A MECHANIC accused of stalking and then murdering his ex-girlfriend hid a T-shirt he wore on the morning she was killed, a court heard.

Michael Lane told police officers he “panicked” and “hid” the top when he was released on bail after being questioned over Shana Grice’s murder.

He also told them his relationship with her had been “messing with his head”.

CCTV footage captured Lane, 27, dressed in a plain white t-shirt and shorts at the McColl’s shop in Valley Road, Portslade, just after 8.15am on August 25 last year, Lewes Crown Court heard.

But just over half an hour later he was seen again on CCTV, this time in a striped T-shirt and shorts, at another McColl’s in Graham Avenue.

The body of 19-year-old former Hove Park student Miss Grice was found shortly before 10am on August 25 in her bedroom in nearby Chrisdory Road.

The prosecution argues that Lane slit Miss Grice’s throat before setting her bedroom on fire.

Lane said he went to the dentist in West Way, Hove, for 11am. He was arrested around three hours later while at work at Setyres in London Road, Burgess Hill.

He was released on bail on August 27 and after being taken back into custody on August 31, was asked by police why he did not mention he had changed his T-shirt.

He said: “I don’t know, I was unsure, I didn’t know what was going on. It was all blurring into one.”

He denied knowing where the T-shirt was during the interview on September 1, the court heard.

When asked if he changed his clothes to get rid of evidence, he said he hadn’t. The officers asked him: “As far as you’re aware was there any blood on your T-shirt, your shorts or your trainers?”

He said: “There wouldn’t be any blood on there.”

But then when questioned for the second time, he said he knew where the T-shirt was. He told them: “I don’t like dentists, I was sweating so I was using it to dab myself. I put it in a bin. And when I got released I panicked and hid it.”

He told officers he dumped it in a bin in West Way adding that when he was released he put it in a bin liner and hid it in nearby Greenleas Park.

Lane, of Thornhill Rise, Portslade, denies murder. The trial continues.

ACCUSED LATER CHANGED STORY OF HIS MOVEMENTS

MICHAEL Lane told police he went for a walk and checked a lottery ticket on the morning Shana Grice was killed.

Lewes Crown Court heard he woke at 7am, had a shower and walked just a few streets away from where she was murdered.

He said he bought a bottle of water at McColl’s in Valley Road and then walked back to his house. He had another shower because he was “sweaty” before changing into his work clothes, the court heard. Then he drove to another shop in Graham Avenue to check a lottery ticket.

He “sat around” waiting for his dentist appointment in West Way, Hove, then left his house again and stopped to visit his grandmother before going to the surgery, he said.

While he waited he said he called his father about the upcoming Albion game and phoned a friend in China. Afterwards he went to work.

But when his third interview began on August 27 he said he needed to change what he told officers.

He said he had in fact left his house at 8am with the “intention of going to see Shana” and had driven.

When asked why he did not say this earlier he said: “Because it doesn’t look good” adding: “It’s going to come out in the end anyway.”