An 89-year-old retired pig farmer who tried to blame serial killer Fred West for his wife’s disappearance almost 40 years ago has been found guilty of her murder.
David Venables was convicted of killing Brenda Venables, whose skeletal remains were discovered in a septic tank at the couple’s former home, 37 years after she was reported missing.
During his month-long trial, the pensioner - who had been having an extramarital affair when his wife disappeared - claimed she could have fallen victim to West.
His legal team had claimed West had links to the Worcestershire village of Kempsey, where the Venables couple lived.
But the jury of seven women and five men found the wealthy former farmer guilty of murder by a majority verdict after deliberating for almost 17 hours.
Following the verdict, Mrs Venables’ nieces and nephews issued a statement expressing relief that justice had finally caught up with her true killer.
In a statement, they said: “We are relieved that today, after a wait of 40 years, at last there is justice for Brenda.
“Venables can no longer get away with having murdered his wife, the hiding of her body, and all his deceit, lies and fabrications.”
They also thanked the member of the public who found Mrs Venables’s remains three years ago when cleaning out the septic tank on the family farm.
Venables’s on-off affair with nurse
During the trial, the jury heard that Venables had been having an on-off affair with nurse Lorraine Styles, who was caring for his elderly mother.
In May 1982, he went to police claiming that his wife - who had been suffering from depression because she could not have children - had disappeared without trace.
Prosecutors claimed Venables - who was 48 at the time - had in fact killed his wife because he “wanted her out of the way” so he could rekindle his romance with Ms Styles.
A police investigation failed to find any trace of Mrs Venables and it was assumed by some that she had taken her own life.
Her remains lay undiscovered for 37 years until his nephew, who bought Quaking House Farm from him, had the septic tank cleaned and a worker discovered a human skull.
When questioned by police, Venables hinted that West might have been involved in his wife’s disappearance and detectives later discovered a book about the notorious serial killer in his dining room.
He told police a female friend had confided that West had picked her up at a bus stop early one morning but she had managed to escape.
It was also submitted on behalf of Venables that West had worked emptying septic tanks and that Mrs Venables’ disappearance had been unfairly “ignored” during inquiries into the Gloucester builder following his arrest by Gloucestershire Police in 1994.
But the jury rejected the claims and Venables showed no emotion as the guilty verdict was delivered.
He was remanded in custody and will be sentenced next Wednesday.
