I didn't see it as a confession, rather GBC's barrister saying all the evidence shows is that even though there were scratches on the face of the accused, all the evidence did was shed some light on the “nature of the relations in the house that night”. The judge wasn't having a bar of it, saying that what the jury should be entitled to infer is that if these be her fingernail scratches, and she was engaged in a physical altercation with him, she does not survive."
“Why is it not in all the circumstances open to the jury to infer that she did not survive it because he proceeded intentionally to kill her?”
If he appeals which he surely will, it depends on the basis of the appeal as to whether it will continue to be held by the court until the appeal is resolved. But the basic principal is that under the terms of Allison's will, it passes to her children as he cannot benefit from her death as he unlawfully caused it. Mr Dickie will also be able to be appointed full administrator of her estate in lieu of his current interim appointment pending the outcome of the trial. So appeal stuff aside, all that nearly 1M will be held on trust by Mr Dickie until they each turn 18. It will be able to be used for their maintenance education and support until they turn 18. It is not available to any creditors even Allison's, as life insurance cannot be used to pay debts of a deceased person. It's considered a special category estate asset.
Exactly Poss. Thanks for that.