UK - Helen Almey, 39, & Martin Griffiths, 48, Duffield, Derbyshire, 1 Jan 2020 *Arrest*

[Alyce]

Daily Courtroom List for Friday 28 February 2020

DERBY Court 1 - sitting at 10:15 am


HER HONOUR JUDGE N SHANT QC, HONORARY RECORDER OF DERBY


Justices: Mr Robert Graham

Miss Jenny Bubber




Plea and Trial Preparation

T20207002 HANCOCK Rhys

30DI0009520 SDBYM Crown Prosecution Service

reserved HHJ shant QC to be produced

 

[Alyce]

Rhys Hancock has appeared at Derby Crown Court today for a brief pre-trial hearing, accused of murdering his wife Helen Hancock, 39, and dad-of-two Martin Griffiths, 48, on New Year's Day.

He made no plea and will return to the dock for a further hearing in April. A trial date was set for October.

Double murder suspect, 39, in court accused of killing wife and new lover


Apologies for the msm link - they are the only one reporting so far.
I thought he would put in a plea today - obviously not.

 

[Alyce]

Gem News
@GemRadioNews
His next hearing at Derby crown court is set for 20th April.

A 39 y/o man from #Derbyshire will face trial for double murder in front of a high court judge on 2nd October 2020.

 

[Legally Bland]

A man has admitted murdering his estranged wife and her partner on New Year's Day.

Helen Hancock, 39, and Martin Griffiths, 48, were found stabbed to death at a house in Duffield, Derbyshire, in the early hours of 1 January.

[...]

The 40-year-old will be sentenced at a date to be fixed.

Estranged husband admits murdering wife and lover

 

[chimpface]

Should be a whole life term.

 

[CandyCaneLane]

31 years
Teacher jailed for three decades for killing wife and her lover

 

[Alyce]

Many thanks for the update Candy, was just thinking about this today and wondering when sentencing would be.

From your link.....

Denise Hancock, Rhys’ mother telephoned 999 and said that her son was on his way to Duffield armed with two knives.


Mr Auty said that 15 minutes later Hancock himself called 999 and said to the operator: “I have just murdered my wife in her bed. I have stabbed them. There is blood everywhere.”



If only the police had been able to get to the house within that 15 minute time frame....

 

[Skigh]

'There's blood everywhere': Jealous headteacher's chilling 999 call after killing ex-wife and lover | Daily Mail Online

 

[Kasmeer]

Duffield deaths: Man jailed for murdering wife and new partner

The prosecution described how, after coming back from the pub, Hancock had told his mother he "felt like he wanted to kill" the pair.
He told her he knew he would be sentenced to 25 to 30 years for what he was about to do but still shared a cup of tea with her before leaving.
He took her emergency buzzer and landline phones so she could not call the police and then drove to Ms Hancock's house with two knives from his mother's kitchen.

Officers, alerted by his mother after she found her mobile phone, found him outside the property covered in blood.

That explains how his mother knew, yet he had the time to do it, then, I'd thought the 15 mins seemed a short period to get there and do everything, but I guess if the mother has an emergency buzzer that getting around isn't so easy for her so it could well take time to get to her mobile phone. What a horrible position for her to be in, I imagine she'd have been desperate to stop him.

 

[scriabina]

Duffield deaths: Man jailed for murdering wife and new partner



That explains how his mother knew, yet he had the time to do it, then, I'd thought the 15 mins seemed a short period to get there and do everything, but I guess if the mother has an emergency buzzer that getting around isn't so easy for her so it could well take time to get to her mobile phone. What a horrible position for her to be in, I imagine she'd have been desperate to stop him.

And he put his elderly mom's life in danger too, by taking her emergency buzzer. Murdering two people was more important than anything to him.

What a horrid, despicable man.

 

[Alyce]

Mr Auty said the 999-operator speaking with Denise ‘tried to persuade her to telephone Helen and warn her, but she had no idea what she would say’.


I find this so strange. Instead of trying to get RHs mother to call Helen, why didn't the operator just alert the police to go to the house immediately ?






Read more: Rhys Hancock: Headteacher who murdered estranged wife and her lover jailed for life | Metro News

 

[Tortoise]

Gosh, I'm struggling to understand why a police officer couldn't have phoned Helen.