Builder ‘burned body of wife’s lover in oil drum’, court told
A BUILDER burned the body of his wife’s secret lover after shooting him dead, a court has heard.
Andrew Jones, 53, is accused of burning the remains of Michael O’leary, 55, in a rusty oil drum after a confrontation at a remote farm.
The businessman is alleged to have lured the married father-of-three to his death after discovering his wife Rhianon, 51, was having an affair with him. Jones allegedly sent messages from his wife’s phone to Mr O’leary arranging to meet at Cyncoed Farm, Cwmffrwd, Carmarthenshire, on the evening of January 27.
After allegedly shooting him dead with a rifle, Jones is accused of disposing of Mr O’leary’s body by burning it at a yard next to his home in Carmarthen.
Forensic scientist Dr Robert Lewis told Swansea Crown Court the fire burned for several hours and involved the use of petrol or another accelerant. He told the court he had examined CCTV recovered from Jones’s home address, which showed a fire taking place during the early hours of January 29.
William Hughes QC, prosecuting, took Dr Lewis through his statement, in which he said there was a single burn site at the property.
“Your interpretation is that the fire has taken place on the surface of hard standing on the quarry,” Mr Hughes said.
“The CCTV viewed by you from Bronwydd Road shows a fire occurring at 1.22am and continuing to at least 5.52am when the film concludes on January 29.
“The fire was accelerated with a highly flammable liquid.”
Dr Lewis replied: “Yes, that is correct.”
Earlier, the court heard human tissue was recovered from a rusty oil drum in the yard.
Forensic pathologist Dr Stephen Leadbeatter said he carried out tests of the tissue, including X-rays, and concluded it was from the small intestine.
He told the court the piece of tissue was 16cm by 4cm in size and had scorch marks on it, indicating it had been burned.
“There was no evidence (the scorching) had occurred during life,” he added.
Jurors have previously heard DNA testing proved the tissue was Mr O’leary’s.
Dyfed-powys Police launched a missing person inquiry after Mr O’leary failed to return to his home in Nantgaredig.
The defendant was arrested on suspicion of murder after he had given a statement to detectives admitting he lured Mr O’leary to the farm having learnt in September last year of the affair.
Jones, a father-of-three from Bronwydd Road, Carmarthen, denies murder. The trial continues.