Village band player tells of car sex

Village band euphonium player Pollyanna Peate's ageing lover warned her to abandon him and "run like hell" if he should die during one of their illicit sex sessions in the back of his car, a jury heard yesterday.

The 34-year-old mother of two told Chester Crown Court she would regularly have sex with grandfather Brian Phillips, 62, after rehearsal sessions with the Frodsham Silver Band.

Mrs Peate, 34, of Runcorn, Cheshire, denies the manslaughter of bass trombonist Phillips on 15 November, 1994. Phillips, who had a weak heart, died of a heart attack, allegedly after Mrs Peate attacked him, striking him four times.

Mrs Peate told the court she met Phillips 10 years ago through another band. "He was there when I went to rehearsals. I liked him when I first saw him," she said. They had an affair soon afterwards. "He asked me if I wanted to have a blow at Frodsham Silver Band so I agreed. The first time I had sex with him was at the marshes, in the back of his car, nearly 10 years ago. I never had sexual intercourse with him anywhere else. We would go to the marshes after band practice basically every Monday and Tuesday."

She confirmed that she knew he had a bad heart and had suffered a heart attack in 1972.

Benjamin Nolan QC, defending, asked Mrs Peate: "Did he speak to you about the possibility of his heart failing when he was with you?"

She replied: "He said if he was ever to die in my company to leave him, take money for a taxi and don't say a word - run like hell and just get home."

Earlier the court heard transcripts of a police interview in which Mrs Peate described how she made love with the 13-stone Vauxhall car plant blacksmith in the back of the car that night.

The hearing resumes today.