Double murder suspect David Oakes told a prison health worker how his former partner had tried to shoot him.

The couple were at the woman's home in Braintree and a jury heard how Oakes struggled with her as she held the weapon before both barrells of the shotgun went off.

The couple's two-year-old daughter Shania was killed in the blast.

Chelmsford Crown Court heard how Oakes told the prison worker he reloaded the shotgun and fired it twice at his former partner Chrissie Chambers.

He did not plan to kill the 38-year-old but shot her to "calm her down," the jury of seven men and five women were told.

Oakes is accused of murdering Mrs Chambers and his daughter at their home in Bartram Avenue, Braintree, in the early hours of June 6.

The unemployed builder and former bouncer from the Steeple Bay caravan park, Canney Road, Steeple, denies two charges of murder.

He was not in court to hear the case today and remained in his prison cell.

Oakes, 50, was in Chelmsford prison after being charged with the murders when he spoke to health worker John Moran.

"He was rambling but said he had taken the gun and ammunition around to the woman's house the day before and he said she was going to sell it," Mr Moran told the court.

The next day, Oakes told Mr Moran he returned to the house for a drink and there was an argument with Mrs Chambers.

Mr Moran described what Oakes told him: "He said the woman produced the shotgun and tried to shoot him.

"He wrestled the gun from her firing both barrells and hitting the child.

"He said he took the gun from her, re-loaded the gun and fired at her leg and bottom, not to kill her but to calm her down," Mr Moran told the jury.

The prosecution has alleged Oakes was fuelled by jealousy and carried out the killings only hours before Mrs Chambers was due to go to court over custody Shania.

The trial has heard he subjected Mrs Chambers to a three-hour "degrading assault" in which he forced her to strip and cut out clumps of her own hair.

He is alleged to have told her "If I can’t have you, then no one can" before he turned the gun on himself.

He survived a blast to the left side of his face, the court has been told.

Earlier, the jury heard how Oakes told a friend he felt like killing himself as he feared losing his daughter Shania.

Keith Game told the court: "He said he felt like doing himself in because he thought he was going to lose his child. He loved her" *The trial continues.