A WITNESS in the trial of two men charged with murdering two French students has been accused of changing her evidence because she fears for her safety.

Nigel Farmer and Dano Sonnex are accused of murdering French students Laurent Bonomo and Gabriel Ferez at a flat in Sterling Gardens, New Cross, on June 29 last year.

Fay Culyer , who is pregant with the child of Sonnex's older brother Bernie, currently in jail, was giving evidence to the Old Bailey today (April 29) accompanied by a midwife.

Earlier, the 26-year-old had told the court how Farmer had confessed his part in the murders.

She had previously told police that Sonnex had also confessed when he met her and his brother at a New Cross pub.

But asked about that statement today, she changed her story.

She said: "The part of my statement where I said that Dano confessed - that was wrong."

Miss Culyer said she had been put under pressure from police and insisted she was now telling the truth.

According to prosecutor Crispin Aylett, her police statement said: "He [Sonnex] said Nigel had started it off.

"He was going on a rampage and started hitting them over the head with mobile phones."

Her stament said Dano had told her "he did stab them and that he told Nigel to finish them of but he couldn't do it."

But Miss Culyer told the court: "I don't remember him saying any of this to me."

However, she admitted that Sonnex said to her and his brother: "Whatever's done is done now."

Mr Aylett asked the witness if she had been in touch with Bernie Sonnex in the run up to the trial and she said she had but that he was "supporting" her.

The prosecutor read out notes from a magistrates' court appearance where Miss Culyer had given a verison of events similar to her police statement.

Mr Aylett said: "I'm suggesting that you're here, in this account to the magistrates' court, telling the truth about what Dano told you and for perfectly understandable reasons you now don't want to drop Dano in it."

Miss Culyer denied this.

She had also orginally claimed Sonnex asked for a "tool", meaning a gun, before he went on the run.

But the witness told the court she had meant Sonnex wanted "a screwdriver or a spanner".

Defence counsel for Farmer, John Ryder, asked her: "Are you in fear of anyone? Are you in fear of telling the truth about Dano Sonnex?"

She replied: "I told the truth."

Mr Ryder revealed that on October 4 last year, after an accident near Herne Hill, Miss Culyer spoke to a police officer about the case.

He said: "You discussed parts of what both Nigel Farmer and Dano Sonnex had said to you and you said that you feared for your safety.

"You feared for your safety because you were giving evidence about Dano.

"You said that when he finds out he'll ask Bernie Sonnex to kill you."

But Miss Culyer denied this and said: "I was off of my face that day on heroin."

Mr Ryder then accused the witness of helping to hose down the area in Etta Street where the accused pair had allegedly burned the clothes they were wearing during the inciident.

She replied that she had merely been watering some plants.

The witness also told police that Farmer was "an idiot", a "little weasal" and a "wally all over".

She told officers Sonnex "was serious, as in not right upstairs - some sort of disorder" but told the court she had not meant her words to be taken in that way.

And she told police: "Nigel's an idiot, a div - he's a wally.

"Dano on the other hand, he's not right in the head. He would have taken the knife in."

Miss Culyer told the court she did not remember saying that.

Farmer, aged 33, of no fixed address, and Sonnex, aged 23, of Etta Street, Deptford, deny murder, arson and false imprisonment.

Sonnex admits burglary but Farmer denies the charge.

The trial continues.