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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Banker 'killed wife over affairs' | Banker 'killed wife over affairs' |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| An "obsessively jealous" City banker strangled his wife during a row because her affairs had become "all too much" for him, an Old Bailey jury has heard. | An "obsessively jealous" City banker strangled his wife during a row because her affairs had become "all too much" for him, an Old Bailey jury has heard. |
| Neil Ellerbeck, 46, recorded 127 hours of calls between wife Katherine, 45, and her lovers who included their son's tennis coach, the court heard. | |
| The HSBC executive, who denies murder, also "squirreled away" money, fearing a divorce would cost him his wealth. | The HSBC executive, who denies murder, also "squirreled away" money, fearing a divorce would cost him his wealth. |
| Mrs Ellerbeck's body was found at their home in north London in November. | Mrs Ellerbeck's body was found at their home in north London in November. |
| Edward Brown QC, prosecuting, said: "The defendant is an ambitious and successful man. But he was a man with an obsessive and jealous nature. | Edward Brown QC, prosecuting, said: "The defendant is an ambitious and successful man. But he was a man with an obsessive and jealous nature. |
| "The defendant acted out of very considerable anger which got the better of the man - at the moment when the build-up of his wife's behaviour became all too much for this obsessive and jealous man." | "The defendant acted out of very considerable anger which got the better of the man - at the moment when the build-up of his wife's behaviour became all too much for this obsessive and jealous man." |
| Wife 'bugged' | Wife 'bugged' |
| Mr Ellerbeck lived with their two children in Enfield and "on the face of it had everything - a nice house and a private education for the children". | Mr Ellerbeck lived with their two children in Enfield and "on the face of it had everything - a nice house and a private education for the children". |
| But both he and his wife had embarked on affairs, the prosecution said. | But both he and his wife had embarked on affairs, the prosecution said. |
| Mr Brown said: "During the last few years their son, a very promising tennis player, had been coached at the local tennis club by Patrick McAdam. | Mr Brown said: "During the last few years their son, a very promising tennis player, had been coached at the local tennis club by Patrick McAdam. |
| "Kate Ellerbeck herself also used the club. But her friendship with McAdam over time turned into something deeper and they began an affair. | "Kate Ellerbeck herself also used the club. But her friendship with McAdam over time turned into something deeper and they began an affair. |
| With heightened suspicions and jealousies the defendant killed his wife, her death very likely the culmination of a violent argument Edward Brown QC | With heightened suspicions and jealousies the defendant killed his wife, her death very likely the culmination of a violent argument Edward Brown QC |
| "She also was intimate on one occasion with a friend she had known for many years." | "She also was intimate on one occasion with a friend she had known for many years." |
| The court was told that the infidelity was the spark that led Mr Ellerbeck, a "controlling, jealous and secretive man", to bug his wife and later commit murder. | The court was told that the infidelity was the spark that led Mr Ellerbeck, a "controlling, jealous and secretive man", to bug his wife and later commit murder. |
| He bugged the home telephone and used specialist gadgets to monitor text messages sent from her mobile phone. | He bugged the home telephone and used specialist gadgets to monitor text messages sent from her mobile phone. |
| Police found more than 100 hours of tape recordings on a memory stick at Mr Ellerbeck's Canary Wharf office. | |
| They included a conversation between his wife and Mr McAdam discussing their physical relationship. | They included a conversation between his wife and Mr McAdam discussing their physical relationship. |
| Cash withdrawn | |
| The prosecution said Mr Ellerbeck had been systematically withdrawing cash from his main accounts to deposit elsewhere, moving £103,000 over 13 months. | The prosecution said Mr Ellerbeck had been systematically withdrawing cash from his main accounts to deposit elsewhere, moving £103,000 over 13 months. |
| A further £430,000 was moved from an account his wife did not know about to one held by his sister, the court heard. | A further £430,000 was moved from an account his wife did not know about to one held by his sister, the court heard. |
| It is alleged Mr Ellerbeck was moving the money to prepare for life after the end of his marriage. | It is alleged Mr Ellerbeck was moving the money to prepare for life after the end of his marriage. |
| But the court heard Mr Ellerbeck's drinking raised tensions still further. | But the court heard Mr Ellerbeck's drinking raised tensions still further. |
| And jurors were told that two weeks before Mrs Ellerbeck died she confided in her sister that she wanted a divorce. | |
| Mr Brown said: "It is with this background, with all the heightened suspicions and jealousies, that the defendant killed his wife, her death very likely the culmination of a violent argument." | Mr Brown said: "It is with this background, with all the heightened suspicions and jealousies, that the defendant killed his wife, her death very likely the culmination of a violent argument." |
| Mr Ellerbeck denies murder. | Mr Ellerbeck denies murder. |