A jury has retired to consider its verdicts in the case of a man accused of murdering his estranged wife from York.

Jurors were told British Airways captain Robert Brown, 47, bludgeoned millionairess Joanna to death with a claw hammer in their family home, believing he had been “stitched up” by a prenuptial agreement.

As their two young children cowered in the playroom, he bundled her body into the boot of his car and later dumped it in a makeshift coffin.

During his eight-day trial, the jury heard he had been consumed by anger during their marriage.

When his wife – known as Jo, 46, formerly of Badger Hill, York – filed for divorce, it started three years of legal wrangling until Brown drove to her home last year, armed with a claw hammer.

With the children out of sight, he hit her at least 14 times around the head, wrapped her body in plastic sheeting and dumped her in his Volvo 4x4.

He later drove to Windsor Great Park where he had already buried a garden crate that would serve as her coffin.

He was arrested the next day after police called to investigate Mrs Brown’s disappearance discovered spots of blood on her drive and in her mansion.

He later confessed to her killing, leading officers to the secluded burial site where investigators found Mrs Brown’s body.

An archaeologist suggested the grave could have been dug “weeks earlier”, but Brown told police he had lowered the box into the earth in January 2009 as a symbolic gesture to bury the “sham” of his marriage.

During interviews, Brown admitted killing his wifebut said he had been suffering from “severe stress” and an “abnormality of mental function” which substantially impaired his self-control.

The pilot, of North Street, Winkfield, Berkshire, denies murder and obstructing a coroner from holding an inquest.