Sinead Wooding death: Brother-in-law visited crime scene

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

A man pestered by his brother to hire a car did not know it would be used to move a body, a jury heard.

Asim Ali told Leeds Crown Court he received a succession of calls from his brother Akshar Ali, who is accused of murdering his wife Sinead Wooding, 26.

Mr Ali said his brother "was bugging me" to locate a hire car.

Michael Collins, defending Asim Ali, asked: "Did you know it was for the purpose of depositing a corpse?" Mr Ali replied, "No."

Akshar Ali, 27, of Scott Hall Road, Leeds, and Yasmin Ahmed, 27, deny murdering Ms Wooding at Ms Ahmed's home in Reginald Mount, Potternewton, Leeds.

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

'Gone to police'

Ms Wooding, a mother-of-four, was beaten with a hammer and stabbed six times. It is alleged that her body was later loaded into a car, dumped in woodland, and set on fire.

Her smouldering remains were discovered by joggers on the morning of 14 May.

Asim Ali said he knew nothing of the fate of Ms Wooding when he was driven to Stairfoot Lane in north Leeds by Yasmin Ahmed. His brother, who was drunk, was "lying down" in the back.

The remote spot was where Ms Wooding's body had been dumped hours before.

Asked if he would have assisted with hiring a car had he known of the killing, Asim Ali replied: "No. I probably would have gone to the police."

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.

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

The trial continues.