Jury retires in body burial case

Lukasz Reszpondek is accused of murdering Ermatati Rodgers

A jury has retired to consider its verdict in the case of a dairy worker who is accused of murdering a 41-year-old woman.

Lukasz Reszpondek, 28, of Wrexham, denies murdering Ermatati Rodgers, 41, but admits burying her in countryside.

His lawyers have argued that Ms Rodgers died suddenly of natural causes, and have likened her unexpected death to that of Boyzone singer Stephen Gately.

The jury at Mold Crown Court will resume its deliberations on Monday.

Earlier, defending barrister Jeffrey Samuels QC said Polish-born Mr Reszpondek behaved reprehensibly after failing to call for help when he discovered Ms Rodgers' body at his home in Rhostyllen.

However, this, and the fact he hid the body and lied to police, did not make him a murderer, Mr Samuels said.

The jury has been told she was strangled to death, but the defendant claims he discovered Indonesia-born Ms Rodgers' body when he came downstairs after taking a shower.

Mr Samuels said Ms Rodgers, of Wrexham, could have died from natural causes, and unexplained sudden death syndrome could not be ruled out.

The pathologist in the case has dismissed that, saying she was in the wrong age group.

Prosecutor Michael Chambers has told the court that Mr Reszpondek murdered Ms Rodgers when she either refused to have sex with him, or because she was pressing him to leave his wife for her.

Mr Chambers said that Indonesia-born Ms Rodgers did not like being divorced, wanted to marry again, and liked the defendant very much.

Mr Reszpondek denies murdering Mrs Rodgers at his home in January 2008 after he returned home alone from Poland.