Birkenhead man who murdered his wife jailed

Mark Wheeler's attack on his wife was "truly shocking", police say

A man who bludgeoned his wife to death in a "brutal" attack has been jailed.

Mark Wheeler, 52, admitted murdering his 62-year-old wife at their home in Vittoria Close in Birkenhead in May.

She was found by her son who locked Wheeler, who was "covered in blood", in the flat until officers arrived, Merseyside Police said.

Wheeler was jailed for life at Liverpool Crown Court with a minimum term of 15 years four and a half months.

Paramedics attended the couple's flat in Vittoria Court on 12 May but Mrs Wheeler was pronounced dead at the scene.

'Kindest mum'

In a victim statement read in court, Karen Wheeler's son David Bradley said he went to meet her on 11 May, but there was "no answer and her phone was turned off".

"I now know that Mark had already brutally murdered my mum," he said.

"When I attended the next day and the door eventually opened, I saw Mark covered in blood and I knew Mum was gone."

He said seeing his mother lying there "like that" was something he could not get out of his head, adding that it was "there when I close my eyes".

"My mum was the kindest, loveliest person I ever met and now I doubt I'll trust another person thanks to him," he said.

Speaking after sentencing, Det Insp Phil Ryan said Mrs Wheeler had suffered a "truly shocking and brutal assault".

"Tragically it was her son David who found his mother dead and locked Wheeler in the house until police arrived," he said.

"Nobody can begin to understand the impact the circumstances and fact of her sudden death has had on her family and friends.

"Nothing can bring Karen back, but I hope that the significant sentence Mark Wheeler must now serve will give them a sense of justice and allow them to finally move on."