A mother-of-three allegedly hammered to death by her flatmate was "beautiful", according to one of her escort clients.

Barry Balls gave evidence at Isleworth Crown Court, where 30-year-old Edyta Zawadzka is charged with murdering her housemate Julia Anders, 43, between November 16 and 30 last year at the flat they shared in The Towers, Lower Mortlake Road.

The court heard Mr Balls paid for sexual services from the defendant and alleged victim, who he sometimes paid £500 per night.

Miss Zawadzka, a mother-of-one, hit Ms Anders over the head with a hammer because she was jealous she had more clients, the prosecution claimed.

Mr Balls was first introduced to the defendant in early 2013 when he looked her up on an escort website and paid her £150 for a hour, the court heard.

After a three-month hiatus she sent him a picture of her pregnant and said "You won't like me any more" and introduced him to Ms Anders, who he knew as Alex, and who he thought was beautiful, he told the court.

When Miss Zawadzka gave birth to her son, Ryan, Mr Balls bought a pram and some feeding bottles, the jury was told.

He also lent the defendant £1,200, of which she only gave £100 back, he told the court.

He said: "I mentioned [to Ms Anders] that I lent Edyta money and she lost her temper with me saying I was a fool and said I should have spoke to her first about lending her money."

He first learned of Ms Anders' death when he saw it in the Richmond and Twickenham Times and he told the court the defendant had said a few days previously how she was getting worried about her housemate because she had not seen her and was going to report her missing.

The prosecution claim Miss Zawadzka repeatedly hit Ms Anders over the head with hammer in the flat they shared in Richmond and left her there to die, but the defence say it was her brother, Pawel Zawadzki, who killed her.

The trial continues.