A self-claimed former soldier is accused of trying to suffocate his partner while he chanted in gibberish.

Edward Rudd is standing trial at Bristol Crown Court on a charge of the attempted murder of his ex, Cara Bryant, in December last year. He denies the allegation.

Prosecutors claim the 37-year-old told the woman he was the devil then placed a plastic bag over her head in the early hours of December 11 at their home in Melksham while playing parts of a video he recorded the previous day in which he’d argued with his partner.

She managed to tear the bag from her mouth.

It is said he then tried to suffocate her with a pillow. He was chanting in a made-up language, it is claimed.

Ms Bryant was able to dial 999. The first call, made at 4.47am, lasted a minute and 21 seconds.

“Please help me,” she said. “He’s trying to kill me.”

The second call, made four minutes later, lasted longer.

She told the police call handler Rudd had put a bag over her head.

Police arrived 13 minutes after the first emergency call was made.

Yesterday, jurors at Bristol Crown Court were played video from an officer’s body-worn cameras showing the moment Rudd was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.

He told the officers: “Attempted murder? You can f*** right off.”

Crying as he stood in front of a Christmas Tree in the front room of the house, Rudd added: “Attempted murder? Are you serious?”

Torn fragments of a plastic bag found at the house were analysed by forensics scientists. Saliva from one section of the bag contained saliva with a DNA match for Ms Bryant, while another bag fragment was checked over using a fluorescent light. Blood was also found on part of the bag.

Under cross examination from Rudd’s barrister, Charles Row, forensic scientist Rachel Knottley was asked if she would have expected a stronger reaction from a fluorescent light test if one of the bag fragments had been stuffed in the woman’s mouth.

“As I haven’t tested them chemically that’s a very difficult question to answer. I may have expected to see some more fluorescent but it all depends on what happened to them afterwards,” she replied.

The court earlier heard Rudd claimed to have served in the SAS.

Rudd, of no fixed address, denies attempted murder. The trial continues.