MAN, 74, HANDED SUSPENDED SENTENCE FOR KILLING WIFE WITH ALZHEIMER'S
A 74-year-old man who "snapped under pressure" when caring for his wife with Alzheimer's disease has been given a suspended manslaughter sentence.Keith Rumbold was told by the judge, Mr Justice Lloyd-Jones, that he gave "four years of selfless devotion and love" to his wife Shirley, 73.
He strangled her at their home in Prestatyn, Denbighshire, in June.
At Mold Crown Court Rumbold, who admitted manslaughter, was sentenced to 51 weeks, suspended for two years.
He had pleaded not guilty to murder.
The court heard that Mr Rumbold, who had been in custody since his arrest, could not bear the thought of his wife of 50 years being put in a psychiatric ward.
He did not want her placed in a unit and felt that she would only last a couple of weeks.
But the court heard he could not cope with caring for her at home and when she became agitated and refused to dress he snapped and strangled her.
Then he kissed her repeatedly and told her how he was sorry, the court heard.
A trial was due to be held next year but on Friday his guilty plea to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility was accepted by the prosecution.
Mr Rumbold, who had never been in any trouble before, was also placed on supervision and a mental health treatment order was made so that he would receive treatment from a psychiatrist as an out-patient.
Mr Justice Lloyd-Jones told him that he had already served the equivalent of a 12-month sentence since the killing and it was not necessary for him to return to prison.
That morning, when she refused to get dressed, he snapped, grabbed her around the neck for what he thought was a few seconds, and she passed away, the court was told.
She slipped off the bed on to the floor and he placed a pillow under her head and kissed her repeatedly, telling her that he was sorry before attempting to kill himself, taking whisky, ant powder and tablets.
The judge said that he decided to take his own life "because you could not bear to be without her" and tried to stab himself, but did not penetrate the skin.
There was no premeditation, and he was unable to cope with his wife's behaviour.
The judge said: "There is a great deal of mitigation.
Your relationship was a very loving one.
During her illness you gave her four years of selfless devotion and love.
You snapped and lost self-control under the immense pressure."
