonnex has admitted one count of burglary at the property on the same date as the murders. Mr Farmer denies a charge of burglary

The trial continues.