The man accused of murdering English schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman claims the pair died accidentally in his bathroom on the day they disappeared, the London's Old Bailey heard today.
Mr Stephen Coward, QC, defending, revealed the claim as he questioned the pathologist who examined the 10-year-olds' bodies.
Mr Coward said Holly went to the bathroom of 5 College Close in Soham with Jessica and Mr Huntley because of a nosebleed.
"Holly sat on the edge of the bath, at the tap end, the end furthest from the door and next to the bath was a washbasin. Jessica sat on the other end of the bath nearer to the door.
"Mr Huntley was getting pieces of tissue or toilet paper, putting them under the cold tap to cool them and handing them to Holly, and on one of his turns from getting the wet tissue he slipped and it seems that he may well have banged into her as she was sitting on the edge of the bath, and she went backwards.
"He has no recollection of a bang, but he does remember a splash. When Holly went in the bath, which had roughly 18 inches of water in it because Mr Huntley was going to wash the dog, Jessica stood up and started screaming 'You pushed her, you pushed her'.
"And he then turned towards Jessica and either with one hand or two, he's not sure, put his hands out towards Jessica, his memory is over her mouth, to stop her screaming. For how long he was in that position he can't say.
"But he was then conscious that Jessica was no longer supporting herself on her feet. He let go and she went to the ground. He then turned round to the bath and Holly was lying in the bath, apparently dead.
"He lifted Holly out of the bath, put her on the floor, looked for signs of breathing and found none. He turned his attention to Jessica, he looked for signs of breathing and found none."
Mr Coward had earlier asked the pathologist how long it would take for someone to die from drowning or strangulation.
Mr Huntley (29) a former caretaker at Soham Village College, denies murdering Holly and Jessica, but has admitted conspiring to pervert the course of justice.
His ex-girlfriend Ms Maxine Carr (26) a former classroom assistant at the girls' primary school, denies conspiring to pervert the course of justice and two charges of assisting an offender.