A man accused of murdering a mum says he set up "web cam work" for her at hotels so she could escape escorting and start her own doggy day care business, a court heard.

Mark Brown is on trial for the alleged murders of Alexandra Morgan, 34, from Sissinghurst, and Leah Ware, 33, from Hastings, who he met through the same adult service website.

Ms Morgan, a mum-of-two, was last seen at a petrol station in Cranbrook on Remembrance Day last year.

Her disappearance sparked a huge missing person investigation by Kent Police and her charred remains – including burned bone fragments and teeth – were later found inside an oil drum at a building site where the defendant worked near Sevenoaks.

Brown, 41, previously admitted destroying Ms Morgan's body by fire "in a panic" but claims it was an accident and denies killing her at his "hobby" yard in Little Bridge Farm.

He also stands accused of murdering a second woman, Leah Ware, just six months prior at the same location.

Today at Hove Crown Court Duncan Atkinson KC restarted his cross-examination of the defendant and quizzed him on his meetings with Ms Morgan, whom he met online shortly after Ms Ware's disappearance last May.

This afternoon, the court heard how Brown offered to help facilitate "web cam" work for Ms Morgan at a seafront hotel in Brighton in addition to enlisting her services at his yard.

The defendant told the court he had a contact and wanted to help her so she could pursue "a pet grooming and doggy day care business".

But in a series of cryptic messages, he attempted to conceal the true nature of these exchanges from his partner, the court heard.

A WhatsApp message read to the court said: "I don't know if you'd be interested but a job has come up that I could use you on.

"I won't tell you too much but it is risk free. Worst your end would be 100k. If you're interested I will fill you in. I trust you to be quiet."

But Brown, a part-time security guard who worked shifts at the Preston Park Travelodge in Brighton, says the hotel he was helping Ms Morgan facilitate work at was different.

He told the court only that it was located on Brighton seafront.

When pressed for a name by both the prosecution and then Judge Nicholas Hilliard KC, Brown refused, claiming it would link him to someone there who has a "permanent room" and that would cause harm to his own family who he would be unable to protect.

"She [Ms Morgan] wanted to get some photographs done," he told the court. "He was going to set that up – it is one line of his business."

Earlier today, Mr Atkinson KC put it to Brown that he had attempted to advance his relationship with Ms Morgan beyond its "client" basis and "replace" Ms Ware but she had refused.

But Brown, taking the stand, denied this and said he had only ever tried to help people.

The father-of-three told the court how he helped Ms Morgan with car problems and sourced drugs for her and a friend on occasion through contacts he made as a security guard.

"Her dealer from Pembury wasn't about and her friend liked a little bit of coke for a night out," he told the jury.

"And I said yes I could sort that out. I went to a drug dealer and got them for her."

On arrival at her home address, Brown further recounted: "She was still in her dressing gown. She said 'how much do I owe you?' And I said don't worry about it and I got off in my car and left."

At another meeting Brown claims he met her at the petrol garage in Cranbrook.

The prosecution say Brown killed Ms Morgan and burned her body in an incinerator in November 2021 – the same way he is alleged to have disposed of Ms Ware six months prior on or around May 7, 2021.

Brown, of Squirrel Close in St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex, denies both charges of murder.

The trial continues.