IT “BEGGAR’S BELIEF” that a man took his wife for a walk on the beach and gave her flowers while plotting her murder, a court heard.

Bruce Killick, of Emms Lane, Brooks Green, Horsham, allegedly paid Karl Cruise, 59, of Brittany, to murder his wife, Susan Killick, in a deal set up by Graham Martin, 39, of no fixed abode.

Prosecutors said the 63-year old handed over £10,000 for Cruise to kill his wife but his defence said he was buying surprise alpacas for her. It is alleged he was having an affair with Angela Teear, 53, of Barnham, and stood to gain financially from his wife’s death.

All three deny conspiracy to murder, while Cruise admits attacking Mrs Killick in what his co-defendants say was a burglary gone wrong, that they were uninvolved in.

Summing up at Hove Crown Court yesterday, Brendan Kelly QC, defending Mr Killick, said: “The description of the weekend before the attack – the flowers, the walk on the beach, the roast lamb, the bottle of cava.

“That was done by somebody who knew that within two days the phone would ring announcing the death of his lifelong partner.

“And that’s why we began and closed by submitting that it simply beggar’s belief.”

Mrs Killick, 63, was seriously hurt after being beaten by Mr Cruise at the couple’s home on February 18.

Cruise, who has admitted grievous bodily harm, claims he was paid to kill her but did not plan to go through with it.

Defending Mr Martin, Bernard Richmond QC said choosing Mr Cruise as a hitman made no sense because he was a “bungler”. Jurors heard he had a low IQ of 77.

Mr Richmond added: “The one thing to do if you are going to do this sort of thing is pick your hitman carefully.

“If there is anybody you are not going to choose it has got to be Cruise.” Jurors will return a verdict next week.