Sinead Wooding death: Neighbour 'saw body put in car'

The body of Sinead Wooding was discovered by joggers on 14 May

The body of an alleged murder victim was seen by a neighbour being loaded into a car, a court has heard

Lydia Gunning told a jury at Leeds Crown Court the scene in the early hours of 14 May was "very similar to what you see in the movies".

The remains of Sinead Wooding, 26, were found in woodland in Leeds a few hours later. Her body had been set on fire.

Her husband Akshar Ali and Yasmin Ahmed, both 27, deny murdering Ms Wooding at Ms Ahmed's home in Leeds.

A pathologist's report said mother-of-four Ms Wooding had been beaten with a hammer and stabbed.

Miss Gunning, a student who lived next door to Ms Ahmed, told the jury she was awakened by slamming car doors.

She said she looked out of her bedroom window after hearing noises at about 01:00 BST on 14 May.

'Looked awkward'

Minutes later she saw a man in a hoodie and a woman carrying "what appeared to be a body" wrapped in a covering.

"One of them was at the head end. One of them was at the feet end," she said.

"It looked awkward. They weren't overly struggling with the weight."

Ms Gunning said it was placed in the boot of a Volkswagen car that had been manoeuvred close to the back of Ms Ahmed's home.

Mr Ali, of Scott Hall Road, Leeds, and Ms Ahmed, of Reginald Mount, Potternewton, Leeds, are accused of killing Ms Wooding, who was allegedly beaten with a claw hammer and stabbed six times.

Mr Ali's mother Aktahr Bi, 45, denies assisting an offender by procuring a vehicle and assisting in the disposal of Ms Wooding's corpse.

His brother Asim Ali, 21, also denies assisting an offender by procuring a vehicle and assisting in the disposal and burning of her body.

A fifth defendant, Vicky Briggs, 25, denies assisting an offender by helping clean up and burn material after the murder.

The trial continues.