A WREXHAM man on trial for the murder of his partner laughed when asked by paramedics about her death, a court heard.

Madog Llewellyn Rowlands, of Coed Efa in New Broughton, is standing trial for the murder of 21-year-old Lauren Griffiths, who was from the Oswestry area.

Her body was found at a flat in Glynrhondda Street in Cathays, Cardiff.

On Wednesday jurors at Newport Crown Court were told of the scene emergency service teams discovered when they were called to the premises.

Michael Jones QC, prosecuting, said paramedics were alerted shortly after 6pm on April 30 last year to a female being unconscious and not breathing at the address.

They attended and were let into the flat by Rowlands, who was on the phone and "didn't appear upset" and was described as looking "blank".

Ms Griffiths, who was Rowlands' partner, was found naked on the floor of the bedroom.

Paramedics realised she had already died and asked Rowlands when this had happened.

The 23-year-old gave a 'short' or 'nervous' laugh and said it had been the previous night, the court heard.

Police arrived on the scene shortly after and on initial inspection it was noted that the lower half of Ms Griffiths' body up to her thighs had been wrapped in clear plastic film.

Rowlands, who was arrested at the scene, told police he'd taken MDMA, LSD and cannabis and had attempted to take his own life.

He also told officers at the scene he had been previously arrested for "strangling" his partner.

Crime scene investigators located other cling film rolls and a suitcase on the floor next to her body, as well as a roll of tape and the label of a roll of heavy duty bin bags.

Rowlands was taken to a hospital under arrest, where he seemed "agitated."

Officers recovered a number of items from the flat including a phone, cannabis, a white plastic wrap confirmed to have MDMA traces and notes written by Rowlands among other things.

They also discovered writing all over the bedroom wall, done by Rowlands.

He was later released to live with family in North Wales while enquiries were made.

In May he accessed the internet and searched for his own name, as well as Ms Griffiths'.

The court heard he also searched for a number of other terms including: "Six tips for getting the best result at court, mitigation checklist, living a life sentence and how to show remorse."

In July he was rearrested and taken to Llay police station for interview.

In a prepared statement he said after he realised she had died, he was "not thinking coherently" and that he "wanted to die."

He claimed he did not know why he felt the need to wrap his partner, but admitted having bought drugs and alcohol after her death.

He said he'd attempted to take his own life but was not able to.

In the statement he said he'd had "no intention to kill or harm or hurt Lauren at all."

When asked about his internet searches of his and Ms Griffiths' names he said he'd been missing his partner and also wanted to know if he'd been named.

Regarding his searches about court and mitigation, he said he was "anxious" about his future and wanted to look up court terms so he understood what they meant.

A toxicology examination of Ms Griffiths confirmed she had used cannabis at some time before her death.

Tests confirmed Rowlands had taken MDMA at "levels higher than typically expected for recreational use."

Pathologist Dr. Stephen Leadbeatter told the court of his attendance at the scene and his examinations which followed.

At the flat, he noticed Ms Griffiths face, right breast and arm were displaying signs of congestion of the skin.

He said there were two potential explanations for such congestion, the first being postmortem hypostasis; which is a consequence of the settling of blood under the force of gravity after death.

If this was the case he said, then its presence on the upper visible aspects of the body implies that the position in which he saw the body at that point had not been that in which the body had always been after death.

The second explanation for such a finding was that while a person was alive, pressure may have been applied sufficient to stop blood returning from the point above the point of pressure to points below it.

Dr. Leadbeatter said it was impossible to discern a time of death with any degree of precision, but estimated a ten hour window on April 29.

He said he found a small degree of injury to the neck but no evidence of injury to internal organs.

Also discovered was a scuffing or roughening of the skin over the lower jaw and a possible pressure mark on the neck.

The trial continues.