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| Alethea Taylor murder trial: Husband found guilty of murder | Alethea Taylor murder trial: Husband found guilty of murder |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| An undertaker has been found guilty of killing his wife at their bungalow and disposing of her body. | An undertaker has been found guilty of killing his wife at their bungalow and disposing of her body. |
| John Taylor, 61, was given a life sentence and told he must serve a minimum of 17 years. | |
| He had denied murdering his wife Alethea, who was last seen in Orleton, Herefordshire, in January 2012. Her body has never been found. | |
| The month-long trial at Worcester Crown Court heard Taylor had been having an affair. | The month-long trial at Worcester Crown Court heard Taylor had been having an affair. |
| Taylor, of Mortimer Close in Orleton, Herefordshire, previously said he believed his 63-year-old wife was still missing. | |
| 'Web of lies' | |
| David Elliott, Sector Crown Prosecutor from West Midlands Crown Prosecution Service, described Taylor as a "deceitful man". | |
| Mr Elliot said Taylor had "spun a web of lies" in order to avoid justice | |
| "The defendant reported his wife missing from their family home and he claimed to the police she was suffering from dementia and had a habit of wandering off in a confused state. | |
| "This was a blatant lie designed to explain away her disappearance," he said. | |
| He said Taylor was "unhappy in his marriage" and was having an affair. | |
| "His wife found out and in a diary which was recovered from the house, Mrs Taylor highlighted her concerns at her husband's infidelity and the future of their marriage. | |
| "He even claimed to have tried to contact his wife by telephone several times when she disappeared. Cell site analysis showed that he had called her only once, a call which lasted eight seconds," Mr Elliott said. | |
| Nosebleed claims | |
| Taylor had denied prosecution claims that he had changed his story over bloodstains found on their bed. | Taylor had denied prosecution claims that he had changed his story over bloodstains found on their bed. |
| He told the court he accepted he told police that days before his wife went missing, he had found her sitting on her side of the bed, with a "horrendous" nosebleed. | He told the court he accepted he told police that days before his wife went missing, he had found her sitting on her side of the bed, with a "horrendous" nosebleed. |
| Forensic officers did find Mrs Taylor's dried blood, but on her husband's side of the bed, the court heard. | Forensic officers did find Mrs Taylor's dried blood, but on her husband's side of the bed, the court heard. |
| Michael Burrows, prosecuting, asked Taylor how he could have a better recollection of the incident now than then. | Michael Burrows, prosecuting, asked Taylor how he could have a better recollection of the incident now than then. |
| Taylor said it was due to "the pressure at the time, being interviewed". | Taylor said it was due to "the pressure at the time, being interviewed". |