A FEMME FATALE lured her former lover into a trap while another obsessed ex lay in wait, it is claimed.

Rebecca Ryan denied playing the role of a black widow woman manipulating men and bending them to her will, and one ultimately to his death, when she appeared in the witness box at Chelmsford Crown Court yesterday.

She claimed she did what she could to keep Michael Beckwith out of the clutches of the “jealous and controlling” Scott Swift by lying to him about what she was doing on the night of July 31.

She told the court: "I was scared of him."

But Ryan, who lived in Weeley, then arranged for Mr Beckwith, who lived in Dovercourt, to drive them to the remote location off Barrack Street, Harwich. close to the home of Swift.

A place the court heard Ryan used to go to with Swift.

A place the former couple knew well and Mr Beckwith did not.

The court heard claims Swift had previously chased after Mr Beckwith on his motorbike, had threatened him to stay away from Ryan on Facebook and had confronted him over a kiss.

Tyrone Smith QC, representing Joseph Smith, said: “This area you were going to was around the corner from where you knew Scott Swift lived.

“You knew Swift did not like Mr Beckwith.

“Did you not think it was a bad idea to bring this man you knew he had a problem with around the corner from Scott Swift’s address?”

Ryan said: “I did not think”.

The court also heard claims Ryan, days after dumping Mr Beckwith, forced him to tell a woman she believed he had been cheating on her with to leave him alone, two days before he was attacked.

Ryan said: “I did not make him do it. He did it of his own accord.

“He said she kept phoning him all the time.

“He said he got the phone out to tell her to leave him alone.”

And she denied claims, made by Amjad Malik QC, prosecuting, she had got back together with Swift days before the attack.

Smith has admitted to being there and has admitted one count of manslaughter.

Swift denies being the other masked man or doing or saying anything to Mr Beckwith on July 31.

It is claimed Joseph Smith hit Ryan during the attack on Mr Beckwith but she claimed not to recognise the masked Smith, despite having spent time with him two weeks earlier, having been friends with him on Facebook and having had a video chat with him later that night.

Tyrone Smith QC, representing Smith, asked if the two masked men who attacked her and the description she gave to police would match the description of Swift and Smith.

Ryan said “yes”.

But she still denies knowing who the masked attackers were.

Mr Beckwith, 44, of Goodlake Close, Dovercourt, died on August 2.

Swift, 27, of Station Road, Dovercourt, Smith, 18, of Canning Street, Harwich, and Ryan, 22, of Hilltop Rise, Weeley, deny murder.

Ryan is also charged with perverting the course of justice.

Triston Biddlecombe, 24, and wife Enderlein Biddlecombe, 20, both of East Street, Harwich, deny assisting offenders and perverting the course of justice.

The trial continues.