Pilot who 'battered wife to death with a pan confessed after going to the pub'
A pilot accused of battering his estranged wife to death with a pan confessed after going to the pub, a court heard.
Andrew McIntosh, a 54-year-old commercial airline pilot, reportedly attacked Patricia McIntosh, known as Trish, with a saucepan because she refused to lower the sale price of their marital home after they split.
Trish, 56, was found dead in the kitchen of her £300,000 bungalow in Knightcote, by police in a pool of blood having suffered multiple facial injuries.
McIntosh, who worked for UK airline TUI, was arrested half an hour later at 9.45pm on November 15 last year after being stopped in his car 18 miles away in Rugby, Warks.
He admitted to police he had “battered” his wife when she would not agree to dropping the sale price of the property – called Grassyard – where she was still living.
McIntosh said after a row he “lost control” and grabbed a saucepan from the stove full of peas and water. He told police “I smashed her with it” and repeatedly kicked her before describing how his wife made “dull screams” and “gurgling sounds” as she lay dying.
He then drove away from the scene and went drinking in a pub before confessing to friends in text message: “‘I’ve done the unthinkable and I’m f****d.”
Father-of-two McIntosh, of Woolscott, appeared at Warwick Crown Court on Monday for the first day of the trial. He denies killing his wife.
The father-of-two denies murdering his wife, who worked as a nail technician.
Opening the case, prosecutor Peter Grieves-Smith said: “He picked up a saucepan on the cooker containing water and peas and used it as a weapon – ‘I smashed her with it’ is what he told police.
“Apart from using the saucepan as a weapon, he used his feet as well and did that after she had gone to the ground in the corner of her kitchen.
“She died on her kitchen floor.
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“The defendant did nothing to help her after he had finished the attack, didn’t try and give her first aid or dial 999 or do anything.
“He left her lying dead on the ground with blood surrounding her head, on the kitchen surface and there was blood elsewhere in the room.
“The defendant recalls pulling the blind down in the kitchen and turned off something that was making a beeping noise.
“Having done that, he left her on the ground and went back home, drank a bottle of wine and contacted friends in Norfolk to tell them what he had done.”
Patricia was McIntosh’s second wife and the court heard he had been “moody, controlling and difficult” and had resorted to violence previously.
Mr Grieves-Smith added: “He then went home, drank a bottle of wine and started texting his best friend.
“Then he sent a text to his friend: ‘I’ve done the unthinkable and I’m f***ed if I do and I’m f***ed if I don’t.
“He sent to the friend’s wife: ‘Susie I’ve just murdered Trish in rage and I’m waiting for the police to arrive. I love you both, please forgive me.’”
Alexander Kolar, Home Office forensic pathologist, highlighted 34 external injuries to Patricia McIntosh’s body, including a fractured nose and significant bruising.
He said: “When I examined the head and neck there was significant scalp bruising evident.
“There was fracturing of the nose. There was prominent tissue tearing of the inside of the lips.
“There was a large quantity of blood in her airpipe. She had swallowed blood.
“I had seen a small quantity of subdural bleeding – bleeding behind one of the coverings of the brain.
“The severity of injuries we have in this case, (the neuro-pathologist) would have expected to see more brain injuries than he has seen.
“This tends to suggest she has died relatively quickly after the injury has taken place.”
McIntosh denies murder claiming manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility.
The trial, which is expected to last two weeks, continues.