Murder accused who kept quiet about meeting victim tells jury: "I didn’t trust the system"

A MAN accused of strangling a woman in 1997 and dumping her in a river told jurors he had not contacted the police during their murder investigation because he did not trust "the system".

Gary Allen (47), of Bradbury's Close, Parkgate, is on trial accused of murdering Hull sex worker Samantha Class (29) in October 1997 and dumping her in the River Humber.

He was tried for Ms Class's murder and was acquitted at a trial in 2000, but that acquittal has been quashed and he is being tried at Sheffield Crown Court again because new evidence has come to light.

Allen said he had been with Ms Class on the night she had been killed - but had not come forward and spoken to the police after her death.

"“I don’t trust people. I didn’t trust the system," he said.

"I just assumed that they would put two and two together and make five.

"I did not expect the police to believe me, if truth be told."

Allen is also accused of killing Swinton mum Alena Grlakova (38) by strangling her and dumping her in a stream on the night of Boxing Day 2018 or the following morning.

He told the jury today (Tuesday) that in October 1997 he had been living with an old school friend and had ended up owing him money for household bills, including a large phone bill.

Allen said he had been spending his money on beer and takeaways at the weekends instead of repaying his flatmate.

He said he had gone to the red light district on October 25 after visiting a pub and a Chinese takeaway.

Asked why he had gone there, he said: "I think it was just a case of I had been drinking and I had a bit of extra money."

Ms Katherine Goddard, defending Allen, asked her client why he had not given the money to his flatmate.

He said: "I was behaving like a tool."

Allen said he had picked up a sex worker, who was not Ms Class, and driven her to an industrial estate.

He said the woman had made threats to him when he had been about to pay her.

"I had my wallet in my hand," he said.

"She said if you don't give me your money, I'll take your registration number down and tell the police you tried to rape me."

"I opened my door, I got out, and went over to her.

"I grabbed her by whatever she was wearing and chucked her out."

Ms Goddard said: "Why did you do that?"

Allen said: "I'm not going to put up with that am I?"

Allen, who said he had not hit the woman, said he had gone back to the red light district but could not remember why.

Allen said he picked up Ms Class and they had had sex.

He said he had noticed that his condom had split and said Ms Class had said to him: "You better not have any f***ing diseases".

"I just told her straight and said I didn't have any diseases," he said.

Allen said Ms Class had asked for a lift back to the red light district but he had asked her to walk.

Ms Goddard said: "Did you kill her?"

Allen said: "No, of course not."

Ms Goddard said: "Did you strangle her with a piece of string?"

Allen said: "No."

Ms Goddard said: "Or a piece of plastic-covered cabling?"

Allen said: "No."

Ms Goddard said: "Did you beat her?"

Allen said: "No."

Ms Goddard said: "Did you run her over?"

Allen said: "No."

Ms Goddard said: "Did you dump her in the river?"

Allen said: "No."

Allen said he had felt embarrassed and ashamed after his sexual encounter with Ms Class.

He said the sexual encounter had taken place in a Ford Escort which he had later sold to a scrapyard for £25.

Allen said he had sold the car so he could give the cash to his flatmate.

Ms Goddard said: "Was it the killing of Samantha Class that prompted you to sell your car to the scrapyard?"

Allen said: "No, it wasn't."

He said he could not remember when he first learned that a body had been found in the Humber.

Allen said he had eventually realised that the woman that had been found was the one he had slept with.

"I had a thought at the time - thank goodness I had got rid of the car," he said.

"It's just a thought that pops up in my head - had anybody seen me and Samantha Class in the car?"

Allen denies two counts of murder.

The trial continues.