The family of alleged murder victim Geoffrey Leeming openly said life would be better off without him, York magistrates court heard.Stipendiary magistrate Guy Hodgson read evidence from two people of conversations about Mr Leeming, 63, who died from 11 knife wounds.

They were among more than 200 pages of evidence before the magistrate.

As he summarised the statements, prosecutor Paul Worsley, QC, claimed that Mr Leeming's daughter, Jayne, had once told Susan Walters, a boarding kennels owner with whom she was working, her father had had a stroke and an ambulance had been called.

He alleged Jayne Leeming had said: "We won't be going through this again, because we won't get the doctor next time."

After saying that her father was in the way, Jayne Leeming had allegedly added: "We want rid of him. He is a pain."

Wayne Grade, who had known Mr Leeming's son, Stephen, for nine years, claimed he witnessed a conversation between the two children and their mother, Jackie, at which they had been frustrated that Mr Leeming had an inheritance he was not prepared to spend.

They appeared to be looking forward to his death from his heart condition.

"I have always remembered the basis of the conversation because I was surprised at the content," Mr Worsley read from the statement.

"I never expected it to be mentioned in my presence as I was a relative stranger."

The discussion ended when Mr Leeming arrived.

The court also heard summaries of statements alleging Mr Leeming had passed money in the mid-nineties to Stephen Leeming, saying he might as well have it now.

It also heard Stephen Leeming owed £100,000 to his father at 10 per cent interest.

Other statements gave alleged details of the night of the death at Geoffrey and Jackie Leeming's home at 17 Linley Avenue, Haxby.

Jackie Leeming, 55, was hysterical and cried out: "It's my husband. It's my husband. He has collapsed in the garage. "

She had speculated that he had been drilling in the garage, passed out because of his heart condition and the drill had gone up his nose.

Pathological evidence showed Mr Leeming's body had 21 injuries, including 11 wounds made by a six-inch knife with a blade one-inch wide.

Schoolboys allegedly found a similar knife with his blood on it where Jayne Leeming, 30, and Stephen Leeming, 33, were sitting after the body was found, the statements alleged.

Both had arrived separately and had appeared shocked. Jayne Leeming had been crying.

One pathologist alleged bruising was consistent with someone kicking him as he lay on the ground.

Forensic evidence revealed a large number of bloodstains in the garage including a large pool of blood, but no blood on clothing taken from the Leeming family.

An 11-year-old claimed she saw a car leaving Linley Avenue fast at about 7.50pm and shortly afterward a 16-year-old saw an Audi travelling so fast along Station Road, Haxby, that smoke came from its tyres.

Earlier the same day Jackie Leeming had allegedly cancelled a visit to relatives.

She, her children Stephen, formerly of Stockton-on-the-Forest, and Jayne, of Plainville Lane, Wigginton, and company secretary of the family firm Malcolm Herbert, 37, of Stray Road, Heworth, had made 20 calls to each other on the same day before 8pm, but the highest number on one day in the preceding months had been 12.

All four are contesting committal to crown court on a charge of conspiracy to murder. The three Leemings also contest committal accused of fraudulent trading.

Anthony Leeming, Geoffrey Leeming's brother, claimed Jackie Leeming kept a "very tight hold" on the children, was a very "secretive" woman and had a "sound business sense".

Recalling telephone calls between the brothers in the days before Geoffrey Leeming died, his statement said: "I felt something was wrong. Each time I rang, he wouldn't speak about it. I felt something was bothering him."

The hearing continues.

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