Murder accused in wife swap claim

A man accused of murdering his wife 28 years ago was involved in a wife-swapping session, a court has heard.

Gordon Park, 60, from Barrow denies bludgeoning to death his wife, Carol, then aged 30, in July 1976 and dumping her body in Coniston Water.

Her remains were discovered by chance by amateur divers 21 years later.

Manchester Crown Court heard that the couple had both had affairs, and during a police interview in 1997, Mr Park admitted to a wife-swapping encounter.

I had no idea she had been murdered. You think I'm the murderer and that's why I'm shocked Gordon Park

Quoting a transcript of the interview, Alistair Webster QC said: "This chap Colin Foster came on to the scene and then it was arranged to meet Colin and his wife.

"Then I'm ashamed to say that there was one occasion when Colin and Carol were in one bedroom and I was in another with his wife.

"But that was only one occasion and we didn't have intercourse and I don't think they did."

When officers asked Park what he thought of the suggestion he had murdered his wife, he said: "First I'm shocked about this. I had no idea she had been murdered. You think I'm the murderer and that's why I'm shocked."

Mr Park is alleged to have bludgeoned his wife to death, packaged her body in bags weighed with stones, and dropped it into the lake.

He told police he took their three children on a day trip to Blackpool on July 17, 1976, and when he got back to the family home in Leece, a village near Barrow, she had vanished.

The trial continues.