Undertaker wanted life with lover, Alethea Taylor murder trial hears
An undertaker accused of murdering his wife and disposing of her body talked of making a new life with his mistress, a jury has heard.
John Taylor, 61, denies killing his wife Alethea Taylor.
The popular 63-year-old disappeared without trace in January 2012. On the fourth day of Taylor's trial at Worcester Crown Court, the jury heard from his mistress, Alison Dearden. Mrs Dearden's husband died eight months before she and Taylor began an affair. The jury heard Taylor had conducted her husband's funeral.
Taylor, from Orleton, near Ludlow, later came to see her at her cottage in Brimfield. The Taylors and Mrs Dearden had known each other for years.
While at her home one day in summer 2011, Taylor opened his heart to Mrs Dearden about his passionless marriage, and they began an affair. "He was very unhappy, and he told me they lived liked brother and sister for five or six years," she said. "He wanted a happy, companionable relationship."
She said she recalled Taylor talking about money, and the fact Mrs Taylor had inherited a house, and how the couple could 'afford nice holidays and have a nice home'.
As their relationship blossomed, they exchanged text messages, with many of Mrs Dearden's read out in court. One, from August, read: "Can't stop wanting to be with you – I love you so much." Mrs Deardon said Taylor was 'kind and lovely' and over the months the couple both became 'frustrated' by the situation.
She recalled she had sent a 'jokey' text to Taylor at saying she had found them a seaside house and, asked by Jonas Hankin, prosecuting, if she saw a future with Taylor, she replied 'sometimes, yes'. In early August, Taylor texted Mrs Dearden to say he was 'prepared to leave' his wife.
Mr Hankin asked Mrs Dearden about a night in December. Unknown to Taylor, his wife knew he was seeing the other woman that night and Mrs Dearden described how 'to our horror' there was a knock on her door. "John said 'I think it's Alethea' and in fairness to him he said 'I'm going to tell her about our relationship'," she said.
"It was me that said 'no, not yet'.
Mrs Dearden described Mrs Taylor as 'upset, crying and soaking'. She said she invited her in, offered her a cup of tea and they all sat down. "It was all very civilised, there was no shouting or arguing. She said to John 'why didn't you tell me you'd come to see Alison?' and he said he knew she wouldn't like it. I said to her 'I'm sorry, John has been coming to see me'. She said to me 'I do love him' and so I replied 'but do you show him that you love him?' She said that I didn't know the half of it and that John could be difficult to live with sometimes."
She said:?"I know it's hard for people to believe, but she never asked me outright if we were having an affair."
The trial continues.
