JURORS heard how Paula Poolton regularly met up with her lover at a gym and went looking for houses with him in the days before he was accused of murdering her.

Winchester Crown Court yesterday heard from estate agents who all told of how Paula, 40, had made enquiries about purchasing a new, bigger property with her husband.

John Webster said he had gone around to value Paula’s one bedroom flat at Course Park Crescent in Titchfield with a view to putting it on the market, allowing her to upsize to a two or three bedroom house.

He said Paula had told him how she had just got married and she and her husband were looking to sell up and move in together quickly.

Three days before she went missing, Paula arranged viewings with Mr Webster and she met him at an address in Whiteley accompanied by a man.

Mr Webster said: “I shook Paula’s hand and said Mrs Poolton and then I did the same to the man and said Mr Poolton.”

It is alleged that the man was in fact Roger Kearney, her lover, and not her husband Richard Poolton.

Mr Webster said after the introduction nothing was said and they proceeded with the viewings.

In all he showed the pair three houses, during which he described them as “very relaxed” and seemed excited as a couple buying a house.

Under cross-examination it was put to him that in fact Kearney was introduced as Roger and not Mr Poolton.

But Mr Webster said: “I would always introduce myself first and call them, in this case Mr and Mrs Poolton.”

The court also heard from witnesses who worked at the Solent Hotel spa and fitness centre in Whiteley where the pair were members.

Receptionist Sarah Kennedy told police in a statement how she had seen them having a “prolonged kiss”

in the car park of the hotel. “It became obvious to me that they were more than just colleagues,” she said.

Proceeding