Lawyer 'arranged contract killing of business partner'

Vina Patel, 51, was found dead by her husband and daughter in her office in Cort and Co solicitors in Blackbird Road, Leicester, on January 15, 2009.

It is alleged John Cort, 54, of Leicester, arranged for Brian Farrell, 37, of west London, to kill Mrs Patel.

Both men deny murder at Nottingham Crown Court.

At the opening of their trial yesterday, prosecutor Timothy Spencer QC told the jury Cort had spiralled into debt after a divorce, leading to a "murky financial motive" for Mrs Patel's murder.

Mr Spencer said Cort, who was 171,000 in debt, had "put around" a story that he was seriously ill late in 2008, prompting him and Mrs Patel – the only two partners at the company – to increase their life assurance policy from 500,000 to 1.5m.

He said Trinidad-born Farrell was "money-orientated".

Mr Spencer told the court: "It becomes clear that the killing of Vina Patel was a contract killing, a killing for money."

The trial continues.