Policeman Adrian Goldsmith 'beat wife to death' with weapons Published duration 13 January 2016

image caption Police found Mr Goldsmith sweating, shaking and crying at the couple's home, the court was told

A police officer beat his wife to death with a variety of weapons after he "lost his temper", a court has heard.

Adrian Goldsmith, known as "Otis", is charged with the murder of 49-year-old Jill Goldsmith at their home in Northampton.

She was found dead in a pool of blood in their porch on 26 March last year.

A can of paint, a battery and a mallet were all used in the attack, the court heard.

The couple, who married in May 2014, had considered divorcing but planned to move to the countryside for a fresh start, the jury was told.

Computer logs show that at 12:40 GMT Mrs Goldsmith was looking at houses online. Half an hour later, her husband called 999 to say she had tried to kill him.

He was arrested at their home in Wootton Hall Park, where officers found him holding a kitchen knife and broken glass, Stafford Crown Court heard.

'In a rage'

Mr Goldsmith was sweating, shaking and crying, had blood on his face and had stabbed himself to make it look like self defence, the jury was told.

The court heard he told officers that he was forced to use a can of paint and a battery as weapons after Mrs Goldsmith attacked him with a knife. She then hit herself on the back of the head with a mallet, he said.

However, John Lloyd-Jones QC, prosecuting, said Mr Goldsmith "lost his temper with his wife and in that rage beat her to death".

He said the defendant was frustrated by his wife's sex drive as she went through the menopause, and disapproved of her smoking cannabis.

"He enjoyed drinking alcohol and unfortunately his personality could change, he could turn nasty and this made his wife feel frightened of him.

"He would obsess about matters, frequently over complicating things... it was all very self absorbed," Mr Lloyd-Jones said.

Mr Goldsmith, who had served with Northamptonshire Police for 28 years, was investigated for misconduct and went on long term sick leave with stress before his wife's death.

The trial is expected to last up to three weeks.

Related Topics Northamptonshire Police

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