A 'MURDERED' Poole nurse had planned to repay a debt of £20,000 to her mother just days before her death, a court has heard.

Rui Li had borrowed the sum from her mother in 2012 in order to buy a house in Bournemouth, it is alleged.

Ms Li's brother Chuan Li appeared at Winchester Crown Court as a witness this morning.

He told jurors through a translator that the 44-year-old had sent an email on Saturday, May 22 2014 - the day before prosecutors allege she was killed - to say she was soon to repay the funds.

Reading aloud an email alleged to have been sent by Ms Li, prosecutor Nigel Lickley QC said: "'I couldn't transfer the money yesterday as it was in [husband] Pierre Legris' bank account.'"

He alleged that Ms Li had written that she would transfer the funds on Saturday, May 24, adding: "'If not, I will transfer the money into my account then send it to you on Wednesday [May 28].'"

The body of Ms Li was found in the boot of a Punto parked in Verwood Crescent on Friday, May 30.

Crime Scene Investigator Matthew Wroe recalled the moment he opened the boot late that evening.

Giving evidence before jurors, he said he arrived in the road at around 10pm, where he made a visual search of the car without touching the vehicle.

He told the court that upon opening the boot - for which he had a key - he could smell a "strong, distinct odour", adding: "[The smell] is linked to decomposition."

"Within the boot of the Fiat there was quite a heavy-duty black plastic sheet secured and wrapped up with various ratchet-type straps and also some electrical flex," he said.

Mr Lickley asked if he had seen "blood-staining" on the plastic sheet, to which Mr Wroe replied: "Yes".

He added that a small gap had appeared in the plastic, through which he could see "red material" that he also believed to be blood-stained.

Ms Li died as the result of severe blunt force trauma sustained to the back of her head.

Her husband Pierre Legris, 61, of Burnham Drive, denies murder but admitted bigamy on the first day of the trial at Winchester Crown Court.

Irene Smith, 66, of St Clement's Road, denies conspiracy to commit murder and two counts of perverting the course of justice.

Jonathan Legris, 27, of Spring Road, denies conspiracy to commit murder and assisting an offender.

The trial continues.