A MAN who met a former vet for sex after making contact on a fetish website told a jury today that he was unaware there was a dead body in the room.

The man, who can't be named for legal reasons, was invited to Kirk Thompson’s flat in Dulverton Court, Jesmond, Newcastle, in the early hours of March 2 last year.

Mr Thompson, 46, is on trial at Newcastle Crown Court, accused of the manslaughter of 43-year-old David Kochs, following a drug-fuelled sado-masochistic sex session.

The witness, who said he enjoys submissive sex, made contact with Mr Thompson after returning home from a night out.

The pair had never met previously, but exchanged contact details and he went to Mr Thompson’s flat shortly afterwards.

The jury heard today (Thursday, March 13) how the man was not concerned about the content of messages exchanged with Mr Thompson prior to their meeting.

He said: “From what I read in his profile, I knew there would be some form of domination or sex toys and fisting. That is what I would describe as extreme.”

Another message from Mr Thompson suggested he had someone else in the flat but the man, who had been drinking and had taken a legal high, said he did not think much about it.

He said he saw a duvet in the living room, under which the body of Mr Kochs, originally from the Bishop Auckland area, was later found.

During the liaison, which lasted nearly four hours, the man used sex toys and a baseball bat on himself while sitting on a rubber mat in the living room and performed a sex act on Mr Thompson.

He later messaged Mr Thompson to say how much he enjoyed the meeting and described it in court as ‘low intensity’ sado-masochistic sex.

He said there was no violence involved and he only knew Mr Thompson by his website username.

The man only became aware of David Kochs’ body when police contacted him later in the day, he said.

Mr Kochs, who lived in Gateshead, died from internal injuries.

He and Mr Thompson also met online and had been taking crystal meth in the hours before his death.

Mr Thompson denies manslaughter, an alternative charge of wounding and a third charge of assault causing actual body harm. He has admitted possessing crystal meth.

The trial continues.