Retired accountant, 71, who stabbed his estranged wife, 74, to death in bed ‘after becoming obsessed that she would benefit from their divorce’ is found guilty of her murder
- David Maggs, 71, admitted killing Linda Maggs, 74, at their home in South Wales
- But he ‘blanked out’ and denied murder on grounds of diminished responsibility
- Couple were undergoing divorce and were living separate lives under same roof
- After deliberating for a day and a half, the jury found Maggs guilty of murder
A retired accountant who stabbed his estranged wife to death as she lay in bed ‘after becoming obsessed that she would benefit from their divorce’ has today been found guilty of her murder.
David Maggs, 71, admitted killing 74-year-old Linda Maggs at their three-bedroom home in Pontypool, South Wales, on February 6 last year.
But he said he ‘blanked out’ during the attack and and denied murder on grounds of diminished responsibility.
The couple, who had been married for 18 years, were going through a divorce at the time and were living separate lives under the same roof, Cardiff Crown Court heard.
The jury heard from a number witnesses who described how twice-divorced Maggs became obsessed with the idea of his wife benefiting unreasonably from the split.
David Maggs (mugshot pictured above), 71, admitted killing 74-year-old Linda Maggs at their home in Pontypool, South Wales, on February 6 last year
The jury heard from a number witnesses who described how twice-divorced Maggs became obsessed with the idea of his wife (pictured) benefiting unreasonably from the split
A number of people, including an estate agent who had come to value their property and a housing officer, said they had heard him make threats to ‘stab’ or ‘kill’ his wife.
Prosecutor Michael Jones QC said that just after 9am that morning, Maggs took two red kitchen knives upstairs to his wife’s bedroom and ‘made good that threat’.
Mr Jones said: ‘He was particularly agitated by the financial settlement of the divorce and believed he was going to significantly lose out to his wife.
‘He accused her of taking advantage of him financially and of hiding her own money away.
‘He thought she stood to gain financially and in his mind in a dishonest way.’
Their decree nisi – a document that says the court cannot see any reason why you should not divorce – was about to come through but the couple had lost trust in each other and accused each other of removing divorce documents.
Maggs had fitted locks to his bedroom door and his wife had bought a lock but didn’t get it fitted, a jury was told.
Mr Jones said: ‘Linda was upset, scared and anxious. She told a friend she didn’t know what her husband was capable of.
‘The defendant was resentful about the financial settlement and accused her of taking advantage of him and holding onto her own money.’
The jury heard Maggs gave his wife a £30-a-week allowance and described himself as ‘the boss’ of their finances.
In the run up to their divorce he told her: ‘No sex, no marriage, no nothing’ and threatened to stop paying her mobile phone bill.
Mr Jones said: ‘He could not accept that the house, which he wanted to leave to his son, would be split fifty-fifty.
The couple, who had been married for 18 years, were going through a divorce at the time and were living separate lives under the same roof, Cardiff Crown Court heard (home pictured)
Bodycam footage of Maggs being arrested by police inside the marital home captured him telling officers: ‘I’ve just had enough. She tried to steal two houses from me, two houses’
‘He was preoccupied by money and became fixated by a sum of £65,000 he had given to Linda.
‘But a police investigation found he had not declared £14,000 from a savings account in the divorce settlement.’
In his police interview, Maggs claimed he had only wanted to talk with Mrs Maggs about the financial aspects of their divorce.
He said he took the knives upstairs with him, leaving one outside her door, before sitting on her bed and asking to talk.
When he disliked her response he is suspected to have become violent.
A post-mortem examination found Mrs Maggs had been stabbed more than 15 times to the head, neck and torso.
Phoning 999, Maggs told the operator: ‘I just killed the wife’, and added: ‘I just lost it.’
Bodycam footage of Maggs being arrested by police inside the marital home captured him telling officers: ‘I’ve just had enough. She tried to steal two houses from me, two houses.’
Further comments made by the defendant in Ystrad Mynach police station included him saying: ‘Thirty years I’ve been married to her and she doesn’t know how to keep her mouth shut, so I topped her.’
Psychiatrist Dr Thomas Wynne told the court he did not think Maggs was suffering from depression.
But another psychiatrist, Dr Nuwan Galappathie, told the jury: ‘In my opinion, the degree of his impairment due to depression is significant.
‘This is a case where there are clear and significant mental health problems. In my opinion, this is a case of diminished responsibility.’
On Tuesday, after deliberating for a day and a half, the jury found Maggs guilty of murder.
Judge Michael Fitton QC praised the jury for appearing engaged in the trial and told them: ‘You have given it your all.’
He said Maggs would be sentenced on March 17 at 2pm.
District Crown Prosecutor of CPS Cymru-Wales Lisa James said: ‘Evidence in relation to Mr Maggs’ mental health combined with his comments to the police allowed the jury to reach this verdict.
‘Linda’s family have our deepest condolences over their loss and our thanks for their support throughout the court process.’
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