A husband accused of killing his estranged wife in a car crash later claimed they were going to his workplace when he lost control and hit a tree, a jury heard.
Former airline pilot, Iain Lawrence (53), denies murdering Sally Lawrence (47), in Gartree Road, Oadby, on October 6.
Lawrence had told the police he was suffering amnesia in the weeks after the fatal crash.
He was a partner in two businesses, a go-karting establishment on Gartree Road, near Leicester Airport, and a trailer rental and parts outlet in Welford Road, Leicester, which also sold fireworks.
He told a consultant neurologist in February how he suddenly regained his memory.
Professor Nikos Evangelou told the jury at Leicester Crown Court yesterday: "He told me on November 26 he developed a pain in the night. It caused him to wake up and he remembered everything."
Lawrence told the professor his estranged wife had asked him to clear surplus wood from decking work he was doing at their home in Ring Road, Oadby.
They were both in the car en-route to the go-karting premises at 6.30pm, so he could collect a bus owned by the business to collect the wood.
The defendant claimed Mrs Lawrence was in his Peugeot 406 because she was going to drive his car back home.
The professor said: "He said he had twinges in his leg. His leg was frozen and it was 25 seconds before the collision."
However, the prosecution allege he deliberately drove into the tree.
The Lawrences were allegedly going through an acrimonious divorce and had argued the night before about the financial settlement.
Mrs Lawrence died at the scene. She was not thought to be wearing a seatbelt and her front passenger airbag was deactivated.
Lawrence, who was wearing a seatbelt when his airbag went off, suffered a cut to his scalp.
Nirmal Shant, prosecuting, called a series of witnesses, including medical and emergency service workers.
Prof Evangelou told the jury had the defendant been unconscious for a considerable time, he would expect abnormalities on Lawrence's brain scan, but tests showed all clear.
Caroline Jane Gregory, a friend of the Lawrences for 10 years, said she became aware the marriage was failing in about 2011.
She said the couple had grown apart, slept in different rooms and were leading separate lives – but Lawrence was resisting a divorce.
She said Mrs Lawrence told her he was "quite controlling" and she was "scared" of him.
Ms Gregory said the alleged victim told her six days before she died that "everything was awful."
Ms Gregory said the defendant was "a very proud person" who had not discussed his marital breakdown with her.
The trial continues.