THE CROWN closed its case yesterday at the trial of 89-year-old consultant botanist, Dr George Proctor, who is charged with conspiracy to murder his 69-year-old wife, Leila Campbell Proctor.

Defence lawyers made submissions in law in the absence of the jury.

Supreme Court Judge Gloria Smith will make her ruling on Monday.

Glenmore Fillington, 44, driver, of Lyn Avenue, Christiana, Manchester, is charged jointly with Proctor.

Dirk Harrison, deputy director of public prosecutions, and Sanchia Burrell, Crown counsel, led evidence at the trial - which began last week Monday - that the offence took place between February and April 20, 2006.

fraud convictions

The main witness for the prosecution was former porter, Walden Simpson, who admitted in the Home Circuit Court that he had more than 60 convictions for fraud.

Simpson said Fillington spoke to him in February 2006 and told him that his boss wanted someone to kill his wife and would pay $100,000 for the job.

Simpson said he told the police of the plot. He said when Fillington took him to Proctor at the University of the West Indies, Proctor said he wanted his wife and the three women who lived at his house at Stanton Terrace, St Andrew, to be killed.

Simpson said he told him that $100,000 could not do to kill four people. Proctor said he was not a wealthy man but he could pay in instalments. Simpson said he asked Proctor why he did not divorce his wife, and he replied that he would have to give her half of his assets.