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Surrey wife 'killed Richard Challen with hammer' | Surrey wife 'killed Richard Challen with hammer' |
(about 4 hours later) | |
A wife who suspected her husband of infidelity bludgeoned him to death and later said: "If I can't have him, no-one can," a court has heard. | A wife who suspected her husband of infidelity bludgeoned him to death and later said: "If I can't have him, no-one can," a court has heard. |
The body of Richard Challen, 61, the retired owner of a car dealership in Richmond, was found in Claygate, near Esher in Surrey, in August 2010. | The body of Richard Challen, 61, the retired owner of a car dealership in Richmond, was found in Claygate, near Esher in Surrey, in August 2010. |
Georgina Challen, 56, an office manager from Claygate, is accused of attacking him with a hammer as he ate lunch. | Georgina Challen, 56, an office manager from Claygate, is accused of attacking him with a hammer as he ate lunch. |
Mrs Challen, who is known as Sally, denies murder at Guildford Crown Court. | Mrs Challen, who is known as Sally, denies murder at Guildford Crown Court. |
Jurors heard the couple, who had two sons and had been married 31 years, had been living apart and were attempting to patch up their marriage. | |
Mrs Challen was convinced her husband's efforts were a "ruse" and that he was having an affair, the court heard. | Mrs Challen was convinced her husband's efforts were a "ruse" and that he was having an affair, the court heard. |
Prosecutor Caroline Carberry told the jury Mrs Challen arrived at Ruxley Ridge, the house the couple had shared, with a hammer in her handbag on 14 August. | |
'Extreme ferocity' | 'Extreme ferocity' |
She checked his phone to find out her husband's most recent call, and was consumed by "jealousy and suspicion" when she dialled the number and a female answered. | |
Ms Carberry said Mrs Challen made her husband lunch and as he ate she attacked him with the hammer with "extreme ferocity". | Ms Carberry said Mrs Challen made her husband lunch and as he ate she attacked him with the hammer with "extreme ferocity". |
The next day, Mrs Challen drove to Beachy Head, from where she called her cousin to admit the killing, jurors heard. | |
When a suicide team and chaplain were dispatched to the cliff top, she repeated the admission. | |
"When asked how it happened, she said: 'I killed him with a hammer. I hit him lots of times'," the prosecutor said. | "When asked how it happened, she said: 'I killed him with a hammer. I hit him lots of times'," the prosecutor said. |
"She added: 'If I can't have him, no-one can'." | "She added: 'If I can't have him, no-one can'." |
Police later found the 61-year-old's body on the kitchen floor covered in blankets. A hand-written note placed upon it read: "I love you, Sally." | Police later found the 61-year-old's body on the kitchen floor covered in blankets. A hand-written note placed upon it read: "I love you, Sally." |
A post-mortem examination found Mr Challen died of "severe blunt force trauma to the head". | A post-mortem examination found Mr Challen died of "severe blunt force trauma to the head". |
Mrs Challen will claim that she was suffering from "diminished responsibility" due to "abnormality of mind", the court heard. | |
Giving evidence, James Challen, 27, said his mother had "very low" self-esteem, which he attributed to Mr Challen's dominant nature. | |
The trial continues. |