THE son of a bigamist accused of murdering his secret wife told a friend her body was in the boot of a car days before she was found, a court has heard.

Jonathan Legris, of Spring Road, allegedly told his friend Charlton Green that his father Pierre had killed Poole nurse Rui Li after she ‘poisoned and stole from him’, prosecutors say.

The 27-year-old went to the home of Mr Green after a meeting with his father in the Christopher Creeke pub on Tuesday, May 27.

During his visit, prosecutor Nigel Lickley QC alleged: “Jonathan Legris confided in Mr Green about what he had been asked to do.

“He went on to tell his friend about the dead body.”

The prosecutor told the court Jonathan Legris said: “There’s a body. There’s a body in the boot.”

“He went on to say that his father had killed his girlfriend and placed her body into the boot of a car,” Mr Lickley said.

“He said the girlfriend had been poisoning [Pierre Legris] over a period of time and stealing his money. Mr Green was led to believe [Rui Li had suffered] a head injury.”

It is alleged that Ms Li died on Friday, May 23 after being struck repeatedly with a blunt, heavy object. Her body was found in the boot of a car parked in Verwood Crescent, Bournemouth, on May 30.

It is thought the car, driven by Jonathan Legris, was left there two days earlier.

The defendant said he was unaware the body of the 44-yearold was allegedly in the boot at that time wrapped in plastic sheeting.

After Mr Green went to the police, Jonathan Legris was arrested and interviewed by police.

When questioned about the alleged conversation, Mr Lickley said: “He replied, ‘No comment’ and then said there was nothing he wanted to talk about.

“A few minutes later, knowing the game was up we say, he became upset and began to cry in the interview.”

It is alleged that during a later interview he told police: “I assumed she was in the boot but I didn’t want to check.”

He added: “I knew my dad had done it”, it is alleged.

Jonathan Legris denies a count of assisting an offender and one of conspiracy to commit murder.

Pierre Legris, 61, of Burnham Drive, denies murder and admits bigamy in that he was married to both Rui Li and his first wife Irene Smith.

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

The trial continues.

PROSECUTORS allege that Pierre Legris told police he “panicked” after returning home and finding the body of Rui Li lying on the floor.

After being arrested on suspicion of murder, Legris said he had left their home in Burnham Road for around 40 minutes on Friday, May 23, but found the nurse dead in a bedroom, the court heard.

It is alleged that he told officers he cleaned up the blood on the floor, wrapped her body in a plastic sheet and placed it in the back of a Transit van before accompanying his first wife, Irene Smith, to a dance show in Watford. When asked about this, he allegedly told officers he had been trying to “keep his mind off of it”.

Later, when officers questioned him about his activities the following Monday, it is alleged that he said: “Not much – I was feeling sorry for myself.”

Mr Lickley claims that Legris told officers he had not come forward with the information earlier because he thought he was “going to get the blame”.

He told his son Jonathan about the nurse’s death and said the 27-year-old didn’t ask any questions, prosecutors allege. When asked by officers about this, the court heard Legris had replied: “He thought I killed her, probably.”