Wife murder accused 'said he couldn't keep lying'

Mohamed Samak denies murdering interior designer Joanne Samak in the early hours of 1 July last year

An ex-international hockey player accused of stabbing his wife to death told a court hearing he "couldn't keep lying any more" about his account of her death, a jury heard.

Egyptian national Mohamed Samak denies murdering Joanne Samak, 49, on 1 July 2024, claiming she stabbed herself before he found her slumped on a bed at home in Droitwich Spa, Worcestershire.

Mr Samak, 42, claimed she was suffering with mental health and alcohol issues.

At Worcester Crown Court, prosecution counsel Tom Walkling read an agreed facts document, including details of a hearing at which Mr Samak said he had changed his account because he was scared.

The court previously heard Mr Samak was questioned by officers about why he told them he had found his wife dead on the bed at the house in Chestnut Spinney, before saying he saw her stabbing herself.

Mr Walkling told the jury that on 3 July police made an application to magistrates to extend his detention, and the defendant appeared by video link at that hearing.

No fingerprints

"He was asked by the court whether he had anything to say in respect of the application.

"He said words to the effect of 'I only changed my account because I was so scared. I knew I couldn't keep lying any more.'"

The prosecution allege Mr Samak killed her after becoming interested in another woman and experiencing financial difficulties.

Before the close of the Crown's case, the court was shown the knife found in the victim's abdomen.

The knife, contained in a plastic tube inside a clear sealed bag, was shown to the judge and counsel before being taken to the jury bench.

Det Con John Coleman told the court the knife recovered from the victim's body had been tested and found to bear no fingerprints.

Prosecution KC Harpreet Sandhu asked: "Were you given to understand that the absence of any fingerprints was not unusual because the knife had a wooden handle?"

Det Con Coleman replied: "Yes, that is my understanding."

Mr Samak denies murdering the interior designer in the early hours of 1 July, claiming she stabbed herself "repeatedly" before he found her slumped on a bed with a knife in her stomach at their home.

Giving evidence in his defence on Wednesday, he said they had been a happy couple.

The former sports entertainment manager said he first met his wife when she visited a hotel in the Egyptian resort of Taba, where he was working, and he came to the UK in 2014.

He said a friendship then developed through social media messages, and that she made numerous return visits to the Red Sea resort with friends and family members, before they married in a ceremony in Egypt.

The trial continues.