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| UKIP councillor Stephen Searle guilty of murdering wife | UKIP councillor Stephen Searle guilty of murdering wife |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A former UKIP councillor has been found guilty of murdering his wife, after he had an affair with their son's partner. | A former UKIP councillor has been found guilty of murdering his wife, after he had an affair with their son's partner. |
| Stephen Searle, 64, strangled his wife Anne to death at their home in Stowmarket, Suffolk, on 30 December. | Stephen Searle, 64, strangled his wife Anne to death at their home in Stowmarket, Suffolk, on 30 December. |
| The ex-Royal Marine had denied killing Mrs Searle, 62, after she found out about the affair with Anastasia Pomiateeva. | The ex-Royal Marine had denied killing Mrs Searle, 62, after she found out about the affair with Anastasia Pomiateeva. |
| He was found guilty by a jury at Ipswich Crown Court and will be sentenced on Wednesday. | He was found guilty by a jury at Ipswich Crown Court and will be sentenced on Wednesday. |
| Judge Mr Justice Green said Searle's "act of infidelity in one way or another led to this". | Judge Mr Justice Green said Searle's "act of infidelity in one way or another led to this". |
| He showed no reaction as the verdict was read out following a six-day trial. | |
| Searle had previously told a jury his wife had uncovered his affair with Ms Pomiateeva, who is the mother to at least one of their grandchildren, months before she died. | Searle had previously told a jury his wife had uncovered his affair with Ms Pomiateeva, who is the mother to at least one of their grandchildren, months before she died. |
| He claimed that on the day of her death, his wife of 45 years had attacked him with a knife following an argument and was killed in the struggle that ensued. | He claimed that on the day of her death, his wife of 45 years had attacked him with a knife following an argument and was killed in the struggle that ensued. |
| He had told the court he did not intend to murder her, failed to call an ambulance after the attack and instead "sat there like a bloody idiot". | He had told the court he did not intend to murder her, failed to call an ambulance after the attack and instead "sat there like a bloody idiot". |
| But in a 999 call that was played to jurors, Searle could be heard telling police: "I've just killed my wife." | But in a 999 call that was played to jurors, Searle could be heard telling police: "I've just killed my wife." |
| Military training | |
| Prosecutor Andrew Jackson said Searle had probably placed his wife in a choke hold he had knowledge of from his military training following "yet another row". | Prosecutor Andrew Jackson said Searle had probably placed his wife in a choke hold he had knowledge of from his military training following "yet another row". |
| He also told the court that the discovery of the affair "would have put considerable strain on the marriage". | |
| It took the jury three-and-a-half hours to find him guilty of murder. | It took the jury three-and-a-half hours to find him guilty of murder. |
| A post-mortem examination recorded that Mrs Searle died of compression of the neck. | A post-mortem examination recorded that Mrs Searle died of compression of the neck. |
| Forensic pathologist Dr Benjamin Swift said she would have lost consciousness after about eight to 15 seconds of pressure to the neck, and death required further sustained pressure for a period of minutes. | |
| Days before her death, Mrs Searle had posted a message on Facebook saying: "Happy Christmas... I hope I will still be here in 2018. We will see." | |
| In a victim impact statement, one of Searle's sons, also called Stephen, said: "Not only have I lost my mum, but because of what he's done I've lost my dad too." | In a victim impact statement, one of Searle's sons, also called Stephen, said: "Not only have I lost my mum, but because of what he's done I've lost my dad too." |
| Det Ch Supt Eamonn Bridger said: "Anne Searle's death was a tragic crime and our sympathies remain with her family and friends." |