A “gentleman farmer” accused of murdering his wife and dumping her body in a septic tank 40 years ago claimed serial killer Fred West was “responsible” for her death, a court heard.

Retired David Venables is on trial for the murder of Brenda Venables, whose remains were discovered in an underground cesspit at their former marital home in Kempsey, Worcestershire, in 2019.

Prosecutors have claimed the 89-year-old has “got away with murder” for nearly 40 years by allegedly disposing of his wife’s remains.

On Friday, Worcester Crown Court heard accounts of Venables’ interviews with police after he was arrested, where he said he thought West could be behind her death.

“One thing did happen,” he told officers.

“A lady rang me up – I vaguely knew her actually, she used to keep house with a friend I knew – she said Fred West picked her up in Worcester at a bus stop early one morning, and she managed to escape.

“I wondered since whether he was responsible for picking her (Mrs Venables) up and eventually disposing of her body.”

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The police then asked Venables: “Who was that lady (who rang you)?”

“I can’t tell you, I can’t even remember what her name was,” he replied.

West was charged with 12 murders between 1967 and 1987 in Gloucestershire, but killed himself before his trial.

He carried out a number of the murders with his second wife, Rose West, who was convicted of 10 murders in November 1995 and is serving a whole life sentence.

A Falklands War report, a West Highland Terrier and an engagement ring

The jury also heard Venables, who was 49 at the time, explain to officers that the couple had watched a report about the Falklands War on TV and Mrs Venables had been playing with their new West Highland Terrier.

He claimed to have last seen her in bed after she changed into her nightdress and, in the morning, she had “just disappeared”.

Venables was also asked if she had left any personal items behind, and he recalled her removing her engagement ring and leaving it on the bedside table.

Asked where it was now, he said he gave it away to a family friend around three or four years ago.

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“The ring wasn’t valuable,” he added, although he “didn’t know” how much the band, made of gold with a diamond, had cost.

Previously, the court heard that Venables had rekindled a “long-standing” affair he was having with his mother’s former carer just months before his wife disappeared.

He has denied murdering Mrs Venables between 2 and 5 May 1982.

His trial, which is scheduled to last six weeks, continues.

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