Farmer in court over wife murder
A farmer has appeared in court charged with the murder of his estranged wife who went missing from their 200-acre property 16 months ago.
Kate Prout was 55 when she disappeared from £1.2 million Redhill Farm, in Redmarley D'Abitot, Gloucestershire, on Bonfire Night 2007.
Adrian Prout, 46, who runs a pheasant shoot, appeared before Cheltenham magistrates charged with killing Mrs Prout, a retired teacher and campaigner for milk payment prices.
Her body has never been found despite police conducting an exhaustive "proof of life" investigation.
Prout entered no plea to a single count of murdering his wife on a date between November 4 and November 11 2007.
Prout spoke only to confirm his name, age and address, which remains as Redhill Farm, Bromsberrow Road, Redmarley.
Magistrates refused him bail and remanded him in custody to appear at Bristol Crown Court on March 17 for a preliminary hearing.
Prout was arrested today, for the third time, at the family home in the Forest of Dean. He had remained on police bail throughout the investigation.
Mrs Prout was reported missing from the farmhouse on November 10 2007. She has not been seen since November 5 that year.
-Nova
