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| Man, 90, tried to stab sleeping sick wife, Old Bailey told | Man, 90, tried to stab sleeping sick wife, Old Bailey told |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Edward Turpin is on trial at the Old Bailey | Edward Turpin is on trial at the Old Bailey |
| A 90-year-old man attacked his sick wife in bed, claiming she "got on my nerves", the Old Bailey heard. | A 90-year-old man attacked his sick wife in bed, claiming she "got on my nerves", the Old Bailey heard. |
| Edward Turpin is accused of attempting to stab his wife Joan Turpin, also 90, at their home in Orpington, south-east London, on 22 September 2021. | Edward Turpin is accused of attempting to stab his wife Joan Turpin, also 90, at their home in Orpington, south-east London, on 22 September 2021. |
| He denies attempted murder and an alternative charge of wounding with intent. | He denies attempted murder and an alternative charge of wounding with intent. |
| The court heard Mr Turpin tried to imply the couple had a suicide pact, which Ms Turpin "robustly denies". | The court heard Mr Turpin tried to imply the couple had a suicide pact, which Ms Turpin "robustly denies". |
| Jurors heard Mr Turpin "ran out of patience" with caring for his ailing wife following years of happy marriage. | Jurors heard Mr Turpin "ran out of patience" with caring for his ailing wife following years of happy marriage. |
| 'Want to die' | 'Want to die' |
| Ms Turpin had lost her sight and had become more dependent on her husband's help in their home, the court was told. | Ms Turpin had lost her sight and had become more dependent on her husband's help in their home, the court was told. |
| Mr Turpin felt he could "no longer cope" as her carer and, at about 01:30 BST, attacked his wife in their bed before turning the knife on himself, the court heard. | Mr Turpin felt he could "no longer cope" as her carer and, at about 01:30 BST, attacked his wife in their bed before turning the knife on himself, the court heard. |
| In a 999 call, he is said to have told an operator: "I can't take any more of it. She's been ill and it's got right on top of me. | In a 999 call, he is said to have told an operator: "I can't take any more of it. She's been ill and it's got right on top of me. |
| "I tried to stab her and I've stabbed myself." | "I tried to stab her and I've stabbed myself." |
| Asked where Ms Turpin was injured, the defendant said, "by her heart," jurors heard. | Asked where Ms Turpin was injured, the defendant said, "by her heart," jurors heard. |
| When the operator told the defendant they could tell him how to stem the bleeding, he allegedly replied: "No I don't want to stop the bleeding. We want to die." | When the operator told the defendant they could tell him how to stem the bleeding, he allegedly replied: "No I don't want to stop the bleeding. We want to die." |
| Prosecutor Alistair Richardson suggested Mr Turpin attempted to imply he and his wife were carrying out a "suicide pact" in the ensuing conversation. | Prosecutor Alistair Richardson suggested Mr Turpin attempted to imply he and his wife were carrying out a "suicide pact" in the ensuing conversation. |
| Mr Richardson said: "You may think the defendant was attempting to give the impression that he and his wife were participating in a suicide pact. | Mr Richardson said: "You may think the defendant was attempting to give the impression that he and his wife were participating in a suicide pact. |
| "As you will hear, that is a suggestion that Joan Turpin robustly rejects. Throughout the call, in the background, you can hear Joan Turpin crying out for help." | "As you will hear, that is a suggestion that Joan Turpin robustly rejects. Throughout the call, in the background, you can hear Joan Turpin crying out for help." |
| When Mr Turpin ended the call and the operator called back, he added: "She's been ill, she's come home, all she's done is got on my nerves… I've just burst. I've just gone," the court was told. | When Mr Turpin ended the call and the operator called back, he added: "She's been ill, she's come home, all she's done is got on my nerves… I've just burst. I've just gone," the court was told. |
| 'Happy marriage' | |
| Police who attended the scene following the 999 call found the defendant with puncture wounds in his abdomen and his wife upstairs calling for help. | |
| Jurors heard he was taken to an ambulance dressed in slippers and pyjama bottoms where he was treated by medics, while his wife was found in a bedroom saying: "I can't breathe, I'm blind." | |
| She had been stabbed multiple times including twice to the chest as well as sustaining wounds to her upper abdomen, neck and hands, the Old Bailey was told. | |
| The defendant covered his face with his hands as bodycam footage was played to the court showing the elderly woman, then 89, being led downstairs by emergency workers. | |
| Mr Richardson said Ms Turpin had explained the couple had been happily married for many years and the defendant had been a good husband. | Mr Richardson said Ms Turpin had explained the couple had been happily married for many years and the defendant had been a good husband. |
| "There is no doubt that the case you are to try is a sad one - of a happy marriage that has become mired by poor health, and with the defendant no longer able to cope with caring for his wife," the prosecutor said. | "There is no doubt that the case you are to try is a sad one - of a happy marriage that has become mired by poor health, and with the defendant no longer able to cope with caring for his wife," the prosecutor said. |
| "But what neither society, nor the law, permit, even in the heat of the moment, is for us to take matters into our own hands, and seek to end someone else's life." | "But what neither society, nor the law, permit, even in the heat of the moment, is for us to take matters into our own hands, and seek to end someone else's life." |
| The trial continues. | The trial continues. |
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