Husband accused of murder dies

A Lincolnshire man accused of murdering his wife has died in hospital.

Desmond Simcox, 69, allegedly shot Shirley Simcox after claiming she had affairs with other men.

Mrs Simcox, 49, died from multiple shotgun wounds on a country lane near Mablethorpe last September.

Mr Simcox, from Admiralty Road in Mablethorpe, had been suffering from lung cancer.

Defence claims

Shortly after the shooting Mr Simcox, was arrested and charged with her murder.

But after being diagnosed with terminal cancer, a succession of court hearings was told he was unfit to stand trial.

The case was last before Nottingham Crown Court on 12 September when proceedings were again adjourned because of Simcox's ill-health.

During the hearing it was said Simcox had fired five shots into his wife using a pump action shotgun from a range of less than 15 feet.

After his arrest he said she had provoked him but his defence intended to argue he had intended to cripple, rather than kill her.

Mr Simcox died in hospital on Thursday from natural causes.

A hearing is expected to be held at Lincoln Crown Court next week to formally bring the legal proceedings to a close.