Husband and mistress 'took break' after wife's death

Father-of-three Alan Evans, aged 35, planned a future and starting a family with teaching assistant Amanda Chadwick, 30, who worked at his children's school, jurors were told.

But Mrs Evans discovered their affair when she found that more than 2,000 text messages had been sent between her husband and Ms Chadwick, it is alleged.

Within weeks of his wife's death at the family home, Evans resumed the relationship with his lover and they shared a seaside break, Worcester Crown Court was told yesterday.

Photographs were presented to the court showing Evans and Ms Chadwick pictured together on October 26 last year. They were photographed on a beach in Wales.

Ms Chadwick had admitted to resuming her relationship with Evans, something which she previously denied, after changing her statement to police just before the trial, Mr Jonas Hankin QC, prosecuting, said.

Asked why she changed her statement on October 9 she said: "I was terrified, I was ashamed.

"I knew it was wrong. He knew it was wrong and said that we shouldn't be saying anything about it. He said they would only use it against him."

She said she was now separated from her husband, Simon McHugh, although they had been together for 12 years and married for 18 months. She has two children aged 11 and seven.

Evans denies murdering his wife Louise, 32, at their home on July 10, last year.

The trial had earlier been told by Mr Jonas Hankin QC, that Evans was concerned about losing his share in the home and being stopped from seeing his children if his marriage broke up.

He said: "The prosecution case is that the defendant pushed or threw her down the stairs and if she did not die very shortly after then he smothered her to death. He had subjected her to a serious, violent assault."

The jury was told that next-door neighbours Hayley and Charles Weale heard Louise scream and swear at around 10pm on July 9. Mr Hankin said: "At around 11.30pm they were woken by an almighty crash."

Evans had told police that he had been asleep on a sofa in the lounge and had not heard his wife fall, the court was told. He said that a vacuum cleaner was found at the top of the stairs with its hose uncoiled.

Mr Hankin said: "Police say that the skipping rope was positioned close to her body to make it seem like she became entangled in it."

The trial continues.