A MAN accused of murdering a Poole nurse ate Sunday lunch with his family while her body lay in the back of a Transit van parked outside, a court has heard.

Prosecutors allege that bigamist Pierre Legris, 61 - who is also known as Alain Baron - killed Rui Li at her home in Burnham Road, Bournemouth, on Friday, May 23 2014 before wrapping her body in a plastic sheet and stashing it in the back of the van.

It is alleged that Pierre Legris, who is also married to co-defendant Irene Smith, left Ms Li's body in the van during the May bank holiday weekend, when he was seen arm-in-arm with Smith at a dance show in Watford.

The two also joined their son and co-accused Jonathan Legris for a roast dinner at Smith's flat in St Clement's Road two days after Pierre Legris is alleged to have killed her, the court heard.

Ms Li's body was discovered in the back of a Fiat Punto owned by Jonathan Legris in Verwood Crescent, Bournemouth, on May 30 2014, the hearing was told.

She had died of a significant injury sustained to the back of her head.

On the first day of a trial at Winchester Crown Court today, jurors heard that Ms Li, who was 44 years old, was last seen by daughter Lu Yao at around 10.30pm on May 23 after returning from work at the hospital.

The teenager became increasingly concerned after her mother failed to come home during the weekend, eventually approaching Pierre Legris with her fears.

The court heard he went to Dorset Police on Tuesday, May 27, claiming that his wife had gone missing - an account prosecutors say was "detailed but false".

Nigel Lickley, QC for the Crown Prosecution Service, said Pierre Legris then "changed his story significantly", claiming he had "found her body" at the house and "in a panic" stashed it in the van before cleaning the house.

When police went to the house, they allegedly discovered a document written by Ms Li to her daughter "in the event of [her] death".

The note is reported to have said that everything would belong to Lu Yao, with the exception of £20,000 cash to be given to her mother in China in order to repay a debt, the court heard.

The jury also heard allegations that Pierre Legris conspired with his first wife and son to kill his second wife for her life insurance policy.

Prosecutors told the court that the three had financial difficulties and Ms Li had a life insurance policy worth £300,000, with Mr Lickley telling jurors that Pierre Legris' financial affairs “were becoming desperate”.

He also explained a “complicated link” between his finances and his two wives.

RUI Li and the husband accused of murdering her provided sexual services for paying clients at their second home in Wolverton Road, Bournemouth, it is alleged.

Prosecutor Nigel Lickley QC alleged that the couple had advertised "massage services" on Gumtree, and clients were sometimes offered sexual intercourse.

He said he had raised the issue because "it is part of the background of the case, and it may be suggested that one of these customers is the killer of Rui Li [by the defence] - a man angered, a former client who found out about the Burnham Drive address."

A number of alleged clients are due to take the stand during the trial, expected to last for six weeks.

The prosecution said one is expected to say he visited the Wolverton Road address on May 11 last year where he paid £40 to have sex with Ms Li while Pierre Legris was in the room.

He is also expected to claim to have returned on May 17 when he had sex with Ms Li while Pierre Legris rubbed his back.

Another is expected to claim to have had sex with Ms Li, before then watching Pierre Legris have sex with her.

Mr Lickley said men had been visiting the house - which was on the market to be sold and empty of almost all furniture - after replying to the online advertisement.

Appointments were allegedly made via a "massage phone" owned by Pierre Legris, the court heard.

The defendant and Ms Li were married in 2007 after beginning an affair when the deceased visited Cromer Motors, a garage managed by Pierre Legris in the name of Smith.

It is claimed that Smith discovered the affair and confronted Ms Li before the couple were wed before just two guests.

Smith and Pierre Legris, who have three children, are still a married couple after their wedding in 1987, and Pierre Legris yesterday admitted bigamy.

Pierre Legris, 61, of Burnham Drive, denies one count of murder, but has admitted bigamy.

Irene Smith, 66, of St Clement's Road denies two counts of perverting the course of justice and one of conspiracy to commit murder.

Jonathan Legris, 27, of Spring Road, denies one count of conspiracy to commit murder and one of assisting an offender by driving the Punto with his stepmother's body in the boot to Verwood Crescent.

The trial continues.