Accused 'had not seen students'

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One of two men accused of murdering two French students has told a court he had never seen either student despite setting fire to their bedsit.

Nigel Farmer, 34, and Dano Sonnex, 23, deny murdering Laurent Bonomo and Gabriel Ferez, both 23, in New Cross, south-east London, in June last year.

Mr Farmer told the Old Bailey he was forced to set fire to the "pitch black" bedsit but took no part in the killing.

"I was in this flat for a matter of about 30 seconds," Mr Farmer said.

The students had been tied up and stabbed hundreds of times during a robbery.

I just did what I had to do in there and got out Nigel Farmer, defendant

The Old Bailey heard they were tortured in an ordeal lasting nearly three hours before their bedsit was set alight.

Mr Farmer, of no fixed address, told the court he was forced to set fire to the bedsit by Mr Sonnex's brother Bernie, who had threatened to harm his children.

"I just did what I had to do in there and got out," Mr Farmer said.

Under cross-examination Mr Farmer admitted he must have climbed over Mr Ferez's body in doing so.

Prosecuting, Crispin Aylett QC said: "You just didn't see him?"

Nigel Farmer said he set alight to the bedsit because he was threatened

"It would appear so," Mr Farmer replied.

"You knew perfectly well that there were two men dead in this flat because you had taken part in the killing of them," said Mr Aylett.

"That is totally incorrect," said Mr Farmer.

Mr Farmer told the court he did not learn what had happened inside the flat until he saw a news report the following day.

"I was horrified," he said.

Jurors were shown video footage from inside the flat for the first time, which showed burnt debris scattered around the bedsit.

The right shoulder of Mr Ferez could also be seen in the footage, lasting just a few seconds.

Mr Farmer and Mr Sonnex deny murder, arson and false imprisonment.

Mr Sonnex admits burglary, which Mr Farmer denies. The trial continues.