The man accused of murdering his wife in a jealous rage called the police to report her missing in an effort to cover up his crime, it has been alleged.

After stabbing her four times and hiding her body, Jon Cudworth then told lies to family and friends who were searching for her.

The 35-year-old has admitted stabbing Mika, 36, to death, but denies murdering her and dumping her body in a field near their home in Mill Lane Cottages, Northbourne.

Prosecutor Philip Bennetts QC told the jury at Canterbury Crown Court that after she died, Cudworth began the clean-up.

He said: "In an effort to hide what he had done, he cleaned the house and disposed of all he could.

"He then lied to friends and family saying Mika had walked out after an argument and persisted with that story until May 7."

He said that earlier, Cudworth had called his mother "in a panic" saying his wife had left him.

He claimed the previous evening she had been drinking with friends and had smelt of alcohol.

He said she was in a mood with him, had more wine and told him she couldn't "do this anymore".

"In an effort to hide what he had done, he cleaned the house and disposed of all he could..." - Prosecutor Philip Bennetts QC

But secretly, the prosecution claimed, he was researching on the internet how fast bodies decayed.

A friend of Mika then confronted him about his account and he admitted the two had been rowing the previous night.

Mr Bennetts added: "While at the address Jon noticed a dog in the rear garden and became agitated and said he was going to go out with his air rifle and kill it.

"At 8.55am the next day, April 30, Cudworth is seen going to Deal Pier. He goes to the end of the pier. Why? Was he disposing of Mika’s property? Her handbag and telephone have never been recovered.

"If so, why? Are these the actions of a man panicking or being cold and calculating?" the prosecutor asked.

Cudworth then contacted the police 37 minutes later to report his wife missing. He was then seen at the Esso Service Station in Dover Road in Whitfield buying Persil, Febreeze and Shake And Vac products.

"He also asked for his car to be cleaned and someone noticed red staining on the lower boot seal. The man said it looked like blood and Cudworth was laughing and joking and told him not to be so silly.

"It was in fact, Mika's blood," the prosecutor claimed.

Cudworth is then alleged to have contacted a Sandwich floor coverings company asking for a representative to measure for a living room, kitchen, inside front door and the stairs.

"Two days later on May 2 he contacted Mascalls Carpets in Whitfield saying he needed vinyl and carpets and wanted the work done as soon as possible," claimed Mr Bennetts.

The same day he spoke with a neighbour claiming the missing woman had been communicating with Polish friends on Facebook to say she was alright.

"Later that day, Cudworth posted messages in Polish purporting to be Mika," he said. "They had the appearance of being poorly translated and did not make grammatical sense. Her friends suspected that they had not been written by her."

The trial continues.