A Korean interpreter broke down in tears this afternoon after feeling "frightened" during the murder trial of a New Malden businessman.

The female interpreter, Ms Follett, has now quit her role as translator for Korean witnesses at the trial of 35-year-old Seong Hong, which began at the Old Bailey yesterday.

From the start of the trial, the interpretor was criticised by the Judge for not doing her job properly, after the swearing in of the first witness took more than ten minutes, a procedure normally lasting a matter of seconds.

And today she told His Honour Judge Forrester: "I would like to resign.

"I feel very frightened and I don't feel comfortable because I don't know the facts of the case.

"I was not supposed to be doing this job, I was supposed to be the translator for the victim's family."

Mr Hong is accused of murdering North Korean immigrant Myung Chul Jang at his home, in Kingston Road, in July 2009, after an alleged street fight over unpaid wages.