Cheryl Downs, 66, is accused of murdering her ex-partner after subjecting him to a campaign of abuse and hiding his body in her bathroom for almost a year15:15, 10 Jun 2026Updated 15:44, 10 Jun 2026A woman murdered her ex-partner while he was on the toilet before hiding his body at her home for almost a year, a court has heard.‌Cheryl Downs, 66, is accused of murdering Robert Kellett, 62, who was found dead in her bathroom covered by tarpaulin on September 12 last year - 11 months after he had first been reported missing.‌Mr Kellett's body was in an "advanced state of decomposition" when he was discovered by a teenage lodger at the property on Terry Road, High Wycombe. Downs, 66, is on trial at Aylesbury Crown Court charged with murder.‌The court heard that Downs had abused Mr Kellett for decades, and that her conduct towards him became worse when she had been drinking.The prosecution said Mr Kellet was subject to "physical abuse and intimidation" and that Downs had taken control of his finances, including using his card the day after the killing to pay for wine and cigarettes.Downs' neighbours had reported her to police multiple times, as she was verbally abusive to them and would "scream like a banshee" at Mr Kellett and "bang on the walls" during the night, the court heard.‌Prosecuting, Caroline Carberry KC said: "One couple, who had lived in their home for many years, sold up to get away from her. As she was leaving, the defendant shouted at her neighbour that she would kill her if she ever returned."On Wednesday, jurors heard that Downs has accepted killing Mr Kellett, but is expected to argue that she acted in self-defence, or has diminished responsibility due to her mental state.‌She has already admitted charges of preventing a lawful and decent burial, and attempted fraud in relation to her conduct after his death.Ms Carberry added: "The relationship between the defendant and Robert Kellett was long‑standing, but deeply troubled. It was characterised by Cheryl Downs' volatile personality, financial pressure she put on him, by lies she told about him and by conflict."Her killing of Robert Kellett was the culmination of years of controlling and abusive behaviour by her towards him.‌"And it came at a time when Mr Kellett had moved out of the house they owned, away from the area and was attempting to start a life independent of the defendant."Mr Kellett died of fatal head trauma, including multiple fractures to his skull caused by "repeated blows" with a heavy implement, over the weekend on October 5-6 2024, the court heard. He was no longer living at the address, but had gone back for the weekend as he was still assisting Downs financially."Mr Kellett was in the bathroom, most likely on the toilet, when he was initially attacked and then incapacitated and helpless on the floor as the attack continued," said Ms Carberry.‌Jurors were told that psychologists have identified "narcissistic and psychopathic" personality traits in Downs, and that Mr Kellett "feared for his safety" during their relationship.After his death, Mr Kellett, who had been working as an engineer in the West Midlands, was reported missing by his boss.The police attended the Terry Road home trying to find Mr Kellett, but Downs refused to let them in, and told the officers that she had not seen him, the court heard. By this time she had moved his car from outside the house, and the police did not investigate further at that time.‌The body was discovered 11 months later by a teenage lodger who was moving into Downs' house, the court heard. "It seems as if the defendant wanted Robert Kellett’s body to be found and she was prepared to use her young lodger for this to happen," said Ms Carberry.The lodger and her boyfriend went to investigate the "terrible smell" and made the "grim discovery" of Mr Kellett’s remains in September 2025.Mr Kellett had contacted the police about Downs' conduct towards him several times from 2010 onwards, with the most recent report coming just five days before he was killed.Article continues belowDowns was arrested multiple times for assaulting Mr Kellett, but on each occasion he did not press charges, the court heard.The trial continues.