CARER Debra Benjamin alleged defendant Anthea Jane Jones was hatching a deadly plan for someone to drive her husband off the road and down a steep gorge.

Ms Benjamin told the court how Jones had confided in her about a string of affairs with men in the Abergavenny area, including a fishmonger and a man from a photography club.

She described how the defendant started a relationship with a Cwmbran builder by throwing a packet of Polo mints with her telephone number on the wrapper at him from her convertible Saab.

After first taking her talk of somebody killing her husband as a joke, Ms Benjamin became worried after continued references, eventually phoning the police who used her as an informant.

"One of her conversations was about how much she wished he would have an accident on the way home from work," said Ms Benjamin. "But as time went on she said she was looking at other ways of disposing of him. She said she would give someone money to drive her husband off the A461."

The court heard that a gorge on the Heads of the Valleys road was the preferred spot for the deadly deed.

Ms Benjamin, who provided respite care for Jones' teenage son, Alex, then described how shocked her friend, Leonard Loveridge was after the defendant offered him cash to kill off Francis Jones.

She also alleged the accused, who shared her interest in witchcraft and spiritualism, also described other possible methods of killing her husband including a fake robbery after he finished work.

Richard Smith, defending, said Ms Benjamin had exaggerated the story to cause problems with the Jones' marriage because Francis had invested £135,000 in her respite care centre for disabled children.