Simenon's great-niece on trial for killing lover

Genevieve Simenon, the great-niece of Inspector Maigret's creator, appeared in a Brussels court yesterday accused of unpremeditated murder in a case worthy of the fictional French detective.

The 42-year-old rheumatologist is on trial at the Assize Court for killing her lover, Georges Temperman, after a row at the couple's home in Berchem-Sainte-Agathe on 27 June 2000.

On the day of his death, the couple argued because Mr Temperman wanted one of Ms Simenon's daughters from her previous marriage out of the house.

Later that afternoon, he said he felt unwell and asked her to give him a valium injection. She went to the hospital pharmacy to get the shots. On her return, Ms Simenon injected him with a massive amount of the drug instead of his normal dose.

When he awoke a few hours later he insulted her again and she beat him at least 15 times around the head with a mallet.

After meticulously cleaning all traces of blood from his body and the scene of the crime, she collected her four children from a trip to Disneyland Paris and acted as if nothing had happened.

The next day, she called her former husband, a doctor, and tried to persuade him to give her a death certificate. When that failed, she called another former lover and told him Temperman had a heart attack. He then provided a document testifying that Temperman had suffered a natural death.

It was so very nearly the perfect crime. But, in a twist that could have come from one of her great-uncle Georges' books, Ms Simenon was caught out at the very last minute by the funeral director, a former detective, Freddy Hulsmans.

Just as the body was about to be cremated, Mr Hulsmans – who had been with the police force for 16 years – realised that Temperman's left ear had nearly been ripped off and he had massive injuries to his head.

The undertaker was not convinced by Ms Simenon's explanation that her partner had fallen on a dresser and gashed his head. Her haste to cremate the body also aroused his suspicion.

He tipped off the police, who found microscopic traces of blood on the ceiling above the couple's bed and arrested Ms Simenon.

She initially denied the murder, saying first that her victim had suffered a giddy spell and fallen awkwardly and then – hinting that someone else was to blame – that the garage door and garden gate were open when she got home that night.

But, within hours, she confessed to both the crime and the cover-up and said her six-year relationship with Temperman had been stormy. She accused him of having affairs and treating her children badly.

The doctor who signed the false death certificate was also arrested but freed after saying that the accused had taken advantage of him and that the body's head had been covered by a sheet when he conducted his examination.

During the trial, which is expected to last about two weeks, the 12 men and women of the jury will decide whether there are mitigating circumstances to the crime.