The jury in the trial of Richard Elmes for the manslaughter of Trowbridge builder Adrian Cooksey has been played secret recordings where Elmes admits to perjuring himself.

In the tapes, made covertly by police last year, Elmes admits to his wife to being with Mr Cooksey in Spa Road shortly before he was found unconscious on March 8 2009, and getting into an argument with him. 

Elmes, 51, of Semington Road, Melksham, had been out drinking with childhood friend Mr Cooksey that evening, but had denied being in Spa Road at the trial of Thomas Minshull in 2010, who was acquitted of Mr Cooksey's manslaughter.

Mr Cooksey was discovered unconscious by an off-duty PCSO in Spa Road at about 2.50am and died later that day in hospital. He suffered a blow to his face which knocked him down, causing him to fracture his skull on the ground.

As well as the charge of manslaughter, which Elmes denies, he has pleaded guilty to perjury.

This morning the jury at Bristol Crown Court was played the conversation recorded on February 3 2011.

Using transcripts to help them follow the words, they heard Elmes tell his wife: "I've just got to stick to my story haven't I? It's 99 per cent true.

He later says: "The only bit I told porkies about was that I went down [Spa Road]. I remember going down that way and then coming back up but I never went right the way down there."

Elmes describes getting into an argument with Mr Cooksey, calling him "stroppy", "punchy" and "narky" but tells his wife he turned around and walked away.

He said: "I can't say I went down there, we had a row and I turned around and came back, unless they wanted to know about the row." 

He also expresses sympathy for Thomas Minshull, despite having lied in the witness box at his trial, saying: "He must have gone through hell, the young lad, if he didn't do it. Gone through court and all that business."

This morning the jury was also shown CCTV recordings from Melksham Market Place from the night Mr Cooksey was assaulted which look up Spa Road, and some photographs from other CCTV cameras around the town.

The trial will resume on Tuesday when the prosecution will conclude its case and the defence will begin to call witnesses.