Husband killed himself after murdering his wife (From Gazette & Herald)

Husband killed himself after murdering his wife

A HUSBAND stabbed and beat his wife to death in a frenzied and violent attack after she decided to leave him, then hanged himself above her body.

The bodies of Forestry Commission worker Duncan Bartholomew and his wife Susan, both 42, were found at their cottage at Wykeham in January, sparking a police investigation.

But an inquest heard that no third party was believed to be involved, and that Mr Bartholomew stabbed his wife in the neck and chest with a home-made spear-like object before hitting her head with a hammer.

The Home Office pathologist for the north-east of England, Dr Peter Cooper, told the hearing at Scarborough County Court that Mrs Bartholomew had "strange, stab-like wounds", which fitted a spear-like object found at the scene, and blows to the head consistent with being hit by a hammer.

"Either assault would have been fatal," he said. "She had time to bleed considerably before being hit from the hammer. From the stabbing alone, I'm sure she would have been unconscious."

Forensic pathologist Gillian Leak said the wounds from the spear-like instrument would have taken some force to penetrate layers of clothing, adding: "Clothing may have been deliberately cut at the front of the neck so stabs could be delivered straight into the body."

Dr Cooper told the hearing that Mr Bartholomew was one-and-a-half times over the drink-driving limit, and had also taken anti-depressants.

Earlier in the evening, Mrs Bartholomew had been for dinner at her family's home in Eastfield, Scarborough, where she saw both her brothers, Peter and Terry Webster.

Both men said she had had enough and planned to leave her husband. Terry Webster said: "She said she had no life and wasn't allowed to do anything."

He said she had told him she lived like she was in jail, and that that her husband forced her to have sex against her will.

Mr Webster added that, earlier in the day, Mr Bartholomew had rung him to tell him not to go to their house that night. "Before he said he needed a shoulder to cry on, but now seemed calm, which I didn't like so I phoned my sister on her mobile and said 'be careful'," he said.

Susan returned to the marital home to talk. She asked her other brother, Peter, to ring her at 8.30pm, which he did, but there was no reply. He was worried and went with his mother to the Bartholomews' cottage.

Once there, he saw Mr Bartholomew's body hanging and called the police.

Gillian Leak said there was evidence that someone had tried to use the telephone during the assault.

She said Mrs Bartholomew was dragged feet first to the toilet and her long bloodied hair flecked against the walls. Mr Bartholomew hanged himself above her feet.

Coroner Michael Oakley recorded a verdict of unlawful killing on Susan Bartholomew and also recorded that Duncan Bartholomew killed himself.

Updated: 13:09 Wednesday, June 22, 2005