THE jury has retired in the case of a man accused of throttling his gay lover.

Desmond Lee, 39, is accused of murdering 51-year-old Christopher Pratt, from Grantham, Lincolnshire, after drug-fuelled sex last August.

Lee denies the murder charge and the jury will consider a verdict today.

Yesterday, prosecuting QC David Hatton summed up before the jury, advising them that Mr Lee’s testimony included “lie, after lie, after lie”.

Lee maintains that he was horrified to discover that Mr Pratt had died in his flat at Sackville Street, Ravensthorpe. Forensic reports revealed he had died of one of three forms of asphyxia.

Mr Hatton told the jury: “If it was true that this was all a terrible accident during the course of some tender love-making, you might have expected a degree of horror, upset or remorse.

“We suggest you will look for any such feelings in vain in this case.”

Alan Newman, defending Lee, said the jury had to be utterly sure that there had been no possibility of a natural cause.

He said: “You have heard evidence from a number of very experienced and highly qualified experts and they have described things as very unlikely or improbable.

“If someone asks you of the likelihood of winning the National Lottery you would say it’s possible but very improbable. Even though the odds are millions to one people still win the National Lottery.

“Two weeks ago if someone said to you that all flights over Britain would have been grounded because of a volcano you would have said it was as daft as a brush.

“The consequences of conviction are devastating. You must be sure beyond all reasonable doubt.

“Unusual things do happen.”

The jury has previously heard how, while the victim’s body was still at Lee’s flat, the defendant used Mr Pratt’s bank cards for a £200 Asda shop and attempted to buy more than £1,000-worth of goods from Argos.

Lee later wrapped the victim’s body in a bin liner, bundled it into Mr Pratt’s car, drove to Scammonden and dumped it off New Hey Road. Shortly afterwards he went cruising the streets for sex.

The honourable Mrs Justice Nicola Davies instructed the jury to return at 10am this morning.

They will deliberate their evidence and could return with a verdict today.