Murder accused's 'insurance queries'

Randle Williams, 43, denies killing his wife in April last year

A man accused of killing his wife rang insurance companies to see if he could claim on her life policy.

A jury at Bristol Crown Court heard on Friday that Randle Williams called two firms to inquire about making claims weeks after he had been charged over her killing.

Mr Williams, 43, denies murdering his wife Natalie, 33, whose strangled and drowned body was found in a river at Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire, a day after he reported her missing in April 2002.

The jury has already been told Mr Williams was in financial difficulties at the time of his wife's death.

In the weeks before Natalie died, the couple had changed their wills, leaving their whole estate to the surviving spouse.

Natalie Williams was strangled and drowned in a river near her home

Williams had also been trying to arrange a £665,000 life policy with Norwich Union for both of them which would be paid to the surviving spouse, the jury has heard.

Part of the deal was free accidental death benefit while the applications were being processed.

Natalie's application was turned down, but the jury has heard from a Norwich Union employee who said he had not told Mr Williams that meant the accidental death benefit - worth £500,000 - was null and void.

Insurance inquiries

On Friday the jury was told Williams twice called Norwich Union in May 2002 to discuss the accidental death benefit.

In the first call he said: "Now can I ask was or is Natalie covered under that?"

He was told he would need to write and enclose the death certificate if he wanted to try to make a claim.

In a call to the same company two days later, he said: "Can you tell me, my wife died on April 22 last month, would she have been covered at all on the accidental part for the proposals still going through?"

At around the same time, Williams also called another company with whom his wife had a policy.

The trial continues.