CHEATING housewife Anthea Jane Jones revelled in the role of "femme fatale", a court heard yesterday.

In his closing speech at Cardiff crown court, prosecutor Mark Evans, QC, pointed to the "sinister" circumstances surrounding the case. Jones, 37, of Hafod Cottage, Black Rock, Clydach, denies soliciting her ex-boyfriend, Lenny Loveridge, to murder her 60-year-old husband, Francis Jones.

Mr Evans painted a picture of a marriage of convenience which would enable the defendant and her disabled son to live a life of luxury. But, he said, she quickly tired of it and hatched a deadly plan to end it, even though Mr Jones had taken on massive commitments, such as the adoption of her child.

The prosecution alleged she confided in friend Debra Benjamin about her attempt to get Mr Loveridge and others to "bump him off".

"Why would she tell Debra Benjamin?" he said. "Is it perhaps revelling in the role of femme fatale?"

The court heard Ms Benjamin phoned the police after Jones repeatedly spoke of her wishes.

Mr Evans also described an unusual marriage which saw Jones having a sexual encounter with her husband's son, Magnus, on their wedding night.

He said: "It was a most extraordinary beginning to the marriage. It carried on, we suggest, as a sexual relationship. It's hard to understand unless, below the surface, there was a wish to hurt Francis Jones."

Mr Evans described a string of affairs including ones with former soldier Robert Routledge, Lenny Loveridge and fishmonger Richard Gafney. "Was it just a bit of fun, or was it each time driving a nail into the coffin of their relationship?" he said.

The prosecution allege Jones' conversation about killing her husband made Mr Loveridge end their affair.

The prosecution say other conversations including a taped chat Jones had with Debra Benjamin and a drunken conversation between the defendant and her brother also pointed to her guilt.

Richard Smith, QC, defending, said Jones was not serious about someone killing her millionaire husband. "There is a cavernous leap between infidelity and asking Lenny Loveridge to kill her husband," he said.

"Exchanges had more of a humorous context than anything else. "If that was her desire or intention, why would she have been so loose-tongued about it with so many?

"Where was the persuasion, begging or demand?" Judge Mr Justice Jack urged the jury not to be thrown off track by the sensational nature of the case.

He was due to conclude his summing up today.

(Proceeding)