Pensioner ‘beat wife with saucepan then strangled her over hookworm obsession’

A pensioner deed his woman implicit the caput with a saucepan earlier strangling her aft becoming obsessed with the thought they were infected with the parasite hookworm, the Old Bailey has heard.

Brian James, 81, is accused of murdering Carol James, besides 81, astatine their bungalow successful Bexleyheath, southeast London, past Friday, November 15.

He phoned 999 soon earlier 8.30am saying helium ‘wished to study that helium had conscionable killed his wife’, authoritative Nicholas Hearn told the tribunal during a abbreviated proceeding this morning.

Speaking to the operator, James ‘expressed interest that his location was infested with hookworm and that helium believed some helium and his woman were infected’, helium added.

‘He said that contempt this, his woman continued to spell out,’ Mr Hearn went on.

The tribunal heard ‘an statement ensued implicit his wife’s volition to be a hairdresser’s appointment’.

James was said to person tried to ‘restrain her and halt her going’ by hitting her with a saucepan wrapped successful a rag.

He went connected to archer the relation that during the attack, his woman got clasp of the saucepan and deed him implicit the caput with it earlier helium ‘took clasp of her throat’, it was claimed.

Police rushed to the code and arrived portion helium was inactive connected the telephone to find Mrs James collapsed successful bed.

She was declared dormant determination a abbreviated portion aboriginal astatine 9.10am.

Mr Hearn said the provisional origin of Mrs James’s decease was compression of the neck.

He said it appeared her hubby had a ‘fixation’ with a wellness information but determination was nary denotation of hookworm infestation.

James was treated successful infirmary for a caput wounded earlier being taken to Lewisham Police Station and charged with murder.

He was deemed to beryllium successful an unfit authorities to be a proceeding earlier Judge Mark Dennis.

The justice acceptable a plea proceeding for March 10 and a proceedings of up to 7 days from September 1 adjacent year.

James was remanded into custody.

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