'Controlling' man guilty of stabbing wife to death in Great Saling

Linda Vilika was found dead at her home in Great Saling, Essex, in August 2019

A "jealous and controlling" man has been convicted of murdering his wife by stabbing her in the back.

Linda Vilika was discovered by police at her home in Great Saling, Essex, on 19 August 2019.

Her husband Wilfred Jacob, 43, was found guilty of her murder at Chelmsford Crown Court.

Det Ch Insp Stephen Jennings, from Essex Police, described it as a "horrific, brutal attack".

The court heard it was Jacob who called police on the day of the murder claiming his 41-year-old wife was not moving.

He told the police she had threatened him with a knife and he had pushed her, causing her to fall to the floor.

Wilfred Jacob was found guilty of Linda Vilika's murder at Chelmsford Crown Court

Jacob also claimed he suffered an "epileptic aura" and could not remember what had happened.

When officers arrived at the house, they found Ms Vilika slumped against a sofa with her face and body covered with a duvet.

'Aggression and force'

The murder weapon, a 20cm (7.9in) carving knife, which was found at the scene, had a bent blade that had snapped off from the handle.

Ms Vilika had been stabbed twice in the back, the jury was told.

The prosecution said, over a period of time, Jacob had become controlling, consumed with jealousy, and sent his wife numerous abusive messages.

Ms Vilika had told her brother, who was living with the couple, she was planning to leave Jacob.

The court heard when she told Jacob the marriage was over, he reacted angrily and attacked her.

Det Ch Insp Jennings said Ms Vilika was "trying to free herself of a jealous and controlling husband".

He said: "In a premeditated step, Wilfred Jacob made sure he'd be alone with Linda for a prolonged period of time and when she told him their marriage was over attacked her with such aggression and force the knife broke."

Jacob will be sentenced on Wednesday.