2:26pm Monday 22nd March 2010
A wife appeared in court today charged with blasting her husband to death with a shotgun.
Helen Lawson, 62, shot husband Geoffrey in the chest and stomach as he lay on their bed. A jury at Winchester Crown Court heard that three-times-married Lawson ''snapped'' and took the Beretta gun from the cabinet in their Isle of Wight home before going upstairs.
After she put the light on, she called out her husband's name to make sure he was awake before she shot him, the court heard.
The 61-year-old shouted: ''Oh, Helen, no'' as she fired, jurors were told. She then dropped the weapon at the foot of the bed and went downstairs and dialled 999, telling the operator it was no accident.
The court heard that Lawson was a keen clay pigeon shooter and had a licence for two guns.
When she was told her husband was dead by police, Lawson said: ''Good'', Nicholas Haggan QC, prosecuting, told the jury.
The couple had only married in 2005 but had known each other longer, buying a house in the village of Wellow near Yarmouth when they both retired.
They were financially secure, but by 2008 there were strains in the marriage, Mr Haggan said, over Mr Lawson's drinking and behaviour.
Matters reached a head in the early hours of January 4 last year when the killing took place, the court was told.
Mr Haggan told the jury that Lawson admitted manslaughter but denied murder.
He said diminished responsibility and provocation would be factors in the trial.
The trial is expected to last eight days.
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