St Helens man jailed for killing wife after years of domestic abuse
A jury acquitted him of murder, but he's admitted manslaughter
A man from St Helens who strangled his wife to death and then went to Costa for a cup of tea, was jailed for six years.
Stuart Robertson launched the fatal attack against a background of years of abuse from his wife Dawn - who made his life a misery - and the court heard there were “classic symptoms of battered spouse syndrome.”
The 69-year-old had claimed that he reacted violently after she claimed he was not their son’s father but a judge said that he had “real doubts about whether those particular words were ever used.
“Clearly something provoked you to do what you did and it is likely that Dawn did do or say something typically unpleasant and cruel,” said Judge Andrew Menary, KC, the Recorder of Liverpool.
He pointed out that the defendant only made the claim just before his murder trial began and though he could not be sure she did not say them he was sure Robertson would not have believed them.
“If those words were said this was just more vile nonsense uttered by this drunken woman who regularly made your life a misery.”
Most of the arguments were started by Dawn and consisted of her “continuously belittling and undermining you,” said Judge Menary.
The judge said that he was sure the defendant had put his hands around his wife’s throat on previous occasions and had lied in evidence about that.
Robertson, of Cannon Street, St Helens, Merseyside, had admitted manslaughter and was yesterday (Wed) cleared by a jury of murder. He was sentenced on Thursday 23 May
During the week long trial Liverpool Crown Court heard that there was a long history of police call outs to the couple’s home prior to the tragedy on November 15 last year.
On that day the defendant walked into St Helens police station and confessed to killing the mum-of-two a few hours earlier.
Robertson, a retired warehouse manager, said that Dawn,came towards him pointing her finger at him and said he was her slave. When he told her he was going to the home of their son, Michael, she said he was not his son and at that moment in time he believed her.
He put his hands around her neck and squoze “and the next thing I knew she was dead.”
Robertson said she looked uncomfortable so he dragged her to the floor and put a pillow under her head and a crucifix in her hand.
Judge Menary said that the defendant had described his wife as “a perfectly delightful person when sober but pretty horrible after she had had drink.”
Judge Menary sentenced him on the basis of loss of control though earlier pointed out that the victim was “ a vulnerable, slightly built pathetic drunk.”