THE Chinese politician’s wife accused of murdering a British businessman has links to Dorset.

Gu Kailai is said to be a suspect in the killing of 41-year-old Neil Heywood who was found in a hotel room in Chongqing in November last year.

Mrs Gu, married to former Community Party Secretary Bo Xilai, was registered as living in the UK from 2000 and 2003 in Bournemouth and set up an apparent “shell” company in Poole.

The company was dissolved in September 2003. Mrs Gu now 53, was registered as a director with Patrick Henri Devillers, a French architect, who was also listed as living at her flat in Bournemouth.

It is thought Mrs Gu – now believed to be under house arrest with her husband – may have set up Adad Ltd to give herself a British base. Mr Heywood’s family were initially told by the Chinese authorities that he had died of a heart attack. His body was cremated.

The British Embassy was told that Mr Heywood had died of “excessive alcohol consumption”, puzzling friends who remember him as abstemious.