Man killed wife then went to Costa Coffee

A man strangled his wife to death before placing a crucifix in her lifeless hands and visiting Costa Coffee for a cup of tea.

Stuart Robertson went on trial at Liverpool Crown Court today, Tuesday, accused of the murder of his partner Dawn. She was found dead aged 62 at the couple's house on Cannon Street in St Helens on November 15 last year after her husband walked into a police station and told officers that he had killed her.

Peter Glenser KC told a jury of four men and eight women during the prosecution's opening this afternoon that the 69-year-old defendant had been seen on CCTV withdrawing £500 in cash at a Morrisons Daily store near to their home at around 12.20pm on the day in question. Robertson, who wore a light grey checked jumper in the dock and sported a shaved head, was then captured on camera again shortly after 2.45pm as he boarded an Arriva bus into St Helens town centre.

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Wearing a change of clothing, the dark garments he had been seen wearing earlier now replaced by a fluorescent jacket and a bucket hat, he disembarked the service at 3.20pm near to Church Square Shopping Centre then "paused for a cup of tea" at a branch of Costa Coffee. Shortly before 3.45pm, he entered St Helens Police Station and confessed that he had "snapped" and strangled his wife to death after she had been abusive to and shouted at him.

Mr Glenser said: "On the 15th of November last year, the defendant, Stuart Robertson, strangled his wife. Having done so, he placed her head upon a cushion, folded her arms and put a crucifix into her hands.

"Pausing only for a cup of tea at Costa, he made his way to St Helens Police Station and walked into the enquiry office. He asked to speak to someone in private and was taken into a private room.

"Once there, he admitted killing his wife. He told the police that he had left the house that day to run an errand for his wife.

"She had sent him to a cashpoint to collect some money. When he got back, his wife was abusive.

"She shouted at him. He told the officers that his wife was an alcoholic and she often behaved in that way.

"He went onto say that something had snapped. He had grabbed her by the throat and squeezed, he said that he had strangled her.

"The defendant then handed the officer a set of house keys, stating that they would need them to get into his property. He told the police that the incident had happened at about midday.

"He was asked how he got to the police station and he said he got the bus into St Helens town centre and went to Costa, then attended the police station. The officer described him as being emotional, very quietly spoken and shaky.

"The police went to the home address. It was well kept, it was neat and it was tidy.

"They found Mrs Robertson unconscious and not breathing. There were no signs of life, but CPR was commenced.

"The ambulance crew arrived and confirmed that she was dead. She was in the living room, lying on the floor on her back covered with a blanket with her hands across her chest and the crucifix in her hands."

A post-mortem investigation subsequently concluded a cause of death of "compression of the neck and strangulation". Under interview, Robertson gave a prepared statement in which he accepted killing his wife but said he had "simply lost control".

He later pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter. Mr Glenser added: "He says, by his plea, that although he was responsible for her death, he did not intend to kill her or do her serious bodily harm.

"He may say in the alternative that he suffered some loss of control, such that would reduce his culpability to manslaughter. On any view, the relationship between Mr and Mrs Robertson was deeply troubled.

"She was an alcoholic and was frequently verbally aggressive towards Mr Robertson. The police were called to their address on many, many occasions.

"He would be sober, she would be drunk. She would make false allegations against him, and her drinking seriously affected her relationship with her adult children."

Robertson, who is represented by Stanley Reiz KC and Lloyd Morgan, denies murder. The trial, before the Honorary Recorder of Liverpool Judge Andrew Menary KC, continues and is expected to last for around a week.

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