Septic tank, David Venables, Brenda where Brenda's body was dumped.

David Benares was accused of killing his wife Brenda along with her girlfriend (Photo: PA/Worcester News/SWNS)

Police searching for a missing woman in 1982 heard a murder trial and entered the septic tank garden where her body was found 37 years later.

David Venables, 89, is said to have “escaped murder” for almost 40 years after driving out his wife, Brenda Venables, then 48, at their home in the Worcester camp.

Venable disappeared from May 2 to 5, 1982, but his body was only found in 2019.

A jury trial at Worcester Crown Court heard that Venables later suggested to officers that serial killer Fred West might have had something to do with her disappearance.

Police officers involved in the “encouraged” search explained how dogs, boats and helicopters were used to clear local waterways, fields, forests and farm buildings.

Retired West Merseyside Police Officer Peter Shalock was on the search team but said the septic tank went unnoticed.

He told the court on Thursday: “Of course, I have never been involved in finding a septic tank. I chased him down the river and looked for him. No one mentioned searching for tanks.

Cops say no one is thinking of getting a septic tank (Photo: SWNS)

In 1982, a dog, a helicopter and a search team were sent after the mark (Image: SWNS)

He explained how he saw a photo of a farm in a newspaper article where a human body was found in 2019, and remembered looking for a mark in that part of the world.

He states: “As soon as I saw the aerial photos of the site, I remembered what I had just seen. When I saw it in the newspaper, I remembered.

The retired officer told jurors he was “probably 20 to 30 feet” from the tank during the search.

David Venables, 89, went to Worcester Crown Court, where he was charged with murdering his wife, Brenda.  Brenda's body was found in a septic tank.

Retired pig farmer denies wife’s murder (Photo: PA)

When asked why he didn’t look inside, he said he grew up in an “urban area” and was unaware of the intangible drainage system.

He said. “We ran into the woods and went to this area. It was like a concrete pillow at the time and it didn’t bother me. The words are really visionary.”

The court said Venables’ 14 years with Lorraine Styles, the three mothers who have now died, included a 14-year case, including how he visited his lover and had sex a few days after she disappeared. I already heard the details of the case. ..

Venables has denied killing his wife. A trial scheduled to last six weeks is underway.

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