An unfaithful spiritualist minister murdered his wife and dumped her body in woodland after she began to uncover his web of sexual and financial lies, a court heard.

David Chenery-Wickens, 51, had the "clearest motive and the obvious opportunity" to kill award-winning television make-up artist Diane Chenery-Wickens, a jury was told.

Chenery-Wickens is alleged to have murdered his 48-year-old wife on January 22 last year after she found out he had been cheating on her with other women and dialling a gay sex chatline.

Lewes Crown Court heard he spun a series of elaborate lies to Mrs Chenery-Wickens and other people about many aspects of his life over many years.

When his double life faced exposure, Chenery-Wickens murdered his wife and concealed her corpse in a country lane near the cottage they shared in Duddleswell, it is alleged.

He then spun a web of lies about her disappearance to her family and the police to make it appear as if she had vanished of her own accord, the jury of six women and six men was told. Chenery-Wickens denies murder.

Opening the Crown's case, prosecutor Philip Katz QC said: "The veil was lifting from DianeÕs eyes and he had the clearest motive and the obvious opportunity to get rid of his wife.

"We say that he was solely concerned with himself."

Mrs Chenery-Wickens' decomposed body was found by a dog walker in Worth Lane, Little Horsted, near Uckfield, last May - five months after she was allegedly murdered by her husband.