The murder trial of Robert Corbet has heard his account to gardai of dumping the body of Laois nanny Aoife Phelan in a river was a 'fiction'.

The haulier (25) of Sheffield Cross, Portlaoise, admits killing the 30-year-old who had told him she was over two months pregnant but denies her murder in October or November 2012.

Following his arrest, Robert Corbet told gardai he attacked Aoife Phelan in a 'white rage' after collecting her in his jeep from her friend's house on October 25th, the night she disappeared.

He said he lost control and began punching her repeatedly after she threatened to make his life hell if he walked away from her and her pregnancy.

He told detectives he drove around hoping she would come round before deciding to dump her body in a river near Monasterevin.

This morning, defence barrister, Conor Devally SC told the jury that his client's account to gardai transpired to be 'a fiction', a 'cod' and 'a wild goose chase' to divert attention from his family home.

'We know Aoife Phelan met her end on the lands and property of the Corbet family' he said.

The Central Criminal Court has already heard her body was found in a barrel in Capoley nearly two weeks after she was reported missing.

Today there was evidence that Robert Corbet tried to self harm while in custody at Portlaoise garda station. However paramedics found no injuries and a GP deemed him fit for interview.