THE jury have been sent home for the night in the case of a cleaner who is accused of murdering a workmate in a jealous rage.

Martin Corns is on trial at Exeter Crown Court accused of strangling 34-year-old Heather Jordan to death in Lyngford Park, Taunton, on February 18 this year.

The jury retired to start considering their verdict shortly before lunch on Monday and were sent home for the night by Judge Brian Forster, QC, at 4pm.

The prosecution allege Corns became obsessed with Heather after meeting her at Boots, where they both worked as cleaners.

They started a non sexual relationship which she described as 'committed friendship' and the prosecution say he killed her after she told him she wanted to stop seeing him.

A torn up love letter was found strewn around her body after she was found in a shelter in the park. She is thought to have been killed while walking from her home in Pickeridge Close to her Sunday cleaning job at the Priorswood Coop at around 5.15 am.

Corns, aged 52, of Denmark Terrace, Taunton, denies murder.

He told the jury he loved Heather and would not have hurt her. He said they had not broken up and were still friends.

He said he had not been in the park at the time of her murder and had been out in a nearby part of Taunton stealing petrol.

He told the jury he threw away a dark coloured hoodie he had been wearing because he had spilt petrol on it.