Faked Suicide Of Wife He Strangled
During a struggle with his wife, a former beauty queen, an ex-Ser-viceman accidentally strangled her. Then he placed her body with the head in an oven and turned on the gas to make it appear like suicide. This was disclosed at Chelmsford Assizes, when the husband, Richard Thomas, aged 38, a machinist, of Parr Road, East Ham, was found not guilty of murder but guilty of the manslaughter of Mrs Lilian Thomas, also aged 38. Passing sentence of 12 months’ imprisonment, Mr Justice Hallett said to Thomas:
“I believe you lost your temper, grabbed hold of her without thinking very much what you were doing, and killed her accidentally. People who lose their tempers, under whatever provocation, • and thereby cause the death of someone, must expect to be punished.” After the body had been removed to the mortuary the police noticed the mark of a ligature around the neck. A post mortem showed that death was due to strangulation. When first seen by the police Thomas said he was playing cards at another house on the night of the tragedy. Afterwards he was alleged to have made an admission.
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/BPB19490523.2.32
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Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 13, Issue 90, 23 May 1949, Page 8
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195Faked Suicide Of Wife He Strangled Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 13, Issue 90, 23 May 1949, Page 8
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