Banker 'smiling' before wife died

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/england/london/8283410.stm

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A City banker accused of murdering his wife sent his mistress a text message on the day she died saying he was smiling, a court has heard.

Father-of-two Neil Ellerbeck, 46, who denies the charge, is accused of strangling wife Katherine at their home in Enfield, north London in November.

Mr Ellerbeck allegedly killed his wife because of her infidelity.

On the same day, he also told his mistress Julie Ring that it was a "good morning", the Old Bailey heard.

But Mrs Ring described Mr Ellerbeck as "caring and thoughtful" and said she had never seen any sign of violent behaviour.

She said Mr Ellerbeck "accepted" his wife's infidelity and had known about it for years.

Previously, the court heard that Mrs Ellerbeck, 45, was having an affair with Patrick McAdam, a tennis coach.

Prosecutors allege that Mr Ellerbeck was "obsessively jealous" and recorded his wife's phone calls.

"He thought it would be prudent to put some money aside just in case - something that I think most people would probably do Julie Ring

Describing a text message she received from Mr Ellerbeck on 14 November, the day Mrs Ellerbeck died, she said: "The very first text message that morning said, 'I'm smiling this morning, it is a good morning'."

Mrs Ring explained that she and the defendant met first while they were in their twenties before beginning an affair after a chance meeting in 2002.

They then enjoyed another period of friendship before their affair resumed over two years.

She also told the court: "Neil overheard a conversation that Kate was having about moving on with somebody else.

"He thought it would be prudent to put some money aside just in case - something that I think most people would probably do."