Wife's death 'like murder novel'

The former taxi driver staged his wife's suicide, prosecutors say

A man murdered his wealthy wife and made it look like suicide in an elaborate plot with "many of the trappings of a novel", a court heard.

Michael Bamford, of Greater Manchester, is accused of shooting his wife of four months, Ivy Sutcliffe, 61, at their home in Harare, Zimbabwe, in 2004.

Manchester Crown Court heard Mr Bamford first blamed local robbers, then told police Ms Sutcliffe had shot herself.

The former taxi driver, 51, of Church Street, Littleborough, denies murder.

'Real tragedy'

Alistair Webster QC, prosecuting, told the jury: "The case you are going to try has many of the trappings of a novel: an expatriate lifestyle in Africa, a woman with money killed by a single shot to the head by a small pistol, an exotic location.

"But the facts of the case which you are to try do not come out of a novel.

"This is real life, and sadly, real death. A story of a woman murdered by her husband of four months, and the murder being staged to look like suicide.

Mrs Sutcliffe was shot at their home in Harare, Zimbabwe

"Here was a real victim and a real tragedy."

The court heard Ivy Sutcliffe, also known as Ivy Bamford, was killed by a single shot to the head on 2 August 2004, at her home on St Michael's Lane, Borrowdale, Harare.

The shot was heard by neighbour Dr Stuart Hargreaves, who told the court that Mr Bamford telephoned him minutes later claiming his wife had shot herself.

He said that when he arrived at the house Mrs Sutcliffe was slumped on the settee, "gasping for breath" and in a "very, very serious condition".

Dr Hargreaves also told the court that Mr Bamford told hospital staff that robbers had shot his wife.

But the court heard that once legal proceedings began he changed his story and claimed his wife had committed suicide.

Mr Bamford took a small pistol to the hospital with him and tried to dispose of it in a dustbin while they were waiting because it was unlicensed, Dr Hargreaves told the court.

He said: "I advised him not to as it would just get him into more trouble."

The doctor told the court that Mr Bamford again mentioned getting rid of the gun while they were driving home.

Mr Webster told the jury that Mr Bamford was charged with murder in Zimbabwe, but prosecutors did not proceeded with the case.

Gun habit

Mr Bamford later told the British authorities that his wife had suffered from depression and had been pushed over the edge by a car crash she had been involved in days before her death.

The court heard that the couple emigrated to Zimbabwe in 1998, after Mrs Sutcliffe's previous husband, Brian Sutcliffe, died from chronic airways disease.

She was left a "significant estate" by her late husband, including £180,000, an apartment in Spain and a house at Hollingworth Lake, Greater Manchester.

Mr Webster said her fortune "rankled" with Mr Bamford, who drank heavily.

The court heard that Mr Bamford, a member of a local shooting club, had a "habit" of firing guns at home and had used violence against his wife, threatening to kill her in the past.

Mr Webster said: "It is in this context that you will have to consider the suggestion that her death was indeed suicide."

The trial was adjourned until Wednesday.