A 73-year-old British man has appeared in court in Spain accused of murdering his wife at their home in Murcia. The suspect, identified only as Michael John C, was arrested on December 4 2022 after 57-year-old Vanessa Elizabeth was found dead outside their property in Camposol, near the Costa Calida resort town of Mazarron in the south-east province of Murcia. Her injuries included blows to the head.
Charges and Possible Sentence
Her husband was charged with aggravated murder despite insisting his partner had died by accident. Public prosecutors say that the 73-year-old could be jailed for 25 years if found guilty.
His lawyer has been quoted as saying Michael could have knocked her over while reversing without realising when they arrived home and she got out of their car to make sure their dogs didn't escape.
Defence Claims and Prosecution Account
Claiming he was drunk at the time, he has said in comments published by local press: “Not seeing Vanessa return, he got out of the car and found her lying on the ground, just a few inches from the car, with her head next to the curb, motionless. He approached her and said, 'hello, hello, wake up’. She didn't react and he saw that she was bleeding.”
Public prosecutors said in a pre-trial indictment submitted to the courts, that during an argument after a day-long beer and wine binge in local pubs Michael “suddenly, and abusing his physical superiority over his wife, began to hit her violently in the face and body, causing her to fall to the ground in front of the house and in front of her vehicle.”
It adds: “With the intention of inflicting great pain and severe physical and psychological suffering on Vanessa and continuing with his actions, he kicked her all forcefully all over her body several times, jumped on her, immobilised her, and covered her mouth, compressing her chest.”
Trial and Background
Nine jurors are set to decide the British man’s fate. His defence lawyer is seeking his acquittal because he had no “will to kill” and there was a total absence of “any conduct aimed at causing the victim’s death” adding that a manslaughter verdict with mitigating factors including alcohol consumption would be the only “legally possible outcome.”
The expat had been reported to police for domestic violence several times in the past but there was no active register in place relating to the British couple on the VioGen system in Spain which was created in 2004 as part of a national law against gender violence.
The pair moved to the house where the incident occurred a few days earlier after spending time living in other towns nearby. The man on trial is expected to take the stand on October 30 according to local reports.
