THE trial of two men and a woman accused of being involved in the murder of mum-of-five Penelope Davis began at Winchester Crown Court today.

A jury was set to be sworn in this morning to try Justin Robertson, who is accused of stabbing the supermarket worker to death in a New Forest paddock as she tended her horses.

The body of 47-year-old Mrs Davis, who was known as “Pennie”, was found near Leygreen Farm, Beaulieu, by her husband on September 2 last year. A post-mortem examination concluded that she died of multiple stab wounds.

Unemployed Samantha Maclean, 28, of Beech Crescent, Hythe, and scaffolder Ben Carr, 22, of Edward Road, Shirley, Southampton, both face a single charge of conspiracy to murder, which they deny.

Keen horsewoman Pennie, who lived in Blackfield, had married husband Pete just three months before she was killed.

The trial is set to last around four weeks.

Robertson, 36, of no fixed abode, denies murder and conspiracy to murder.