S&M pact 'led to wife's murder'

Stephen Marsh was working at a call centre when he began an affair

A man persuaded the woman he was having a secret sado-masochistic relationship with to stab his wife to death, Swansea Crown Court has been told.

Jaspal Marsh, 36, was stabbed 16 times as she tried to fight off her attacker in her bedroom at Gorseinon.

Stephen Marsh denies murder. His lover Rebecca Harris, 29, from Morriston, Swansea, has admitted killing Mrs Marsh with a kitchen knife.

She is due to give evidence later in the trial.

Opening the case, Huw Davies, prosecuting, said the lovers had worked together on the murder which happened shortly after midnight on 29 July last year, when Mrs Harris travelled to Marsh's three-bedroom marital home in Gorseinon, near Swansea.

She screamed and she fought for her life Huw Davies, prosecuting

The door had been left unlocked - after Mr Marsh sent his wife a text saying he would be home later and urged her to leave it open.

Mrs Harris went into the kitchen and selected an eight-inch bladed knife before walking upstairs.

"It seems that she expected Mrs Marsh to be asleep, but she was not," he said.

"She was in bed but she jumped out of bed and screamed and fought for her life but the attack on her showed no mercy at all."

Jaspal Marsh was stabbed 16 times in her bedroom

Mrs Marsh was stabbed 16 times and died on the floor.

The court heard that Mr Marsh was out socialising with an acquaintance.

Earlier in the night he had sent his wife a text message which read: "I'm still in The Potters with Andy, just leave front door open and I'm getting a lift home. Love you".

Mr Davies said: "This was not a message of love at all, this was a message from someone setting up his wife to be murdered."

This was not a message of love at all, this was a message from someone setting up his wife to be murdered Huw Davies, prosecuting

After she killed Jaspal Marsh, Mrs Harris sent a text message to Mr Marsh saying: "She screamed and fought I'm shaking so much."

In what the prosecution allege was an attempt to make himself look innocent, Mr Marsh stayed out all night and even sent text messages explaining his movements to his wife, despite knowing she was dead.

The court heard that after a series of denials, Mrs Harris finally made a statement admitting she was the killer.

She said that she and Mr Marsh had first discussed killing her husband, Ron, but Mr Marsh has come up with an alternative plan - murdering Jaspal.

She said that he had promised her a life together if she did it and threatened to kill her if she didn't go through with it. After the murder, the court heard, she said he sent her a text saying she was a star and that he loved her.

The prosecution claimed Mr Marsh went to work the next day and returned home when he says he found his wife's body.

Rebecca Harris covered her face as she arrived in court

The jury heard a recording of the 999 call he made to police after finding his wife's body with a knife in it.

"He played the part of a grieving bereaved widower," said Mr Davies.

The jury heard how Mr and Mrs Marsh met while working for the Ministry of Defence in London.

Mr Davies said the marriage was difficult because Mrs Marsh came from a traditional Sikh family who did not approve of the relationship.

At the time of the murder she had been working for Admiral Insurance in Swansea and he had been working at a directory inquiries call centre in the city, where he met his lover.

The jury was shown two mobile phone video clips showing Mr Marsh and Mrs Harris involved in sex games at his house.

They showed Mr Marsh slapping Mrs Harris and cutting her with the knife she later used to stab his wife.

The trial continues.