A man from the Shropshire border accused of murdering his wife by trapping her in a room and starting a fire at their home was seen having a “secretive” conversation days after her death, a court has heard.

David McLeon, brother-in-law to victim Anita Stead, 39, told a jury at Stafford Crown Court yesterday that he saw Alan Stead having “whispered words” with his father after receiving a telephone call from police.

Mr McLeon also said Stead was a gifted handyman, and would have put a lot of effort into building the extra room where Mrs Stead was found, in the garage of his home at Slindon Close, Waterhayes, Newcastle Under Lyme.

Stead, 42, now of Meynellfield, Loggerheads denies murdering Mrs Stead on May 27, 2002.Mr McLeon said after the fire he visited Stead at his parents’ home, when the police called to tell Stead they were no longer guarding the property at Slindon Close.

He said: “Alan Stead and his father went in the garden and they retreated to one end of the garden and they were having whispered words together. They left the property and went out to the end of the garden and had what I perceived as a whispered conversation.

“Most normal conversation is done in a civil tone but this looked incredibly secretive.”

Earlier this week, jurors were shown pictures of Stead’s burnt out home, including the garage, utility room and computer room which Stead built at the house.

Mr McLeon said Stead had showed him the computer room while he was visiting the couple in March 2002.

He said on first impressions it appeared as though the room did not exist, and entry was gained by moving books on a wall-mounted bookshelf to reveal a key.

He said: “I formed a very quick opinion of Alan’s ability. I was quite envious; he was gifted with his hands and he was able to construct and build certain items around the home very quickly and to a very high standard.”

John Harding, who worked as a paramedic for the Staffordshire Ambulance Service at the time of the fire said when he arrived on the scene, Stead was asking firefighters to “check the cupboard” to find his wife.

“Stead was very agitated, very emotional and distressed, that’s how he presented. Not from a medical point of view but from an emotional point of view,” he said.

The trial continues.