Wife accused of scissors murder of fourth husband

A woman accused of murdering her fourth husband stabbed him to death with a pair of scissors during a "blazing row", a court has heard.

Sandra Clinch, 49, is charged with murdering Alan Clinch, 48, at their home near Liskeard in Cornwall.

Paul Dunkels QC, prosecuting, said Mrs Clinch told an ambulance worker "I think I've just killed my husband."

A Home Office pathologist told Truro Crown Court the scissors penetrated to a depth of 12cm. The case continues.

Mr Clinch was found at the couple's home in Darite on 13 May.

'Pouring blood'

Mr Dunkels told the jury they would hear from her own family that she would readily lose her temper and attack them, sometimes using weapons and sometimes throwing sharp objects.

In a call to the ambulance service Mr Dunkels said: "She was hysterical, saying 'I think I have just killed my husband. I threw a pair of scissors at him and he got them in the chest and it is pouring blood. Save him, save him, I think I have killed him'."

Mr Clinch was flown by air ambulance to Derriford Hospital but could not be saved.

Mr Dunkels said Mrs Clinch told a police officer: "We were having a blazing row and I threw the scissors at him but didn't realise how sharp they were. Please help him, I love him very much."

The pathologist told the jury it was very unlikely that throwing the scissors would have been likely to pierce a sweat shirt and T-shirt and penetrate her husband's chest to a depth of 12 cm.

The trial continues.