This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/mar/21/pianist-natalia-strelchenko-john-martin-husband-jailed-murder
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Pianist Natalia Strelchenko’s husband jailed for life for her murder | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A classical musician who resented and tried to control his successful wife – the world-renowned concert pianist Natalia Strelchenko – has been jailed for life for murdering her on their second wedding anniversary. | A classical musician who resented and tried to control his successful wife – the world-renowned concert pianist Natalia Strelchenko – has been jailed for life for murdering her on their second wedding anniversary. |
| John Martin shook his head and appeared to say “no” as the judge sentenced him to a minimum of 17 years for the “brutal, sustained and unprovoked attack” on his wife. | John Martin shook his head and appeared to say “no” as the judge sentenced him to a minimum of 17 years for the “brutal, sustained and unprovoked attack” on his wife. |
| Related: Natalia Strelchenko: from child prodigy to murdered wife | Related: Natalia Strelchenko: from child prodigy to murdered wife |
| 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 in August last year. | 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 in August last year. |
| Martin, a far less successful musician, was jealous of her and made the last few months of her life miserable. Also known as Jon Skogsbakken, he stifled Strelchenko, wanting her to be more domesticated; to tidy their house and be a “good wife”. | Martin, a far less successful musician, was jealous of her and made the last few months of her life miserable. Also known as Jon Skogsbakken, he stifled Strelchenko, wanting her to be more domesticated; to tidy their house and be a “good wife”. |
| At times, Martin, who had been married twice before, would attack Strelchenko, throttling her on a bed, strangling her in a car and telling her he wanted to kill her. When they discovered Strelchenko was pregnant, he forced her to have an abortion. | At times, Martin, who had been married twice before, would attack Strelchenko, throttling her on a bed, strangling her in a car and telling her he wanted to kill her. When they discovered Strelchenko was pregnant, he forced her to have an abortion. |
| 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 her for the last time. | But just days before she was due to leave, their tumultuous relationship exploded, and Martin attacked her for the last time. |
| Martin, 48, was found guilty of her murder after a three-week trial. He was cleared of the attempted murder of a youth, who cannot be named for legal reasons. | Martin, 48, was found guilty of her murder after a three-week trial. He was cleared of the attempted murder of a youth, who cannot be named for legal reasons. |
| Sentencing him at Manchester crown court, Mrs Justice Laura Cox said Martin had intended to kill the pianist in what she described as a “prolonged and ferocious attack”. | |
| “This attack occurred against a background of controlling and sometimes aggressive behaviour by you. You came to resent her success and her friendships with those she met. I am satisfied on the evidence that you were jealous of her being the focus of attention and praise and of her meeting other people when she was working away from home.” | “This attack occurred against a background of controlling and sometimes aggressive behaviour by you. You came to resent her success and her friendships with those she met. I am satisfied on the evidence that you were jealous of her being the focus of attention and praise and of her meeting other people when she was working away from home.” |
| On 30 August last year Strelchenko was beaten and strangled to death after being thrown down a flight of stairs at the couple’s home in Newton Heath, Greater Manchester. She had suffered 71 separate injuries including her jaw being snapped in half. | On 30 August last year Strelchenko was beaten and strangled to death after being thrown down a flight of stairs at the couple’s home in Newton Heath, Greater Manchester. She had suffered 71 separate injuries including her jaw being snapped in half. |
| Addressing Martin, Cox said: “Natalia Strelle was an extremely talented musician and pianist, completely consumed by her art, unaware of and uninterested in domesticity and practical matters and focused on developing her international music career. | Addressing Martin, Cox said: “Natalia Strelle was an extremely talented musician and pianist, completely consumed by her art, unaware of and uninterested in domesticity and practical matters and focused on developing her international music career. |
| “I have no doubt that this made her, on occasions, difficult to live with. But her family and friends made allowance for her artistic temperament, and provided her with encouragement and support. You, by contrast, became increasingly irritated, frustrated and resentful and you sought to undermine her confidence and to control her.” | “I have no doubt that this made her, on occasions, difficult to live with. But her family and friends made allowance for her artistic temperament, and provided her with encouragement and support. You, by contrast, became increasingly irritated, frustrated and resentful and you sought to undermine her confidence and to control her.” |
| 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. On returning to the house for 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. On returning to the house for 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. Officers found Strelchenko lying unconscious near the stairs. | Zanko fled from the house and called the emergency services while the attack continued. Officers found Strelchenko lying unconscious near the stairs. |
| The following day, Martin was arrested for murder but he said he could not remember attacking his wife. Throughout his trial Martin denied murder and manslaughter but accepted that he “must be the man behind it”. | The following day, Martin was arrested for murder but he said he could not remember attacking his wife. Throughout his trial Martin denied murder and manslaughter but accepted that he “must be the man behind it”. |
| He had claimed that he had been suffering from depression and had taken drugs and alcohol on the night of her death which had caused aggression and subsequent memory loss. | He had claimed that he had been suffering from depression and had taken drugs and alcohol on the night of her death which had caused aggression and subsequent memory loss. |
| A statement read outside court on behalf of Strelchenko’s sister Julia said: “Natalia was much loved by all her family and friends and Natalia was a loving mother to her son. She was extremely talented with much life ahead of her. | A statement read outside court on behalf of Strelchenko’s sister Julia said: “Natalia was much loved by all her family and friends and Natalia was a loving mother to her son. She was extremely talented with much life ahead of her. |
| “She was taken from us in August in completely unnecessary circumstances. We cannot express how devastated we are that her life has been stolen from her. We miss Natalia every minute of every day. We can try to repair our heartache although no matter how long the sentence is, it will not bring Natalia back or make our loss any easier.” | “She was taken from us in August in completely unnecessary circumstances. We cannot express how devastated we are that her life has been stolen from her. We miss Natalia every minute of every day. We can try to repair our heartache although no matter how long the sentence is, it will not bring Natalia back or make our loss any easier.” |