Accused will not offer evidence

Beverley Parkhouse's body was found in a bed with a burnt duvet

The man accused of murdering a 45-year-old care worker has decided not to give evidence at his trial at Cardiff Crown Court.

Royston Moore, 52, of Nantymoel, denies killing Beverley Parkhouse at her father's home in Ogmore Vale, in Bridgend county, in September 2006.

At the start of his defence, Mr Moore's counsel, Peter Rouch QC, said he would not be going into the witness box.

The judge told the jury the defendant was entitled to take that position.

He said he would give jurors directions when he comes to sum-up the evidence.

Mother-of-one Mrs Parkhouse, who was having a secret affair with Mr Moore, was suffocated and the bed set on fire.

Regulars

On Wednesday witnesses who lived near or who worked with Mrs Parkhouse in the Ty Cwm Ogwr home at Nantymoel gave evidence for the defence.

None knew of the affair, but one, Elizabeth Davies, said there had been rumours in the Top Club at Nantymoel where they were both regulars.

Another woman, Angela Rees who worked with Mrs Parkhouse said she had confided she was having an affair, but not said with whom.

The court heard Mrs Rees and the murder victim both used to visit fortune tellers.

One had told Mrs Parkhouse that she would meet someone, the court heard, and she told Mrs Rees she already had.

Mrs Rees said she was taken aback because her friend was the last person she would expect to have an affair.

Royston Moore has decided not to give evidence in his defence

She said Mrs Parkhouse also told her that her husband Andre was suspicious because her found the man's number in her phone.

The defence has earlier suggested Mr Parkhouse could have killed his wife and in his evidence he said he had not known of her affair until after she was murdered.

Mrs Rees said some months after Mrs Parkhouse revealed the affair, she told her it was over.

She said Mrs Parkhouse appeared to be very confused. After 27 years of marriage, she said she loved her husband more like a brother.

But Mrs Rees said Mrs Parkhouse said her husband had been good to her and she did not want to hurt him.

'Isolated him'

Another witness, Valerie Bayliss, said she had seen a bit of flirting between the victim and Mr Moore but she did nor suspect an affair, and Mrs Parkhouse was very family-orientated.

She had never heard her say a bad word about her husband, and they were definitely in love.

Marion Woosnam, the defendant's neighbour, said after he was arrested and released he told her he had seen Mrs Parkhouse on the night she was killed - but only in his car.

She said Mr Moore complained nobody else was talking to him after his arrest.

"He felt his so-called friends had isolated him," she said.

The trial continues.