Sophie Lionnet murder accused admits violence on nanny

A woman accused of killing her French nanny and burning the body on a bonfire has admitted being violent towards her three times.

Sabrina Kouider, 35, said she hit 21-year-old Sophie Lionnet with an electrical cable.

Ms Lionnet's burned body was found in her employers' garden at their family home in Southfields, south-west London.

Ms Kouider and her partner Mr Medouni admit burning Ms Lionnet's body, but deny her murder.

The Old Bailey trial heard they have blamed each other over the death of Ms Lionnet in September.

Ms Kouider said she had hit Miss Lionnet with the electrical cable earlier in September after becoming upset about her supposed association with her ex-boyfriend, Boyzone founding member Mark Walton.

She told jurors she had also pushed the au pair in early August when she found her looking at papers in the house.

"Sophie was sitting there near a library where I have some documents and she was going through some files," she added.

"I pushed her and took the papers from her and asked 'What are you doing?'

"I did not hit her. I didn't do anything else. I did not kick her - I just pushed her."

On 12 July, Ms Kouider said she confronted Miss Lionnet in the kitchen for not organising the family breakfast.

She said: "It made me upset and I said to Sophie 'I'm sick and tired of you lying all the time'.

"Sophie stayed quiet. She was in my way so I just pushed her because I wanted to go outside for a cigarette."

Ms Kouider was asked about CCTV footage she sent to her former friend Nicole Vatonavimlakul showing Sophia walking around her home.

Icah Peart QC, defending, asked: "Were you deliberately spying on Sophie?"

"Not at all. It was for safety," she replied.

The trial continues.