Inspector 'stunned' by murders

Stephen Lewis said he had no idea of his wife's lesbian affair

The ex-husband of the lesbian lover of a woman murdered along with her family in Clydach has denied being involved in the killings.

Policeman Stephen Lewis told Newport Crown Court he was "stunned" and in "disbelief" on hearing of the deaths.

David Morris, 44, of Craig-cefn-parc, denies four counts of murder.

In June 1999, Ms Power, Katie, 10, Emily, eight, and Doris Dawson, 80, were beaten to death at their home, which was set on fire.

At the retrial of Mr Morris, Mr Lewis, now acting inspector in Neath, told the court how he knew Ms Power because her friendship with his then wife Alison.

The court heard how on Sunday 27 June, 1999 - the day the family were murdered - Mr Lewis went into work on an early shift.

Ex-police officer Alison Lewis was hysterical after the murders

While there he made a telephone call to a colleague who asked him if he had heard about the fire.

The jury were played a tape of that conversation, which went as follows: Colleague (C): "Have you heard about the fire?" Stephen Lewis (SL): "No" C: "Four dead." SL: "Where?" C: "Kelvin Road." S L: "What address?" C: "Number nine" SL: "What name is it?" C: "It was four thirty in the morning." SL: "I know those people. They are friends of ours. Never. Mandy? Jesus they were at a barbeque at ours on Friday night. And the two girls? Oh my God. You are joking? She's been having hassle with an ex-boyfriend."

Mr Lewis told the court: "I was just stunned. Initially I just sat in the office in total disbelief and the next few minutes were just a blur."

He said as he was about to leave the station to go home to his wife, a call came through from Alison Lewis.

"She told me she was at the scene. I told her to go home."

Mandy Power, her daughters and her mother were battered to death

By the time he arrived home, his wife had returned. He said: "Alison was hysterical, she was beside herself with grief."

Asked if he knew about his wife's affair with Ms Power, he replied: "No."

Later that day, police officers called to take statements from the couple. During his statement, Mrs Lewis demanded to talk to him and they went to the bedroom.

"She said I better sit down and then she said 'I've been seeing Mandy'.

"I was in total and utter disbelief. I left and went to my cousin's."

When he later returned home he said his wife was "getting worse and worse".

"She was hysterically crying, she was hallucinating she could see Mandy Power and the girls and she wanted to go to them," he told the jury.

"At one stage I could hear the stairs creak, she was in the bedroom. She had the window open and a foot on the windowsill and she looked like she was about to launch herself out.

"I pulled her back," he said.

A doctor was called and his wife was admitted to a psychiatric unit, the court heard.

Former scrap metal dealer David Morris denies four murder charges

"I was in a state of shock," he said. "It went from bad to worse - a close family friend had died and then my whole world collapsed finding out about Alison and her relationship.

"And then she tried to harm herself and I had to leave her in the middle of the night in a psychiatric hospital.

"I didn't know if was coming or going."

The court heard how nearly a year after the murders, he was arrested along with his then wife and brother and questioned for four days in connection with the murders before being released on police bail.

Several months later, he was told no further action was being taken but that his employer South Wales Police suspended him from duty for two years following a disciplinary notice.

He was asked by prosecutor Patrick Harrington QC: "You went to bed on the 26th of June and then got up and went to work. Did you leave your bed that night?

"No," replied Mr Lewis.

"Did you leave the house?"

"No."

"Did you have anything to do with what happened in Clydach?"

"No I didn't," he answered.

Mr Lewis is to be cross examined on Wednesday.

The prosecution has said the family were victims of the most appalling and grotesque violence - bludgeoned to death in the early hours of the morning.

The trial continues.