A British pensioner arrested on suspicion of killing his wife in Spain has told cops that she fell and hit her head on a kerb after getting out of their car.
The 69-year-old man, who has not been identified, was taken into custody Sunday accused of dealing the blow that killed his wife, 56, outside their home in the Mazarron region of Murcia, south-eastern Spain, early that morning.
Local officials have described the case as ‘gender-based violence’ and revealed the woman had reported her husband to police several times between 2007 and 2014, but he is claiming he was not responsible for her death.
He appeared in court yesterday where a judge ruled that he should remain in custody while the crime is investigated.
A 69-year-old British man was arrested early Sunday after his 56-year-old wife was found dead outside this home in Mazarron, Spain
His lawyer Tamara Cobarro has said she will be appealing the decision to put him behind bars and try him get bailed
Mrs Cobarro told local press overnight her client’s cries for help when he saw his wife’s body in the street led to neighbours calling 999.
She insisted he entered the couple’s villa to calm his nerves and smoke a cigarette after going into a ‘state of shock.’
He is said to have claimed she sustained bruises found on her arms during their recent move to the house.
The expat couple had only just purchased the property and were not well-known in the area after transferring there from the town of Caravaca de la Cruz just over an hour’s drive north-west.
The suspect’s grey BMW remained outside the house, which has been cordoned-off with police tape, on Tuesday morning.
Court officials have confirmed the case is being investigated as a suspected homicide.
Spain’s Equality Minister Irene Montero wrote on Twitter late Monday: ‘Gender murder of a woman in Murcia confirmed.
The man is claiming his wife fell and hit her head as she climbed out of their car (pictured) but local officials have described the case as one of ‘gender-based violence’
‘We must continue to double efforts in all institutions, work as one and have available all possible tools to protect women.’
She spoke out despite the fact that no formal charges have yet been made.
Spanish Government Delegate against Gender Violence Victoria Rosell added: ‘Our condolences and support for the family and friends of this lady who was a victim of gender violence. We have to admit that on occasions the system fails.’
She said: ‘Protection should be improved when between 2007 and 2014 five complaints exist and in 2022 he attacks her.’
A Civil Guard spokesman confirmed yesterday/on Monday a British man had been arrested on suspicion of homicide.
He said: ‘We were called just after 1am on Sunday.
‘A British man aged 69 was arrested on suspicion of killing his wife after she was discovered lying dead outside their property before being handed over to a judge.’
A well-placed police source said: ‘The dead woman is also British.
‘She had suffered a blow to the head and although detectives are still awaiting the results of the autopsy, everything is pointing towards her having suffered a violent death which is being treated as a homicide.’
Last month an 80-year-old British man was arrested over the violent death of his wife at their flat in the Costa del Sol resort of Torremolinos.
The arrest occurred at the couple’s home in Camposol near the Costa Calida resort town of Mazarron in the south-east province of Murcia (Costa de Mazarron is pictured)
A judge decide to send David Cadwallader, 80, to a prison psychiatric unit while he continues to investigate him over the stabbing of his wife Lesley, 69.
She was found dead by police after making a desperate 999 call while being attacked. She had multiple stab wounds including some to her neck.
Local reports said she had phoned the emergency services late on November 4 to say she had been knifed four times before the line went dead.
Her husband, said to have Alzheimer’s, was discovered lying on their bed.
It later emerged he had been arrested three times in previous months for alleged domestic violence but was released because his wife decided against pressing charges.
A well-placed judicial source, backing an official police statement at the time, said after Mr Cadwallader’s detention: ‘We can confirm the victim declined to ratify in court previous complaints she had made regarding allegations of domestic violence which had led to the husband’s arrest.
‘Because there were no witnesses and the alleged victim didn’t want to press charges, the court had to shelve the cases.