A retired steelworker who strangled his wife while suffering a night terror has been cleared of murder after the Crown Prosecution Service accepted he was not in control of his actions. Brian Thomas, 59, killed his wife Christine, 57, in July last year while dreaming she was an intruder in their camper van.
The couple had been disturbed by 'boy racers' in Aberporth, west Wales, and moved to another car park. During the night, Thomas made a 999 call saying he had strangled his wife. He told the operator: 'I thought someone had broken in. I was fighting with those boys but it was Christine. I must have been dreaming.'
Thomas, from Neath, south Wales, had suffered from night terrors for about 50 years without treatment. Experts say about 2% of the UK population have the condition, also known as pavor nocturnus. The couple had slept in separate bedrooms at home but shared a bed in their camper van.
At Swansea Crown Court, the judge Mr Justice Nigel Davis told Thomas: 'You are a decent man and a devoted husband. In the eyes of the law you bear no responsibility.' The jury returned a verdict of not guilty after the CPS offered no evidence, having initially sought a special verdict of not guilty due to insanity.
Thomas's brother Raymond said outside court: 'He's a gentle man and always has been. Christine and Brian loved each other.' Thomas, who spent 10 months on remand, will be advised to seek treatment for his condition.
