Barry Rogers told his then wife he had killed his grandmother Betty Guy, a jury heard today (Monday).

But Lisa Watkins considered him to be a liar capable of saying anything for effect.

Rogers, aged 33, of High Street, Fishguard, and his mother Penelope John, 50, of Union Terrace, St Dogmaels, deny murdering Mrs Guy at her home in Hillcroft, Johnston, in the early hours of November 7, 2011.

A jury at Swansea crown court had heard that at first her death was put down to natural causes and her body was cremated at Narberth four days later.

But, it is alleged, over the years that followed Rogers made confessions to various people that his mother had fed Mrs Guy, aged 84, tranquilisers, sleeping tablets and whiskey and that Rogers had smothered her with a pillow.

Miss Watkins said today she married Rogers in May, 2014, but by October of that year their relationship was over.

She agreed they had swapped numerous Facebook messages and on November 3, 2014, he had written to her: "Nan died three years ago after I killed her."

Rogers also wrote that they were about to discuss their relationship with a counsellor but they should not say anything about the killing of Mrs Guy.

"Before he had put anything in writing he had told me in conversations about killing his nan," she added.

Later, said Miss Watkins, Rogers complained that she had called him a murderer, which she denied.

He sent a short message reading: "My nan?!"

Cross examined by Rogers' barrister, Christopher Henley, she agreed that she thought Rogers would say anything to win sympathy and attention.

"His word was unreliable. Sometimes he forgot the lies he had told.

"He would say he had played a part in accelerating her death and then say he was just winding me up.

"I did not take him seriously when he said he had killed her.

"He would say what he thought you wanted to hear," added Miss Watkins.

The jury also heard a tape recording of a 999 call made by John in which she reported the death of Mrs Guy.

She said her son was with her in the house and that her mother had been suffering from stomach and bowel cancer. The prosecution argue that although Mrs Guy was unwell there was no evidence she had had cancer.

The trial continues.