THE woman accused of helping two people murder a 17-year-old North-East student yesterday told a court how she was forced to take part.

Forty-year-old mother-of-one Maria Chandler took to the witness stand to give evidence after the prosecution closed their case.

It is unclear if co-defendants Jimi-Lee Stewart and Jonathan “Munch” Clarke will also give evidence.

The body of Simon Everitt, originally from Escomb, near Bishop Auckland, was found in a swamp near Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, in June last year.

The engineering student had been beaten, tied to a tree, doused in petrol and set alight.

Ms Chandler, 4ft 11in, told Norwich Crown Court she was forced into acting as the driver and had no idea what was planned.

Recalling June 8, the day Mr Everitt went missing, she said: “I was told to put clothes on by Munch. He was angry and threatening.

“I was told to drive to the petrol station and we filled up a petrol can. I asked ‘why are we doing this?’ and he told me to shut up.”

She then described how she drove to a lay-by where Mr Clarke drove off.

He returned two hours later and she heard the voices of Mr Everitt and Mr Stewart. Mr Clarke said he was “going to give Simon a beating”.

She was then told to wait in the car while Mr Everitt was loaded into the boot.

She said Mr Clarke then directed her to Mautby woods where Mr Stewart led their alleged victim into the woods and she was again told to wait with the car. After about 30 minutes, she said she walked into the woods and saw smoke and flames.

“I asked where Simon was and Munch said ‘there in front of you’ and pointed towards the tree.

That’s when I ran off, I was horrified.”

Ms Chandler claimed Mr Clarke later told her not tell anyone what had happened.

She said: “He said I would get a severe beating. He said he would cut me up in front of my daughter and he would do things to her too.”

Chandler and Stewart, 25, both of Yarmouth, and Clarke, 19, from Telford, all deny murder.

The case continues.