Det Con Jeffrey King told Nottingham Crown Court this morning that Nigel Bacon had two bank accounts, one with £78,500 and one with £63,000.

He also had £39,500 in a safety deposit box held at the Warsop Lloyd's TSB bank.

At the couple's home in Keeper's Cottage, near Clumber Park, £166,000 was found stashed away in a variety of locations.

The largest hauls were found in two gun cabinets.

Meanwhile, Susan Bacon was being chased by HM Revenue and Customs because she owed £40,000 in unpaid taxes.

Det Con King said police did not think she had access to the money found at the home.

"It was a decision I made that had Mrs Bacon had access to the cash the amounts that she owed would have been dealt with differently," he said.

But representing Susan Bacon, Gregory Dickinson told the court police had not considered she did have access to the money –– even though it was she handed over the gun cabinet key to police officers.

"Her behaviour was equally consistent with her having access to the money and choosing not to use it to pay off her debts," he said.

Following Mr Bacon's death, Susan Bacon was allowed to use some of the money found at the house to pay off her debts because she was about to be made bankrupt.

The alleged hitman Peter Jacques was in £123,000 debt and Michael Bacon was known to have unpaid county court judgements.

Nigel Bacon (50) was found with stab wounds to the head, neck and abdomen at his Keeper's Cottage home close to Clumber Park on 26th November last year and died in hospital later that evening.

Twenty-nine-year-old Peter Jacques, of Charlesworth Street, Bolsover, allegedly carried out the attack after being recruited by Mr Bacon's widow, Susan Bacon (55), also of Keeper's Cottage, and son Michael Bacon (21), of Wordsworth Avenue, Mansfield Woodhouse.

Michael Bacon's father-in-law Sean Woodcock (42), of Mapletoft Avenue, Mansfield Woodhouse, allegedly helped Susan and Michael Bacon contact Jacques and is also accused of murder.

The trial continues.