**Man Accused of Orchestrating Murder Plot against Estranged Wife, Court Hears**
A man from Swansea is currently standing trial at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court accused of conspiring with his neighbour to arrange the murder of his estranged wife. Paul Lewis, 54, and Dominique Saunders, 35, both residents of Fishmarket Quay in Swansea Marina, are jointly charged with conspiracy to murder after allegedly concocting a plan for a hitman to kill Lewis’s former partner. Both men deny the serious criminal allegation.
The prosecution’s case, presented by barrister William Hughes KC, outlined that Paul Lewis and his former wife Joanne Atkinson-Lewis had separated after a 16-year relationship, with Lewis moving out of the marital home in early 2021 and formally filing for divorce six weeks later. Since their split, the couple reportedly had minimal direct contact, communicating largely through solicitors, save for an unexpected encounter in a Port Talbot supermarket in late 2022.
It is alleged by prosecutors that in early 2023, specifically between February and April, Lewis offered his neighbour Saunders £1,500 to secure the services of a contract killer. The court heard that this payment was purportedly to arrange for Ms Atkinson-Lewis’s murder, but ultimately, no attack was ever attempted or carried out.
During the trial’s opening statements, the jury was told they would be shown mobile phone messages exchanged between Lewis and Saunders, which, the prosecution claims, reveal the plan in clear terms. Among the messages highlighted were statements such as “I want her out,” “Death becomes her,” and references to the £1,500 paid “in good faith”. The prosecution also pointed to financial records showing Lewis withdrawing the specified amount, with corresponding deposits made to Saunders’ bank account, as well as internet searches by Saunders on firearms and shooting ranges, including details linked to Ms Atkinson-Lewis’s street address.
However, the defence put forward a markedly different narrative. Representing Lewis, John Hipkin KC described his client as a vulnerable individual, who, in the months leading up to the alleged conspiracy, struggled profoundly with his mental health and was frequently admitted to Swansea’s Cefn Coed psychiatric hospital. Hipkin maintained that Lewis had indeed parted with the £1,500 but suggested it was Saunders who had exploited his neighbour’s vulnerability, “scamming” him out of the money before departing for a holiday in Benidorm.
Defence for Saunders, led by John Harrison KC, also argued firmly against the existence of any genuine conspiracy. According to Harrison, Saunders neither knew nor had the means to contact a contract killer and simply carried out “some internet searches and went on holiday.” He stressed to the jury that there was no substantive evidence linking Saunders to a hired killer or any credible attempt to murder Ms Atkinson-Lewis.
The prosecution outlined how the alleged conspiracy came to light on 29 April 2023, when Lewis’s son and his partner visited Lewis out of concern for his wellbeing. Upon inspecting Lewis’s phone with his father’s consent, the son discovered incriminating messages that prompted a call to the authorities. Meanwhile, the son’s partner confronted Saunders directly, only to be told by him that the money “had gone to somebody else and could not be returned”.
Detailed evidence from Joanne Atkinson-Lewis is expected to be provided to the court via a statement. Meanwhile, the trial also heard of a subsequent falling out between Lewis and Saunders, with both men later sending each other hostile messages. Lewis accused his neighbour of deception after seeing his ex-wife alive and well, and Saunders retorted abruptly, telling Lewis never to “ask for help again”.
Legal directions from Mr Justice Nicklin made clear to the jurors that their verdict must apply equally to both men, as the charge concerned an alleged agreement — both defendants must be found guilty or acquitted together. No partial verdict is permissible under the law.
The trial continues, with both the prosecution and the defence set to present further evidence and witnesses in the coming days. The outcome will rest on the jury’s assessment of whether the evidence supports the existence of a criminal conspiracy or points to a manipulative fraud against a vulnerable individual. As the proceedings unfold, the case has stirred significant attention locally, spotlighting issues of trust, vulnerability, and the complexities of evidence in alleged murder plots.