'It was 30 seconds of madness'

2008-09-21 21:54

Dubai - Mark Arnold, the man being held by Dubai police in connection with the disappearance of South African Kerry Winter, 35, allegedly confessed that she died after he beat her during "30 seconds of madness", the UK-based Mail Online reported on Sunday.

Arnold, 42, a British national, admitted that Winter died while with him after he had hit her three times on the head with a stick during an intense fracas on August 20. The confession was made during a telephonic interview with the British newspaper from his police cell in Dubai.

'It was 30 seconds of madness... I think I hit her three times... she died because of me," Arnold said.

The executive with an interior design firm said he then hid the body on his boat and went to work as normal before returning the following evening to dump it at sea. Arnold previously denied killing Winter.

"It was a total accident," he said. "I am not a violent man and I am not a murderer. It was an accident but she died because of me and I am willing to take my punishment. I am prepared to admit to the truth, but I do not want to be fitted up."

Body thrown into the sea

Winter's brother Clint, who recently arrived in Dubai to "tie up loose ends" told Sapa police had informed the family of Arnold's confession.

But the family say they won#39;t rest until her body is found. "He has already said he disposed of the body in four different places, so we don't know," he said.

According to Clint, Arnold has not yet been charged in the matter relating to his sister, but he did face a charge for assaulting a neighbour at Winter's home in Al Barsha on the night of her disappearance.

Arnold told the Mail he bumped into Winter at a bar on August 20 when an argument ensued over their relationship which ended in May. He followed her when she left the bar and drove back to her villa.

"She came up to me and hit me and we got into a scuffle. I hit her with a stick which I had picked up in the villa grounds - I think I hit her three times. Kerry slipped, but she got up. It was 30 seconds of madness for the both of us. I assaulted her.

"There is no excuse. I have never assaulted anyone before. I am a family man and this was 30 seconds which ruined my life," he said.

He alleged that Winter was bleeding from head wounds but she agreed to go with him to a quiet spot where they could talk. He said he cleaned her wounds and they then fell asleep.

Likely to face a murder charge

"When I woke up, she was dead. I was horrified, so scared. I can only think that she had a thin skull or something like that because she was okay when we got in the car.

"I was scared. I tried to cover my tracks and put Kerry on my boat and left it anchored off shore," he said. "I returned after work and drove around for four or five hours and ended up putting Kerry's body into the sea. I do not know where."

Arnold may be charged with manslaughter, which carries a maximum 10-year sentence, but if a body was found and forensics indicated a savage beating, he was likely to face a murder charge. This carries the death sentence although this is rarely carried out, the report said.

- SAPA