Businessman Found Dead With 'Gun In Left Hand'

A Spanish police officer has described the moment he found the body of a British businessman surrounded by blood with a gun in his left hand.

Giving evidence in the trial of Slovakian model Mayka Kukucova, who is charged with murdering Andrew Bush, the officer said he found the victim at his luxury Marbella home "on the floor, near the front door".

Addressing a court in Malaga, he said: "There was blood around him. A revolver was in his left hand."

Ms Kukucova has claimed she did not want to hurt her 48-year-old former boyfriend and shot him after they became involved in a violent struggle in 2014.

She has said that during this row, he shot at her when he returned home unexpectedly as she collected her things.

Appearing in court for the second day, the 26-year-old said she did not realise Mr Bush was dead when she fled to Madrid to meet her boyfriend before the pair took a bus to Slovakia, because she was "terrified" for herself and her family.

She told the court on Monday: "I was watching television, then I heard Andy in the garden. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I went upstairs to get dressed.

"When he came and saw me, he told his girlfriend (Maria Korotaeva) to go out to the car.

"He started shouting and hitting me and took me strongly by the arms. I said I wanted to go but he said no. He was shouting that he was going to kill me and my family."

Claiming she found herself with a gun, she added: "I couldn't hear anything. I was just trying to get away. I didn't want to hurt him."

Giving evidence, Ms Korotaeva told the court she had arrived home with Mr Bush in the couple's Hummer 4x4 car to find Ms Kukucova in the couple's bedroom.

She said: "I went upstairs and saw Mayka in the bedroom in her pyjamas. I ran downstairs and out into the Hummer.

"About five minutes later Andy came to the car and said everything was all right. He told me to call the police to get Mayka out of the house, but he told me not to worry and that we would sort it all out and have a lovely evening. He said he loved me."

Ms Korotaeva described how, minutes later, Ms Kukucova emerged, fully dressed, with a suitcase.

"She told me Andy had given her the keys to the Hummer to get to the airport," Ms Korotaeva told the court.

"I didn't want to call the police on her so I got out. She took our suitcases from the car and put hers in and she left."

Ms Korotaeva said she first phoned Mr Bush's sister Rachel, then when Mr Bush did not answer the door she called the police.

She said: "I didn't imagine for a moment what had happened."

The trial continues.