A 82-year-old man stabbed his wife to death and went to a dental appointment before calling police, a court heard.
Kenneth Mack is charged with murdering his 51-year-old wife Lorraine Mack at their home in Ullenhall, Warwickshire, in December 2006.
Prosecutors told the jury Mrs Mack suffered 50 wounds. Mr Mack feared his wife was going to divorce him and take his money, the jury heard.
Mr Mack admits stabbing his wife but denies murder, claiming self-defence.
Shared meal
Prosecuting, James Burbidge QC, told Birmingham Crown Court that when police arrived at the couples' £1.8m home in Gentleman's Lane, Mrs Mack had been dead for some time.
Mr Mack told police that the previous evening the pair had shared a meal, drank wine and watched television.
His wife went to bed but got up during the early hours of the morning and confronted him about a bank account registered in his name. She became angry and threatened to divorce him, he said.
"She thought she could divorce me and get 90% of my pension and the whole of the house," he told police.
He also told them she went for him with a knife and he stabbed her to save himself.
'Calm and collected'
Police found a knife in her hand but became suspicious.
"In her left hand was a knife but it appears it could not have been there in life because its handle is devoid of blood and her hands are covered in blood," Mr Burbidge said.
After the stabbing Mr Mack went to bed, the court heard. He also ate breakfast, bought newspapers in a nearby village and went to a dental appointment before calling the police.
Outwardly, the pair seemed an ideal couple who were well off and planning to buy a home in the Caribbean.
Their son Simon, 21, was away at university at the time of the incident.
He told the court his father had rung him and explained he had killed his mother.
"He sounded, as normal, unemotional, calm and collected. I thought at the time it was a sick joke," he said.
The trial continues.
^ Back to top | BBC Sport Home | BBC Homepage | Contact us | Help | ©
~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~37~RS~)