A mother accused of plotting the attempted kidnap of her own husband with her new partner chose not to give evidence at her trial.
Lucy Leggate, 35, from Fishtoft, is on trial at Lincoln Crown Court alongside her alleged boyfriend, Daniel Algar, 41, of Spalding.
Both defendants deny attempting to kidnap Mrs Leggate’s husband, Gary Leggate, on September 22, 2022.
Prosecutors allege a masked Mr Algar tried to hijack Mr Leggate after hiding in his car as he left work in Swineshead, Lincs.
Jurors heard Mr Leggate escaped from his vehicle on the A52 near Boston after he was confronted by a man wearing a balaclava.
It is alleged Mrs Leggate helped Mr Algar by providing a spare key fob to her husband’s car and disclosing the time he left work.
The mother-of-four denies taking part in the attempted kidnap but chose not to go into the witness box at Lincoln Crown Court when it was her turn to give evidence.
Mr Algar did go into the witness box and insisted he was not the masked person who hid in Mr Leggate’s car.
Mr Algar initially confirmed his case was that Gary Leggate had plotted a “vendetta” against him because of the affair he was having with Lucy.
When asked if he believed Mr Leggate had made the highjacking up and that nothing had happened Mr Algar replied: “Yes, I believe so.”
But after being shown footage from the car park at Mr Leggate’s place of work Mr Algar accepted it did appear to show another person getting into his vehicle before he left work.
Mr Algar conceded that he had a “distinctive” Yorkshire accent which the prosecution allege was recognised by Mr Leggate after the masked man spoke to him in his car.
Jurors heard Mr Leggate also became aware of a “musty, smoky” smell and during his evidence Mr Algar confirmed that he was a smoker.
Mr Algar also conceded the boots worn by the hooded figure in the car park appeared to be similar to his work boots.
But Mr Algar insisted the person shown in the footage had different facial features to him.
When asked if Mr Leggate had done a good job in finding someone to look like him Mr Algar replied: “It would appear so.”
Mr Algar admitted he was aware that Mr Leggate was on nights that week and conceded that he had been asking to borrow a friend’s car because he said he wanted to take a married woman out for a meal.
When asked if the real reason he needed the car was to drive in disguise to Gary Leggate’s workplace Mr Algar replied: “No”.
Mr Algar confirmed he would often speak to Mrs Leggate for up to nine hours a day and did not like the way her husband talked to her, often calling her fat and a bad mum.
Jurors heard a phone belonging to Mrs Leggate made a 42 minute call to Mr Algar which began at 9.27pm on 22 September and ended just before Mr Leggate reported the alleged attempted kidnap.
When Mrs Leggate was spoken to by the police a few hours after the alleged attempted kidnap it is alleged she failed to mention the 42 minute call and said she last spoke to Mr Algar at 9pm when he asked about her and the family.
The prosecution claim Mr Algar had been searching how to use the automatic answer facility on his phone and had arranged the call as a “sham” to decieve the police into believing he was at home.
But Mr Algar again denied he was the person in the car and said he had no intention to frighten Mr Leggate.
Prosecutor Luc Chignell concluded his questioning by asking “you say Lucy wanted you not Gary” to which Mr Algar replied “I believe so.”
He was then asked “you say Lucy wanted to get away from Gary” to which Mr Alagar again replied “I believe so.”
Mr Algar was the asked “you got his key fob because Lucy Leggate helped you?”
He replied: “No.”
Daniel Algar, of Second Avenue, Spalding, and Lucy Leggate, of Church Green Close, Fishtoft, both deny the attempted kidnap of Gary Leggate on 22 September 2022.
The trial continues.
Spalding man accused of attempting to kidnap ‘girlfriend’s’ husband – The Voice
Man accused of kidnapping girlfriend’s husband tells court it wasn’t him in car – The Voice
