Claire Holland's ex-partner 'confessed' to murder on chilling 999 call, jury hears

• The jury in Darren Osment murder trial has been played a recording of a 999 call where he says he "sort of" murdered Claire Holland and added: "I know what happened."

• The prosecution has presented several similar confessions by Osment which have been made to inmates and an undercover police officer.

• Osment denies murder and claims any statements he made were done under the influence of drugs and alcohol.

A clip of a man "confessing" to killing his ex-partner on a 999 call has been played to the jury of his murder trial.

Mother-of-four Claire Holland has been missing for more than a decade with no trace of her since she left a pub in Bristol.

The father of one of her children Darren Osment, 41, is currently on trial for her murder.

Prosecutors told the jury he had murdered Claire and made multiple confessions that he did it because their child was taken into care.

She was 32 at the time and had said she had planned to meet with Osment on the night of 6 June 2012 after a drinking session at the Seamus O'Donnell pub.

Despite a number of high-profile appeals and campaigns over the years, no trace of her has ever been found.

The jury heard Osment had confessed on a number of occasions during the years to "unburden" himself as he struggled to live with his "horrific" actions.

In one confession, he said he had strangled her as no one was "going to keep me away from my boy."

Recommended reading

• Last sightings of Bristol mother-of-four before she vanished a decade ago (Independent)

• Mother-of-four feared then boyfriend might kill her, court hears (PA)

• Forensic search ends at pub linked to Claire Holland murder case (PA)

'I’ve took the law into my own hands'

On Thursday the jury at Bristol Crown Court were played a 999 call to police Osment made in July 2019 where he told handlers he wanted to "hand himself in" for murder at Exeter Police station.

He tells them: "I’ve had enough of it all now. I just want the monkey off my back."

In the call, which has been released by Avon and Somerset Police after being played to the jury, he tells them he "sort of" murdered his ex and added: "I know what happened."

"I just want this off my back," he said. "I feel very so f*****g bad. I have had it for years on my head and now."

He added: "I basically arranged it didn’t I."

He then tells the handler: "I’ve took the law in my own hands and you know she took my son away from me so I took that from her."

When he is arrested, on police body-worn footage, which has also now been released by police after being shown to the jury, he is heard stating: "I didn’t do it. But I had it arranged."

He told cops while volunteering his hands to be cuffed: "Had enough up to my eyeballs. Had enough ducking and diving, looking over my shoulder and all the rest of it.

"I’ve had enough. I just wanna get it, whatever’s done is done. I can’t turn back the clock. I want to get it dealt with. I had her killed. I hired…I gave some money to someone and they had it done."

He later claimed in a police interview he couldn't remember phoning them or speaking to them on arrival as he was "too drunk."

Osment was released under investigation, but police later launched an undercover operation, for an officer named as "Paddy O'Hara" to befriend him and build up trust.

It lasted for 20 months and produced 1200 hours of recorded footage.

On one occasion, the jury heard Osment confess to 'Paddy' he had done "horrible" things and could not turn the clock back as "what is done is done".

Prosecutor, Andrew Langdon KC said he also made reference to Claire saying her body was "half way to Spain.

The prosecutor told the jury: "Her disappearance that night is not some dark coincidence. As he has subsequently confessed a number of times, he met her and he killed her and, either alone or with the help of others, he no doubt would have had to pay given the risk they took, he got rid of her body."

In a police statement, the defendant said any confessions were due to being under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.

Osment denies murder.

The trial continues.