A LONE man was spotted leaning over the gate where the body of Pennie Davis was seen lying in the field, a court heard.

Lorry driver Jason Plank told Winchester Crown Court he drove past Leygreen Farm, in Beaulieu, and saw a body lying in the field, curled up.

The jury watched a video interview during which the 41-year-old described how he spotted the body in the field on September 2, last year, just before 4pm, after slowing down for a donkey in the road.

Mr Plank told officers he only got a side view of the man and would probably recognise his body shape, or side profile, rather than his face.

The court heard he later picked out Justin Robertson in a police identification line-up as a man he recognised.

When asked by Robertson's barrister Rupert Pardoe, if Robertson was the person he saw at the gate, Mr Plank replied "it could have been".

He added: "If I had to say, could I say 100 per cent it was Justin, I would say no."

The jury heard Robertson was someone Mr Plank had previously seen "around" and may have spoken to him before, but he didn't know his name.

Giving evidence about what he saw at the field on September 2, Mr Plank said when he first saw the body curled up next to a bucket, he chuckled to himself because he assumed someone had taken part in the Ice Bucket Challenge, which was everyone was doing at the time.

As he drove on he then saw a man leaning over the gate to the entrance of the field, close to the body, which had not moved.

Mr Plank honked the horn and the man turned his head slightly and when Mr Plank asked "are they ok", pointing towards the body, the man just nodded his head.

When Mr Plank asked if he could do anything to help, the man just said "no" and turned away.

He said he didn't recognise the man and only got a side view, describing the man as 6ft, with little hair, large shoulders and aged around 40.

During the identification line-up Mr Plank picked out Robertson's photograph and said "it's hard though because I only saw the side of the face but he looks very similar".

The prosecution claims Pennie was killed a short time after she arrived at Leygreen Farm, just before 3pm. Robertson claims he had left the area around 3.20pm.

Robertson, 36, of no fixed address, denies murder and conspiracy to murder.

Co-defendants Samantha Maclean, 28, of Beech Crescent Hythe, and Benjamin Carr, 22, of Edward Road, Shirley, Southampton, deny conspiracy to murder.

Proceeding