THE body of a teenage girl was discovered in a suitcase belonging to a man who left a Kent railway station at the same time as her, a court heard.

Philip Bell, 21, was captured on CCTV at Tunbridge Wells station just two seconds behind Terry Edmonds at 6.23pm on April 17, Bank Holiday Monday, last year.

Maidstone Crown Court was told that there was then a "lost hour" during which time Bell killed 17-year-old Terry, who came from Hadlow, near Tonbridge, but was living at Calverley Hill hostel in Tunbridge Wells, not far from the station.

Anthony Haycroft, prosecuting, said Terry was strangled with her own scarf and assaulted, before her body was put into the suitcase and hidden under a ramp just outside the railway car park.

"As we will see, Bell lived in this car park," he said. "He lived in the stairwell. The suitcase Terry's body was found in belonged to Phillip Bell."

Mr Haycroft earlier told the jury of nine women and three men: "Terry was murdered by someone and it is likely the only issue is: Whodunnit? The Crown say it was Phillip Bell."

Terry had been to visit friends in Tonbridge and was returning to Tunbridge Wells by train after 6pm.

Mr Haycroft said the last CCTV image of the dark-haired victim, wearing a "pinkish" top with a furry hood, showed her leaving the station at precisely 6.23 and 19 seconds.

Bell was seen coming down the station stairs at 6.23pm and 21 seconds and then in Tunnel Walk.

"Terry then disappeared and was not seen again on any CCTV footage," he said.

Bell was not seen on CCTV again until a hour later, when he walked back up Tunnel Walk in the opposite direction.

"I am going to call that hour between 6.30 and 7.30 the lost hour," said the prosecutor. "That is the hour Bell is lost for, the hour he doesn't account for properly.

"The reason for that, the Crown say, is because he was killing Terry Edmonds during that hour."

When Bell was seen again at 7.17pm, in Tunnel Walk, he had changed his trousers and was wearing a white puffa jacket that was not zipped up.

"That is important forensic evidence," said Mr Haycroft.

Unemployed Bell, of no fixed address, denies murder.

The trial, expected to last up to five weeks, continues.