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| Natalia Strelchenko: from child prodigy to murdered wife | Natalia Strelchenko: from child prodigy to murdered wife |
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| She started playing the piano at the age of six and made her debut another six years later with the St Petersburg Symphony Orchestra. | She started playing the piano at the age of six and made her debut another six years later with the St Petersburg Symphony Orchestra. |
| Described as a pioneer with extraordinary talent, Russian-born Natalia Strelchenko went on to play at prestigious venues around the world, including the Wigmore Hall in London, Carnegie Hall in New York and the Französische Dom in Berlin. | |
| Related: Pianist Natalia Strelchenko's husband guilty of her murder | Related: Pianist Natalia Strelchenko's husband guilty of her murder |
| Strelchenko, who used the stage surname of Strelle, was at the “peak of her powers” when she was murdered by her jealous and controlling husband at their Greater Manchester home, on their second wedding anniversary last year. | |
| Her success provoked jealousy in John Martin, a far less successful musician who made the last few months of her life miserable. | Her success provoked jealousy in John Martin, a far less successful musician who made the last few months of her life miserable. |
| Martin, also known as Jon Skogsbakken, wanted to control his wife. He stifled her, wanting her to be more domesticated; to tidy their house and be a “good wife”. | Martin, also known as Jon Skogsbakken, wanted to control his wife. He stifled her, wanting her to be more domesticated; to tidy their house and be a “good wife”. |
| At times Martin, who already had two failed marriages behind him, would attack Strelchenko, throttling her on a bed, strangling her in a car and telling her he wanted to kill her. He even forced her into aborting their child when she became pregnant. | At times Martin, who already had two failed marriages behind him, would attack Strelchenko, throttling her on a bed, strangling her in a car and telling her he wanted to kill her. He even forced her into aborting their child when she became pregnant. |
| Afraid of what Martin would do to her, Strelchenko had planned her escape; she was due to take up her old post as assistant professor at the Conservatoire of Belfort in France, with no plans to return to Martin. | Afraid of what Martin would do to her, Strelchenko had planned her escape; she was due to take up her old post as assistant professor at the Conservatoire of Belfort in France, with no plans to return to Martin. |
| But just days before she was due to leave, their tumultuous relationship exploded, and Martin attacked his 38-year-old wife for the last time. | But just days before she was due to leave, their tumultuous relationship exploded, and Martin attacked his 38-year-old wife for the last time. |
| On 31 August last year Strelchenko was found covered in blood. She had been beaten and strangled to death after being thrown down a flight of stairs. Her injuries were so severe that her facial bones were floating free from her skull. Her jaw had also been snapped in half. | On 31 August last year Strelchenko was found covered in blood. She had been beaten and strangled to death after being thrown down a flight of stairs. Her injuries were so severe that her facial bones were floating free from her skull. Her jaw had also been snapped in half. |
| On Friday, Martin, 48, was found guilty of her murder. He was cleared by the jury of the attempted murder of a youth, who cannot be named for legal reasons. | On Friday, Martin, 48, was found guilty of her murder. He was cleared by the jury of the attempted murder of a youth, who cannot be named for legal reasons. |
| Strelchenko, grew up in St Petersburg with her youngster sister, Julia, and parents, Tatiana and Vladimir. However, there were tensions in the family home and her relationship with her father was described as difficult. He was domineering and she regularly sparred with him. | Strelchenko, grew up in St Petersburg with her youngster sister, Julia, and parents, Tatiana and Vladimir. However, there were tensions in the family home and her relationship with her father was described as difficult. He was domineering and she regularly sparred with him. |
| Strelchenko left home while still young, playing her first professional concert at 12, and being inducted into a specialist musical college by 15. | Strelchenko left home while still young, playing her first professional concert at 12, and being inducted into a specialist musical college by 15. |
| She met Martin, who trained at the Oslo Conservatoire, when they played together in an orchestra in 2007. They became good friends but were both married to different people. | She met Martin, who trained at the Oslo Conservatoire, when they played together in an orchestra in 2007. They became good friends but were both married to different people. |
| Related: Natalia Strelchenko 'did not want to give up on controlling husband' | Related: Natalia Strelchenko 'did not want to give up on controlling husband' |
| Years later when Strelchenko moved to Manchester with her child after the breakdown of her first marriage, she became romantically involved with Martin, who had two children and was still married to his second wife. | |
| A computer science and maths graduate who had worked for the computer firm IBM for nine years in his home country of Norway, Martin had decided to become a freelance musician and moved to Manchester, playing double bass in local ensembles. But his career did not take off as he had hoped. | A computer science and maths graduate who had worked for the computer firm IBM for nine years in his home country of Norway, Martin had decided to become a freelance musician and moved to Manchester, playing double bass in local ensembles. But his career did not take off as he had hoped. |
| Meanwhile, Strelchenko had been contacted by Arne-Peter Rognan, a classical music producer. Together they produced 10 classical CDs of her playing the piano and harpsichord, with accompanying concerts around the world, including in London, New York and Tokyo. | Meanwhile, Strelchenko had been contacted by Arne-Peter Rognan, a classical music producer. Together they produced 10 classical CDs of her playing the piano and harpsichord, with accompanying concerts around the world, including in London, New York and Tokyo. |
| Rognan said: “She was an extraordinary lady, her personality was absolutely overwhelming, because she was full of confidence, and it seemed to me this must be a very special talent. I was really amazed by the capacity of that person. | Rognan said: “She was an extraordinary lady, her personality was absolutely overwhelming, because she was full of confidence, and it seemed to me this must be a very special talent. I was really amazed by the capacity of that person. |
| “She was a pioneer in many ways, she wanted to achieve something, and she did a marvellous job in that. I find those 11 years I worked with Natalia my very precious years, she was very important, not only as a person, but as a musician.” | “She was a pioneer in many ways, she wanted to achieve something, and she did a marvellous job in that. I find those 11 years I worked with Natalia my very precious years, she was very important, not only as a person, but as a musician.” |
| Strelchenko, a trained musicologist, had been artist in residence at Leeds College of Art and a research fellow at the Norwegian Academy of Music in Oslo. | Strelchenko, a trained musicologist, had been artist in residence at Leeds College of Art and a research fellow at the Norwegian Academy of Music in Oslo. |
| In the year of her death she had already performed 17 concerts, giving recitals at Le Vesinet and Cité Universitaire in Paris, and at the International chamber music festival in Spain. | In the year of her death she had already performed 17 concerts, giving recitals at Le Vesinet and Cité Universitaire in Paris, and at the International chamber music festival in Spain. |
| The couple’s starkly different career trajectories led to problems in their relationship and friends became concerned about their increasingly volatile rows. During a recording of Chopin in the Norwegian mountains, a disgruntled Martin would storm off complaining that he was not being included by the Russian musicians; he would throw his wife out of their home on a number of occasions, and repeatedly tried to strangle and smother her. | The couple’s starkly different career trajectories led to problems in their relationship and friends became concerned about their increasingly volatile rows. During a recording of Chopin in the Norwegian mountains, a disgruntled Martin would storm off complaining that he was not being included by the Russian musicians; he would throw his wife out of their home on a number of occasions, and repeatedly tried to strangle and smother her. |
| “They were very different characters, Natalia was not the person to be a truthful wife – to be cleaning the house and doing practical things – she was an artist with a capital A,” Rognan said. | “They were very different characters, Natalia was not the person to be a truthful wife – to be cleaning the house and doing practical things – she was an artist with a capital A,” Rognan said. |
| “She said he was very unstable. Unstable and difficult and controlling. He didn’t like her to be totally free. I think he desperately wanted her to change, and be more a wife in the house, but that would never happen. He wanted her to be a part of the team and run the house, and that was the conflict between them, but that was not her at all.” | “She said he was very unstable. Unstable and difficult and controlling. He didn’t like her to be totally free. I think he desperately wanted her to change, and be more a wife in the house, but that would never happen. He wanted her to be a part of the team and run the house, and that was the conflict between them, but that was not her at all.” |
| In the years leading up to her death, her sister Julia revealed that Martin had forced Strelchenko to have an abortion. Strelchenko had been excited about the pregnancy and wanted to keep the child but Martin had threatened to leave her unless she aborted it. | In the years leading up to her death, her sister Julia revealed that Martin had forced Strelchenko to have an abortion. Strelchenko had been excited about the pregnancy and wanted to keep the child but Martin had threatened to leave her unless she aborted it. |
| Despite this, and repeated pleas from family and friends for her to leave Martin, Strelchenko married him in August 2013. The wedding, in a camp ground in Norway, was attended by four people. And one month later Martin was imprisoned by a Norwegian court for attacking Strelchenko. The assaults had taken place in November 2012, meaning the case was active when they got married. | Despite this, and repeated pleas from family and friends for her to leave Martin, Strelchenko married him in August 2013. The wedding, in a camp ground in Norway, was attended by four people. And one month later Martin was imprisoned by a Norwegian court for attacking Strelchenko. The assaults had taken place in November 2012, meaning the case was active when they got married. |
| Martin had physically assaulted Strelchenko on two separate occasions, both times threatening to kill her. The first time he had put his hands around her neck, pushed her head into a mattress and said: “You will not leave me. There is only one solution – first you will die and then I will die. I will kill you.” | Martin had physically assaulted Strelchenko on two separate occasions, both times threatening to kill her. The first time he had put his hands around her neck, pushed her head into a mattress and said: “You will not leave me. There is only one solution – first you will die and then I will die. I will kill you.” |
| He spent 60 days in prison. Two years later he followed through with his threats. | He spent 60 days in prison. Two years later he followed through with his threats. |
| Rognan said that in the months before she died Strelchenko had told him how her life with Martin had become miserable and she longed to leave him but was afraid of the consequences. | Rognan said that in the months before she died Strelchenko had told him how her life with Martin had become miserable and she longed to leave him but was afraid of the consequences. |
| “She wanted out of the relationship, but she felt that she couldn’t [leave],” he said. “I think she felt that his reaction would be very hard. She was afraid of him. She felt if she tried to say ‘I want out of this relationship’, he will react aggressively.” | “She wanted out of the relationship, but she felt that she couldn’t [leave],” he said. “I think she felt that his reaction would be very hard. She was afraid of him. She felt if she tried to say ‘I want out of this relationship’, he will react aggressively.” |
| On 27 August last year Strelchenko’s friend and occasional music partner, Justyna Zanko, arrived to stay with the couple and said she heard them arguing several times. | On 27 August last year Strelchenko’s friend and occasional music partner, Justyna Zanko, arrived to stay with the couple and said she heard them arguing several times. |
| The Polish violinist and Strelchenko spent the day before the latter’s death recording songs at Chetham’s School of Music before. On returning to the house dinner they were confronted by an irritable Martin. | The Polish violinist and Strelchenko spent the day before the latter’s death recording songs at Chetham’s School of Music before. On returning to the house dinner they were confronted by an irritable Martin. |
| The day after, Zanko said, Martin repeatedly lost his temper about various matters, including what they were eating for dinner and the general cleanliness of the house, while drinking cider and wine. He then disappeared for a few hours before returning to the house just before midnight and attacking Strelchenko. | The day after, Zanko said, Martin repeatedly lost his temper about various matters, including what they were eating for dinner and the general cleanliness of the house, while drinking cider and wine. He then disappeared for a few hours before returning to the house just before midnight and attacking Strelchenko. |
| Zanko said she was woken by her friend’s screams and pleas for help just before she was murdered. | Zanko said she was woken by her friend’s screams and pleas for help just before she was murdered. |
| “She woke me up as she was climbing the stairs and she called out to me: ‘Wake up’. She was very scared. She said John Martin had come back and that he was drunk and she was afraid of him.” | “She woke me up as she was climbing the stairs and she called out to me: ‘Wake up’. She was very scared. She said John Martin had come back and that he was drunk and she was afraid of him.” |
| Martin “flew at Natalia like an animal” and threw himself and Strelchenko down the stairs. He sat on top of his wife and began to repeatedly punch her in the face before strangling her. | Martin “flew at Natalia like an animal” and threw himself and Strelchenko down the stairs. He sat on top of his wife and began to repeatedly punch her in the face before strangling her. |
| Zanko said: “He was lying on her with his knees so that she could not move. She was on her back and he was punching her with both hands. I could hear the punches from the top of the stairs. I was screaming and then I saw him put his hands by her neck area and I asked him to stop, saying that he would kill her.” | Zanko said: “He was lying on her with his knees so that she could not move. She was on her back and he was punching her with both hands. I could hear the punches from the top of the stairs. I was screaming and then I saw him put his hands by her neck area and I asked him to stop, saying that he would kill her.” |
| Martin stopped his assault momentarily and looked up at Zanko, saying: “I want to kill her.” | Martin stopped his assault momentarily and looked up at Zanko, saying: “I want to kill her.” |
| Zanko fled from the house and called the emergency services while the attack continued. | Zanko fled from the house and called the emergency services while the attack continued. |
| Officers found Strelchenko lying unconscious near the stairs. She had suffered horrific fractures to her face and skull as well as serious neck injuries and, despite efforts by paramedics, was later pronounced dead. | Officers found Strelchenko lying unconscious near the stairs. She had suffered horrific fractures to her face and skull as well as serious neck injuries and, despite efforts by paramedics, was later pronounced dead. |
| Throughout his trial Martin maintained that he could not remember attacking his wife but accepted that he “must be the man behind it”. | Throughout his trial Martin maintained that he could not remember attacking his wife but accepted that he “must be the man behind it”. |
| He claimed he had had depression and taken a cocktail of drugs and alcohol on the night of her death, which had caused aggression and subsequent memory loss. | He claimed he had had depression and taken a cocktail of drugs and alcohol on the night of her death, which had caused aggression and subsequent memory loss. |
| Jurors were told that Martin had mistakenly used diazepam in place of his anti-depressant medication for around six weeks before the incident. | Jurors were told that Martin had mistakenly used diazepam in place of his anti-depressant medication for around six weeks before the incident. |
| He claimed the mix of alcohol and drugs had impaired his ability to form a rational judgment, and disabled his ability to exercise self-control and understand the nature of his acts, leading to him attacking his wife. | He claimed the mix of alcohol and drugs had impaired his ability to form a rational judgment, and disabled his ability to exercise self-control and understand the nature of his acts, leading to him attacking his wife. |
| But prosecutors successfully argued that Martin had tried to “camouflage his guilt” by claiming he could not remember the events surrounding Strelchenko’s death. | But prosecutors successfully argued that Martin had tried to “camouflage his guilt” by claiming he could not remember the events surrounding Strelchenko’s death. |
| He will be sentenced on Monday. | He will be sentenced on Monday. |