A WOMAN who disappeared in 1982 was shown "little or no affection" by her husband, jurors heard.

Brenda Venables, whose remains were found in a septic tank in Kempsey in 2019, had told doctors of her unhappy marriage to husband David, who is on trial for her murder.

Venables denies being responsible for her death, and the prosecution closed its case at Worcester Crown Court.

Reading out the statement of facts to the jury, prosecutors read out notes from Mrs Venables' medical history.

READ MORE: Brenda Venables murder trial resumes in Worcester

This included visits to both her GP and a consultant psychiatrist.

In those meetings, the court heard, Mrs Venables had said she was depressed due to not being able to conceive children and her husband's multiple affairs.

She reportedly told her psychiatrist, a Dr Richards, that she and her husband had not had sex since 1969 and were sleeping separately.

There were several occasions in which doctors tried to make appointments to see the couple together, but Mr Venables repeatedly said he was too busy or outright refused to speak.

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Despite this, when he was interviewed by the police, David Venables claimed their marriage had been ordinary and that they were still sleeping together.

He claimed they had gone to sleep in the same bed on the night she went missing, claiming he awoke to find her missing.

Dr Richards reportedly tried to have Brenda Venables hospitalised some time before her death, saying she was depressed and needed treatment, but according to notes read out in court, the move was blocked by her husband.

Dr Richards called him a "typical farmer - displaying little to no affection to his wife, but showering praise on the family dog".

READ MORE: David Venables denies affair with other woman

When interviewed by police, Venables confirmed he had been in a 14-year relationship with another woman, but denied it was an affair.

"I wouldn't call it an affair - it was quite casual," he said.

An officer replied: "Having sex with a woman over a 14-year period, I think she would say that's some sort of relationship. That's not casual."

But Venables said the relationship had been 'overplayed' and told officers he 'never' planned to leave Brenda for Lorraine.