Husband killed wife for cash

Randle Williams denied murder

A man accused of killing his wife after trying to take out life insurance for her has been found guilty of murder and jailed for life.

A jury at Bristol Crown Court took just four hours to convict Randle Williams, 43, of strangling and drowning his wife Natalie.

The 33-year-old's body was found submerged in a river near their home in Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire, the day after her husband reported her missing.

Williams had denied having anything to do with her death, claiming that on the night his wife disappeared in April 2002, everything had been fine between the pair.

Financial difficulties

He said he had called in police after Mrs Williams went out to walk the dog - the animal returned wet and muddy, but his wife did not come back.

Sentencing Williams, Mr Justice Brian Keith said: "Why you killed her and what led up to it, we shall never know.

"Natalie knew but she has taken her knowledge of it to the grave.

"All we do know is that you clearly brought the life of this lively and attractive young woman to a premature end."

Natalie Williams was strangled and drowned in a river near her home

The prosecution had alleged Williams was in financial difficulty at the time of his wife's death.

Williams had also been trying to arrange a £665,000 life insurance policy to be paid to the surviving spouse.

Days before her death, Mrs Williams' application had been turned down, but Williams still tried to claim on an accidental death benefit worth £500,000, without telling the company he had been charged with her murder.

Earlier, Wiliams had told the jury about problems between him and his wife, who he said suffered "Jekyll and Hyde" mood swings and had a number of affairs.

Mrs Williams, who suffered from depression and an eating disorder, had been arrested in January 2002 after threatening to kill her husband.

'Depraved character'

Outside the court her sister Nichola Laverton read a statement on behalf of her parents, Robert and Muriel Hussey, who said they were happy with the verdict, but that it could not bring their daughter back.

She said: "The most horrible nightmare imaginable became reality the day police told us our youngest daughter, Natalie, had been murdered.

"No words can describe the pain we feel at losing our darling daughter - she was a stunningly beautiful, warm, caring and loving person - full of vitality and laughter.

"We will never come to terms with the loss of Natalie and we miss her every hour of every day."

She added: "Randle Williams created a profile of lies about Natalie to discredit her and other innocent people and in doing so, he has revealed his true depraved character."

She thanked police for their work which led to the conviction of Williams, who she described as an "evil, deceitful person".