Wife walks free after killing husband Published duration 9 January 2018

image copyright Mike Gibbons/Spindrift image caption Susanne Wilson at a previous court hearing

A former councillor who killed her sick husband of 50 years because she believed he wanted her to help him die has walked free from court.

Susanne Wilson smothered Henry, 70, with a cushion at their home in Ayr, South Ayrshire.

A high court judge accepted the 73-year-old's guilt but did not punish her due to "exceptional circumstances."

At the time the retired nurse was struggling to come to terms with sex abuse allegations against her husband.

Mr Wilson was housebound and suffered from chronic heart disease at the time of his death in September 2016.

'Tragic case'

At the High Court in Glasgow Lady Rae told Mrs Wilson: "This was a very tragic case.

"There are exceptional circumstances and punishment would not be in the interests of justice.

"The main reason was your mental health at the time of the death of your husband.

"There is no reason to suggest that you are any risk whatsoever to the public."

The judge admonished Mrs Wilson and added: "I hope you get on with the rest of your life."

The court heard she killed her husband shortly after he spoke to one of his accusers.

'Diminished responsibility'

Mrs Wilson - who once faced a murder accusation - admitted the lesser charge of culpable homicide.

Prosecutors accepted the plea on the basis of her "diminished responsibility" at the time due to the strain she was under.

The court heard that Mr Wilson, a retired Butlins shop manager, who was in poor health, had previously tried to take his own life.

His wife was a Labour councillor in Troon, South Ayrshire in the late 1990s.

The couple were married for 50 years and had three children.

Prosecutor Bill McVicar said: "Mrs Wilson accepted the accusations against her husband were true, but continued to live in the same house to provide constant care."

Others who had helped share the care of Mr Wilson stopped visiting due to the sex abuse claims.

'Very angry'

On September 3, 2016 Mr Wilson suddenly asked his wife to contact one of the people who had accused him.

He went on to speak to the individual on the phone but this caused "anxiety" to Mrs Wilson.

After the call, she was described as "very angry" and went on to hit her husband with a plastic jug, leaving him bleeding.

Mr Wilson then spoke about ending his life with drugs.

She left out medication she had previously been prescribed and left the house to visit a neighbour.

'Compassion'

When she got back, she noticed her husband had taken some of the medication and was struggling to breathe.

She helped him to bed and as his breathing worsened he said to her: "Help me."

Mr McVicar said: "She took that as a request that she should help him to die.

"She describes feeling only compassion for him and thinking that this had to stop.

"She then smothered him by placing a cushion over his face and holding it there with some degree of force restricting his breathing until he died."

Afterwards Mrs Wilson dialled 999 and confessed to police.