MURDER suspect Peter Smith made desperate attempts to cover his tracks just hours before the battered body of Hilda Owen was discovered, a court was told on Tuesday.
Nottingham Crown Court heard how Smith took the 1st March off work to visit the Mansfield house waste and recycling centre and to have his car valeted.
Prosecutors, as the trial started for a second time on Tuesday, also claimed he had visited Sherwood Forest Pines on 27th February late at night to dispose of evidence.
Smith (44), of West Hill, who denies killing Hilda some time between 26th February and 1st March 2007, then called the emergency services at 9.45am on 1st March to report the gruesome discovery.
Prosecutor Peter Joyce told the court: "Despite claiming he visited her everyday he made no efforts to visit Hilda on 27th, 28th February or 1st March.
"He failed to notice a build up of milk bottles on her doorstep and paid no attention to a note from the milkman raising concern on 1st March.
"He knew Hilda was lying there dead or dying. He then went to the tip and got there 15 minutes before it opened. He claimed he was disposing of a set of draws owned by former lover Adam Dixon.
"Mr Dixon knew nothing about this when asked. He then went to get his car valeted – something he had never done in the five years Mr Dixon had known him. Three minutes after returning home he called 999 to report the discovery of the body."
Hilda was last seen alive between 10am and 11.30am on 27th February. Prosecutors believe she was attacked that day. Hilda was wearing the same clothes that she had last been seen alive in and the calendar in the living room had not been changed from the 27th.
Smith, who worked for the department of work and pensions, was arrested by police and interviewed on 14 separate occasions between 9th and 10th March.
He has denied any part in the murder since Hilda's body was discovered.
The case continues. The full article contains 374 words and appears in n/a newspaper.
