Norman Heaton, the man convicted of murdering his wife by strangling her with a washing line in a sex game that went wrong, has died in prison. He was serving a life sentence at HMP Full Sutton in East Yorkshire.
Details of the Murder
Heaton killed his wife, 32-year-old Jacqueline Heaton, at their home in South Shields, Tyneside, in May 2001. He tied her to a bed and wrapped a length of washing line around her throat, pulling it with the intention of inducing unconsciousness. He later hid her body under some stairs.
During his trial at Newcastle Crown Court, Heaton claimed the act was intended for sexual excitement and that his wife died accidentally when the sex game went wrong. However, the jury rejected his account and found that he continued to pull the cord tighter with the intention of killing her.
Background and Sentence
At the time of her death, the couple's marriage was in difficulty and they had planned to separate. Heaton was jailed for life and remained in custody until his death. The exact date and cause of his death have not been disclosed.
