Sunderland carer killed by violent husband

The bodies were discovered at a house on Shrewsbury Crescent in Sunderland

A man who killed his estranged wife had been given back his house keys by police who questioned him over her alleged rape, an inquest heard.

Kay Martin, 49, was found dead at the Sunderland home she once shared with husband Alan, on 20 September 2018.

He was found hanged at the house in Shrewsbury Crescent. Police had received 10 domestic violence reports about Mr Martin between 2011 and 2018.

Coroner Derek Winter recorded a verdict of unlawful killing.

He said he would write to the Home Office about what powers police should be able to exercise when women are abused by their partners.

On 7 September, Mrs Martin walked into a police station and told officers her husband had assaulted and raped her. She later withdrew the rape allegation.

Mr Martin, who had been living in Gardiner Square, Grindon, was questioned and released "under investigation" without any conditions.

Det Sgt Katie Smith, of Northumbria Police, told the inquest the keys could have been withheld as part of bail conditions, but they were not considered "proportionate".

Mr Martin would have been arrested on suspicion of murder had he lived, she said.

Flowers were left at the scene

Home Office pathologist Dr Louise Mulcahy said she believed Mrs Martin was hit at least four times over the head, probably with a lump hammer found nearby, before she was strangled.

In a statement, Mrs Martin's family said: "The family take comfort hearing today that if he was alive now he would be charged with murder.

"A conclusion of unlawful killing is a satisfactory outcome from the coroner.

"We also wanted to say this was a cowardly and evil act."

A separate inquest for Mr Martin will be heard on Friday.