Husband 'wanted wife dead' claim

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A husband told a teenage lover he wanted his wife dead and knew the men to do it, a jury has heard.

Michelle Hales, now 19, told Swansea Crown Court that she was 17 when she slept with Stephen Marsh at his marital home in Gorseinon, near Swansea.

Another mistress, Rebecca Harris, 30, has admitted killing his wife Jaspal, 36, but claims Mr Marsh, who denies murder, persuaded her to do it.

Miss Hales also said he told her he did not want to hurt his wife by leaving.

On another occasion, however, he had said he wanted her dead and that he would talk the following day with some men who would kill her for him.

Two more of Marsh's former lovers have given evidence in court

The next day she saw Mr Marsh, now 37, speaking to a group of men in the Walkabout pub in Swansea.

Miss Hales ended her evidence in chief by telling the jury that "despite everything" she loved Mr Marsh "to bits and always will."

The court has previously heard that Mrs Marsh died after being stabbed 16 times by Harris in her bedroom in July 2006.

Harris, who is married to 69-year-old husband Ron, met Mr Marsh while working at a directory inquiries call centre in Swansea and the pair embarked on a sado-masochistic relationship.

Miss Hales told the court while sitting on Mr Marsh's lap on one occasion he brought up the subject of killing his wife.

'Vile'

She said: "He was on about 'I'm going to kill Jas.' He said he had a few people he could pay to sort it out. I asked who and he said I didn't need to know."

Miss Hales said Mr Marsh told her the men would "pick her up in a car and take her somewhere. He said there were loads of ways, strangle her. He didn't say how just that there were loads of ways."

The prosecution allege Mr Marsh established an alibi by going drinking with a friend in a city centre pub and set the murder scene by ensuring his wife left their home unlocked before going to bed.

The court heard on Tuesday from Rebecca Harris' husband Ron who described his wife's behaviour as "vile" and said they were getting divorced.

Mr Marsh denies murder and the case continues.