Booze-row stab hubby ‘did nothing to help’

JURORS in the trial of an Alt man who denies murder after stabbing his wife in the chest during a drunken argument, will retire today to consider their verdict.

Graham Cleary-Senior (56), of Alt Avenue, had been out drinking while his wife of 18 years, Frances (49), returned home from work. Manchester Crown Court heard he arrived back home and an argument began over his drinking.

During the row, Cleary-Senior grabbed a kitchen knife and “waved it around threateningly” at his wife - something she had become used to. She goaded him to stab her and her husband - who denies murder on the ground of loss of self-control - plunged the knife into her chest and heart.

Frances was taken to the Royal Oldham Hospital for emergency surgery and made good progress, but a delay in discharging her allowed a chest infection and hospital-acquired pneumonia to develop. She died two days later.

Peter Cadwallader, prosecuting, said: “Both parties blamed each other for the row, but it doesn’t matter which version you believe. He intended to kill her or at the very least cause very serious harm.

“Frances suffered from diabetes, heart problems and obesity, but she would not have been in hospital if it was not for the stabbing.”

When police and paramedics arrived at the house on the night of the stabbing, they found her grey, barely moving, breathing shallowly and begging for her life. Her husband was slumped on a chair.

“He did nothing to help her. She called the emergency services herself, her condition deteriorating throughout presumably through loss of blood.

“While his wife was saying ‘please don’t let me die’, he showed no remorse or concern.”

The trial continues.