Wife's blood found on clothes in loft, court hears

Joanne Samak was found with six stab wounds, one penetrating her breast bone and hitting her heart

The blood of a woman, who died after being found with six stab wounds, was discovered on clothing belonging to her husband, a court has heard.

Ex-international hockey player Mohamed Samak, 42, has denied murdering his wife, 49-year-old Joanne Samak, after she died in Droitwich Spa on 1 July 2024.

Giving evidence at Worcester Crown Court on Tuesday, Det Cons John Coleman from West Mercia Police said the force went back to the house the woman died in on 10 October.

In a search of the property's loft, three bags of Mr Samak's clothing were found. One of the bags contained items with Mrs Samak's blood on, he said.

The court heard that the bag contained a top with another grey top wrapped inside of it. And wrapped inside the grey top was a sock that contained another sock and a flannel.

Both the flannel and the second sock had Joanne Samak's blood on them, with blood also found on the sleeve of the grey top, Det Cons Coleman said.

He told the court that the house had been emptied by Joanne Samak's family, and contents of the garage had been moved into the loft.

The force concluded that it could not determine how the blood got onto the top.

The defence will begin its case at the court on Wednesday as the trial continues.