Michael O'Leary murder trial: Wife's lover 'lured' to farm

Michael O'Leary was reported missing after failing to return home from work

A husband used his wife's secret phone to "lure" her lover to his death, a murder trial has been told.

Andrew Jones, 53, "kept a close eye on his wife and confiscated her telephone" after discovering her secret messages to Michael O'Leary.

Swansea Crown Court heard he used the phone to lure Mr O'Leary to a remote area on 27 January before killing him and destroying his body.

Mr Jones, of Bronwydd Road, Carmarthen, denies murder.

The court heard Mr O'Leary, from Nantgaredig in Carmarthenshire, was reported missing after he failed to return home from work.

His disappearance sparked a major police search, but his body has never been found.

"It is the prosecution's case that this murder was carefully planned and undertaken by Andrew Jones, as were the steps he subsequently took to cover up or destroy evidence of his crime," prosecutor William Hughes told the jury.

"In particular, say the prosecution, the destruction of Michael O'Leary's body in an attempt to hinder the subsequent police investigation."

'Human tissue in oil barrel'

The court heard the two men had known each other for about 20 years and Mr O'Leary started having an affair with the defendant's wife Rhiannon - who went to the same gym as him - sometime in 2019.

The prosecution alleged Mr Jones sent text messages from his wife's phone which "lured" Mr O'Leary to Cincoed Farm, near Carmarthen, which was one of Mr Jones' properties, on 27 January.

"That is the location, the crown say, that Mr O'Leary met his death at the hands of this defendant," Mr Hughes said.

The jury heard wi-fi information showed Mr Jones's personal phone, and his wife's "secret handset" were connected to his home wi-fi at the time the messages were sent.

This is "indicative", said the prosecution, of both phones being "in his possession and control".

Later that day, the court heard Mr Jones was seen on CCTV at his home on Bronwydd Road, exiting his shed "carrying a rope or cable".

The court was told police investigators also discovered a piece of human tissue from a small intestine at the bottom of the liquid content of a "rusty oil barrel" at Mr Jones's home in Carmarthen on 14 March.

"Further forensic analysis of that tissue, indicated that its DNA profile matched that of Mike O'Leary," the prosecutor added.

"The forensic scientist who also made this analysis was of the opinion that the tissue gave the appearance of having been burned."

The trial, which is due to last four weeks, continues.