‘Suspect your husband's having an affair? You're probably right!'

Private investigator Ali Marsh tracks straying spouses for a living

- SANDRA WALSH

Ali Marsh, 54, is never surprised to hear of the latest celebrity infidelity scandal. Most of her work – running a private investigations agency – comes from suspicious spouses. And while the reality of being a PI might not be all you see on TV, it’s certainly proved satisfying and rewarding for Ali.

Here, she tells us what her job’s really like and shares some tips on how to tell if your partner’s betraying your trust…

One of my earliest cases was a man who thought his wife had started acting coldly towards him. Every Wednesday night she would go out and come home a lot happier, so he suspected she was cheating on him.

I started some surveillance, watching her coming and going for a few Wednesdays. I noticed that her next door neighbour was also going out at the same time on a Wednesday. I followed him and soon discovered they were having an affair.

The client was distraught of course, but like all my clients whose spouses have been unfaithful, knowing he was right to be suspicious enabled him to confront what was happening and to move on with his life.

Every single one of my clients who’s come to me suspecting infidelity has been proved absolutely right. I think deep down they know their spouses are having an affair but they’ve often been told they’re mistaken, paranoid even. It’s good for them to be able to say, “No I’m not imagining it and here’s the proof”.