Louden Chagona, 50, has pleaded guilty to attempted murder after attacking his wife with a saucepan and pouring boiling water over her. A judge has warned that a life sentence may have to be considered.
Chagona appeared at Liverpool Crown Court on Tuesday afternoon after previously denying the charge. He had been due to stand trial next month, but his barrister, John Rowan, asked for him to be rearraigned.
Plea change and court hearing
Chagona, of Snaefell Avenue in Tuebrook, changed his plea to guilty during the brief hearing. He wore a navy blue fleece and was assisted by an interpreter. He was remanded in custody until his sentencing hearing on Friday, November 13.
Judge Stuart Driver KC told him: "You will appear via video on the 13th of November, when you will be sentenced. As you know, this is a very serious case and there will be a very substantial sentence. You are remanded in custody. Go with the officer please."
Attack details
The court previously heard that Chagona struck his wife, Abigail Chinorwadza, eight times over the head with a saucepan during the attack. He then poured boiling water over her as she lay injured on the floor. She suffered burns to her arm as well as serious head injuries.
Photographs of the saucepan taken at the scene and seen by the ECHO showed it covered in blood and bent out of shape. Blood was also found on the kitchen floor.
Merseyside Police were called to the house on Snaefell Avenue shortly before 7.30am on Sunday, May 17, after reports that a woman had been assaulted. Paramedics found Ms Chinorwadza with serious head injuries. She was taken to hospital, where her condition was initially described as critical but stable. She was later discharged as an inpatient, according to evidence previously heard by the court.
Background and aftermath
Chagona is understood to have arrived in the UK from Zimbabwe with the couple's young daughter around three weeks before the assault. Ms Chinorwadza had already been living in the UK for several years.
The attack is reported to have followed an argument in which a tuna sandwich was thrown at Chagona. Neighbours described the normally quiet residential street as being the scene of a major police response following the incident.
One resident said: "I was out at the time and I came home to police outside. When I walked past, there was blood on the wall behind the front door. But it's really sad, the poor woman. Hopefully she'll be okay. You see police in the area, like on Windsor Road, but nothing down here in the whole time I've lived here. This is a quiet road. It's quite nice."
Another neighbour said: "A neighbour said it had been going on since around 4am, there was loads of banging and shouting. The neighbour started hammering on the door at about 7am."
Forensic officers were seen working outside the property, with a white tent erected at the scene as police investigated the attack. Chagona will remain in custody until his sentencing hearing on November 13, when the court will determine his punishment for the attempted murder.
