THE husband of pharmacist Jessica Patel was unfaithful prior to her death, a court heard today.

Mitesh Patel cheated on his wife with men he met for sexual encounters through the Grindr app, according to comments made by a judge prior to the beginning of a murder trial concerning the death of Ms Patel.

Mitesh Patel is accused of having killed his wife, who was found dead at their Middlesbrough home in May.

Mr Patel, in a dark suit and glasses, stood in the dock at Teesside Crown Court as Justice James Goss told a pool of potential jurors that the pharmacist had cheated on his wife.

The Northern Echo:

The judge was instructing those present that they could not sit on the case if they had any connection to those involved, had used the Roman Road Pharmacy - which the couple ran - or had used the Grindr dating app in the past seven years.

Mr Justice Goss said: "This case concerns the death of Jessica Patel in her home on Monday, May 14 this year.

"Her husband, Mitesh Patel, the gentleman sitting in the dock, is charged with her murder.

"It is agreed that during the course of their marriage the defendant had been unfaithful to his wife, including having met men for sexual encounters, some of them using social networking site Grindr."

The jury pool retired as they worked to highlight any potential issues that could bar them from acting as jurors. 

The trial is expected to last three weeks.

Mitesh Patel, of The Avenue, Linthorpe, has pleaded not guilty to one count of murder. 

Days after her death, Mrs Patel’s family issued a statement paying tribute to their loved one.

It said: “We have lost Jessica, a kind-hearted, gentle and selfless person who was loved dearly by her family and friends.

“She was completely dedicated to all of her family and her loss has brought an unbearable pain.

“We as a family are devastated.”