West Cowick: Woman denies fatally stabbing husband in row over meal

Paul Hanson, 54, was found stabbed three days after Christmas

A woman has denied stabbing her husband to death in a row about a meal.

Teresa Hanson is accused of murdering Paul Hanson, 54, at their home in West Cowick, East Yorkshire, on 28 December.

At her trial at Hull Crown Court on Friday, Mrs Hanson, 54, said she was chopping onions with a knife when her husband approached her shouting at her to "throw the tea in the bin".

She told the court she "just turned around and pushed him away" while holding the knife in her right hand.

Mrs Hanson said her husband, who was a construction site engineer, then walked into another room and she did not realise he was seriously injured until the family's dog started barking.

"I went to see what she was barking at and saw blood on the floor," she said.

Mr Hanson was "laid on the floor with his knees bent", she added.

"I was shocked, traumatised. I didn't know what happened. I just wanted to help him," Mrs Hanson told the court.

Officers were called to the couple's home in West Cowick on 28 December 2022

She said she had called an ambulance and started to perform CPR on her husband.

Asked by her lawyer Jason Pitter KC, "did you deliberately stab your husband?" she replied: "No."

He further asked if she meant to hurt him and she responded: "Definitely not."

The court has heard that Mr Hanson died from a single stab wound that pierced his heart.

Asked how she felt about her actions leading to her husband's death, Mrs Hanson said: "Dead myself. My life had gone out."

Teresa Hanson denies murdering her husband Paul

Under cross-examination, Mrs Hanson, who worked as a hairdresser as well as running a business selling wax melts, denied prosecutor Alistair MacDonald KC's claim that she had "stabbed him out of anger" during an argument about the meal.

He asked her about the pre-prepared statement she gave to police where she claimed her husband's death was an accident and he had "walked into the knife" as she turned round when she was preparing dinner.

Asked why she had refused to answer any questions, she replied she was advised to answer "no comment" by her legal representative.

"Was it because you had no answers to give to the police that would bear up to scrutiny?" Mr MacDonald asked.

"No," she replied.

"The man you loved dearly died at your hands. An innocent person would have told them exactly what had happened," Mr MacDonald said.

Mrs Hanson explained she had no recollection about how he was injured: "It was quick, too quick to remember."

The trial continues.