A man accused of murdering Gatton schoolgirl Jayde Kendall told police he was trying to help her run away from home on the day she disappeared, a court has heard.
Brenden Bennetts is on trial for the murder of the teenager, whose remains were found in farmland 13 days after she disappeared in August 2015.
At the beginning of the trial he pleaded guilty to manslaughter which was rejected by the crown prosecution.
Recordings of police interviews have been played to the jury in which Bennetts changes his story multiple times about his last contact with her.
In a formal written statement to police on August 18, Bennetts said he last saw Jayde working at McDonalds, the day before she went missing.
Bennetts was re-interviewed by police after the statement was given, where he admitted to detectives that he picked her up after school.
"Got in the car, went to the water tower to try and talk her down because she was agitated … she was upset, emotional and crying," he told police.
Bennetts told police the pair talked for a while and Jayde told him she needed to get away because she was stressed about school.
"She stopped crying, looked me dead in the eye and made me promise to give her as much time as possible before I talk to you guys," he told police.
"I thought she would be back by now to be honest, but apparently not."
Bennetts told police Jayde asked him to withdraw $70 from her bank account and she sat in the back seat of his vehicle so she was not captured by CCTV in the area.
He said he dropped her off on the side of the road where she was going to make her way to Brisbane and that was the last time he saw her.
"I was trying to help," he said.
"She told me that she would find her own way."
When asked by detectives if he made any more contact with her, he said he "probably should have".
"She wanted to be alone, so I respected that."
The court also heard evidence from an ex-girlfriend of Brenden Bennetts about his violent sexual behaviour.
"He put his hands around my throat and squeezed harder than normal," she said.
"I had trouble breathing... I kicked him off.
"He untied me and he was very apologetic."
Bennetts' mother sheds tears in court
Bennetts' mother broke down in tears while giving evidence.
Wanda Bennetts said she spoke with her son the day after Jayde disappeared, to tell him the teenager was missing.
But it was only five days later — when he was brought home from the police station by officers wanting to collect his clothing for examination — that he finally told his mum he was with Jayde on the day she went missing.
"Brenden told me he picked Jayde up from school and had dropped her off at a bus station," she testified.
"I started crying, and said how come you never said anything?
"He said he was scared."
