A 29-year-old was “under the influence” of cannabis and feeling “very happy” the night he allegedly murdered his lover before dumping her body in a suitcase, a court heard today.

Laszlo Gyarmati, of Station Road, Finchley, was arrested after the body of 25-year-old Alexandra Kovacs was found in a large black case in Dollis Valley Greenwalk, Mill Hill, last July.

Although Mr Gyarmati has pleaded guilty to manslaughter, he denies murdering Miss Kovacs, whom he first met when they shared a house together in Neasden.

In an interview with police, he said they became “chums” but that their relationship became sexual when they both moved out.

Part of the interview, carried out on July 23 and July 24, was read out to jurors at Central Criminal Court today.

Telling police about his relationship with Miss Kovacs, Mr Gyarmati said: “I don’t really know this girl very well, I’d only known her for a couple of months.”

He said he thought she “had had several boyfriends” and when asked if he was jealous, he had replied: “No, I’m not really that much interested in her. She’s just a sexual partner.”

He told police he smoked cannabis before meeting up with her on Wednesday, July 17 after she complained of being “very bored” and “lonely”.

The pair went to a chicken restaurant in Hendon Central and then to her home in Lee Road, Mill Hill.

When asked what they did at her home Mr Gyarmati said: “Kissing, kissing together, cuddling and kissing.”

He went on to say they had sexual intercourse several times in her bedroom before getting dressed and going into the garden where he smoked another cannabis cigarette.

Having gone back inside the house, he described seeing “a dummy”, similar to a mannequin used in shops, on top of a freezer as well as suitcases in various locations on the ground floor.

He said he and Miss Kovacs had talked some more, and that when he left to go home in the early hours of Thursday, July 18, he was “very tired” and “under the effect” of cannabis, describing himself as being “very happy”.

He told police he said “bye bye” to Miss Kovacs, who was standing in her doorway, and that he would “be in touch later”.

When asked if he had anything in his hands when he left her home, he said no.

Mr Gyarmati is accused of murdering Miss Kovacs in the early hours of Thursday, July 18.

The trial continues.