Murder trial told of oildrum's grisly secret: Plumber accused of killing his former wife in 1973
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A PLUMBER killed his first wife, put her in an oildrum and buried her in a garden under concrete 20 years ago, it was alleged at a court yesterday.
Nigel Pascoe QC, for the prosecution, told Bristol Crown Court that Joan Main, a mother of three, disappeared in January 1973, two days after moving into a house at Blunsdon Road, Swindon, which her former husband David Main had been renovating.
A short time later, it is alleged, Mr Main buried her body in the garden of a house at Goddard Avenue, Swindon, which was owned by his business partner, Madeleine Cavey, with whom he had been having a relationsip.
Mr Main, 60, of Broadwell, near Lechlade, Gloucestershire, pleads not guilty to murdering his former wife, who was then 35, between 21 and 31 January 1973. When he was arrested in March last year, excavations began at the Goddard Avenue house.
Mr Pascoe told jury members that they were concerned with 'a dreadful burial', and a prolonged, callous and cunning deception to cover up the murder. It meant Mr Main living a lie for 20 years, hiding the truth from his children and former in-laws.
Mr Main had claimed that his former wife had left to start a new life with another man, and he forged a letter and a birthday card to her mother to back up his story, Mr Pascoe said.
By 1973, Mrs Main had overcome a divorce and was rebuilding her life in a home restored by her former husband, he said. 'She had everything to live for. Yet on 20 January, on the 13th birthday of her eldest child Lyn, she disappeared without trace.'
The prosecution contends that, 20 years later, her body was found in the oildrum in the rear garden of a house in Goddard Avenue.
'In all probability Joan Main had been strangled, and the Crown say that David Main killed her. That is the chilling and tragic conclusion we shall ask you to draw,' Mr Pascoe told the jury.
After his divorce from Joan Main, the defendant married Madeleine Cavey, and moved to her flat at Goddard Avenue, opposite the house that Ms Cavey later bought.
They were divorced in 1984, and Ms Cavey committed suicide five years later.
The trial continues today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments