Court told of beatings claim

Sylvia Marie Smith, who is known as Rudy, was giving evidence in her defence at Worcester Crown Court.

The 22-year-old told the jury that she had shown Robert Field - one of the two men accused of killing Mr Black - some of the injuries inflicted by her partner.

Smith said that she had lived with Mr Black for five years and had loved him, but their relationship went "off trail" and he became violent towards her.

"It happened once a week or once or month, depending on his mood. He knocked me around with his fists," she said.

Smith said that she helped out at Mr Black's pawnbroker's business in Leominster and described him as a wealthy man with property and several bank accounts - including one in Geneva, Switzerland.

Smith denies conspiring to murder Mr Black and she, along with her mother Sylvia Jane Smith, 42, and her step-father Steven Smith, 45, all of Cherrybrook Close, Hope-under-Dinmore, Leominster, deny attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Field, 22, of Etnam Street, Leominster, and another man 29-year-old Gareth Powell, of The Grove, Shobden, in Leominster, deny murdering 41-year-old Mr Black on December 8 at his home at The Square, Bucknell, near Craven Arms.

Mr Black suffered 40 per cent burns and died later in hospital after petrol and kerosene were thrown over him and set alight.

Yesterday the court was told that members of a law firm denied advising Powell and Field to stick to the same story when questioned. The pair were represented by staff from GC Law Ltd of Hereford when they were arrested last year.

The court heard that later both men had alleged that they were wrongly advised.

Miss Marilena Divitantonio and Miss Laura Bufton, who work for GC Law, represented the two men when police wanted to hold simultaneous interviews.

The two women said it was a coincidence they had both advised their clients to offer statements and not to comment during interviews.

The trial continues.

By Arthur Mills at Worcester Crown Court