Ex-soldier, 57, strangled his wife to death after wrongly fearing she was going to leave him just one year into their marriage, court hears
A former British Army soldier is on trial accused of murdering his wife just a year into their marriage, after allegedly becoming convinced she was planning to leave him. Michael Davies, 57, denies murdering Tracey Davies, 48, at their home in Cefn Cribwr near Bridgend, South Wales, though he has admitted manslaughter by diminished responsibility. Prosecutors at Newport Crown Court say he strangled her in their bedroom before stabbing himself; she was found dead by relatives after failing to turn up for a concert.
The court heard Davies had recently returned from security work in Abu Dhabi after suffering mental health problems, and had searched online for terms including "how to stop being jealous in a relationship" and "how to fight paranoia" in the weeks before the killing. He is also alleged to have taken an overdose of painkillers after attacking his wife. Tracey's family paid tribute to her as a devoted mother and "the heart of her family," saying her warmth and humour touched everyone who knew her. The trial continues.
- Ex-soldier, 57, denies murdering wife after wrongly fearing she'd leave him
- He admits manslaughter by diminished responsibility, not murder
- Prosecutors say he strangled her, then stabbed himself
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Michael Davies, a 57-year-old former British Army soldier, is standing trial accused of murdering his wife, Tracey Davies, 48, at their home in Cefn Cribwr, near Bridgend in South Wales. The couple had been married for about a year. Davies denies murder but has admitted the lesser offence of manslaughter by diminished responsibility, meaning the case turns on his state of mind at the time rather than on whether he caused her death.
Prosecutors allege that Davies became wrongly convinced his wife intended to leave him and strangled her before injuring himself. He had recently returned from security work in Abu Dhabi and had reportedly been struggling with his mental health, which is expected to feature heavily in arguments about his responsibility for the killing.
The case is being heard at Newport Crown Court and centres on the legal distinction between murder and manslaughter, which hinges on whether Davies's mental state at the time reduces his culpability. The verdict will determine whether he is held fully responsible for his wife's death or convicted of a lesser charge.