Lover 'covered up rival's death'

The lover of a man accused of murdering his wife 19 years ago impersonated the missing woman to cover up the crime, a court has been told.

Russell Causley's lover Patricia Causley repeatedly pretended to be Veronica Packman to get work and money, a jury at Exeter Crown Court heard.

It was said they "lied in tandem" after Causley murdered Mrs Packman in Dorset.

Causley, who changed his name from Packman after his lover moved in with him, denies killing his wife in 1985.

Work permit

Bruce Houlder QC, prosecuting, said: "It has always been the prosecution's case that Patricia Causley was involved in the impersonation and charades that were put up.

"The evidence that Patricia was in on this is everywhere you look."

Causley, 60, of Portlock Place, Maidenhead, Berks, is accused of killing his wife some time between June and August, 1985, while they were living in Bournemouth, and telling people she had gone to live abroad.

The first time Patricia pretended to be the missing woman was when she rang a building society shortly after Mrs Packman had disappeared, Mr Houlder alleged.

A woman claiming to be Carol Packman then contacted police in Bournemouth, apparently with her daughter.

Mrs Packman's daughter denies going to the police station with her mother, added the QC.

He then accused her of impersonating Mrs Packman to get a job when she and Causley went to Canada in 1987.

"She lied to the authorities to get a work permit, and was confident that nobody would come back to spoil the party," he said.

Edward Rees QC, defending, said he would not be calling any witnesses when he began the defence case on Wednesday.