Daryl Berman, 72, has been found guilty of murdering her husband David Berman, 84, at their home in Prestwich, after claiming his death was an accident. The jury rejected her account that he fell while carrying a tray with a knife, finding that she stabbed him in the chest.
Emergency Call and Suspicious Behaviour
A 999 call was made at 2pm on March 13, and paramedics found Mr Berman collapsed in the kitchen with a stab wound. Initially, Daryl Berman's explanation of an accidental injury was accepted, but her calm demeanour and lack of blood on her clothing raised suspicions. She had remained “very calm and matter of fact,” despite claiming she had rolled her husband over.
Arrest and Evidence
Mrs Berman was arrested five days later after a post-mortem raised concerns. Her phone was seized, revealing that she had unlocked it at 1:54:46pm, but the emergency call was not made until 25 seconds later. Despite instructions from the operator, she did not begin CPR until over six minutes into the call, during which she went silent and answered another phone.
Paramedics arrived soon after, but Mr Berman was pronounced dead at 2:39pm. Police officers spoke to Mrs Berman on the driveway, where she asked, “You don’t think I murdered him do you?”
Prosecution Case
During her police interview, Mrs Berman claimed her husband, who had dementia, carried a tray with a plate, cup and knife into the kitchen. She said she heard a sound and then a groan, finding him lying face down. However, pathologists ruled out accidental injury, confirming it was an inflicted injury. Mr Berman also had a stab wound to his right middle finger, commonly associated with defensive actions.
Conviction and Sentencing
Following her conviction at Manchester’s Minshull Crown Court, Mrs Berman was remanded into custody to be sentenced at a later date. Sazeeda Ismail of the Crown Prosecution Service said: “Daryl Berman stabbed her husband of 27 years in the chest and intentionally caused his death. She lied to paramedics, police and family members when she claimed Mr Berman had accidentally sustained his fatal injuries. The jury saw through her lies and convicted her of murder, due to the strength of the prosecution’s case. My thoughts are with David Berman’s loved ones at this very difficult time.”
