The teenager accused of the brutal murder of Kelly Hyde denied any part in the hairdresser's death throughout eight police interviews, Swansea Crown Court has been hearing this afternoon.

The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, underwent a series of interviews during which he maintained that he never seen or spoken to Ms Hyde.

During one 90-minute session he was asked at least 50 times what his involvement was in her killing.

"I was just walking my dog," he said. "I did not kill anybody and I certainly did not hit anybody on the head. I am disgusted by it."

The youth told officers he did not admit taking Ms Hyde's dog lead from the bridlepath where she was killed because he panicked.

In an interview, the transcript of which was read out in court, the teen said had seen the lead lying on the path as he returned from walking his own dog.

He also claimed for the first time that he spotted a small amount of blood nearby.

"When I walked down the path I did see blood and picked up the dog lead and put it in my pocket," he said. "I thought I had just found a dog lead."

He told interviewers that when he heard of Kelly's murder three days after his discovery he did not come forward because he feared that he would be blamed.

He also maintained he must have walked through a pool of the victim's blood as he made his way home .

When told that more than 40 officers had conducted a fingertip search of the area and been unable to find a single drop of blood he said he could offer no further explanation.

"Why would there be blood on my trainers?" he asked interviewers.

In further interviews held the following day, the boy claimed he had seen a pool of blood on the path but assumed it had been caused by a fox hunting rabbits.

The youth denies murder and the case continues.

(See Wednesday's Guardian for full reports)