A CHEATING grandad has been jailed for murdering his wife in a burning car after he revealed his affair and lovechild to her.
Helen Clarke, 77, was pulled screaming from the flaming Honda Jazz after husband David Clarke, 80, set it ablaze.
WNSDavid Clarke murdered wife Helen[/caption]
WNSHe was warned he will likely die in jail due to his age[/caption]
She told officers: “He hit me twice with a sledgehammer, covered me in paraffin and set me on fire.”
Tragically, Helen died two days later from her injuries while retired engineer Clarke was arrested.
He told a nurse who was treating him for his injuries: “My wife is not the forgiving kind.
“We have been married 53 years, I had an affair 50 years ago she only found out a few days ago.”
Clarke has now been jailed for life with a minimum of 21 years after previously pleading guilty to murder.
Swansea Crown Court heard the couple had been married for 53 years after meeting at a church service.
The pair, who have four children, moved to Zambia in 1969 and spent time living in Zimbabwe before moving back to the UK.
Upon their return, Clarke confided in his son that he had an affair while living in Africa which had resulted in a child.
Shortly after the pair celebrated their wedding anniversary, the grandad booked a trip to Australia where his mistress was now living.
Clarke also messaged the woman, who he called his “soulmate”, saying he loved her “to excess” and that each day “his heart kissed her many times”.
The love rat even took his wife with him on the holiday where they both met up with the woman – although Helen was unaware.
Just four days before the murder, the couple returned home and Clarke was seen burning family photos in the back garden.
On September 22, he sent his son a message saying “I love you” before the couple’s Honda was captured on CCTV heading for Swansea.
Horrified witnesses then saw flames shooting from the car after it was parked up at the side of a road.
Tragic end
One noticed a man stood at the back of the burning vehicle and a can of petrol in the boot.
After “badly burnt” Helen was pulled from the car, she began begging for her son.
When someone offered to fetch her husband, the mum said: “No. Not him. He is responsible for all this. Get my son, get my son.”
She was taken to hospital with burns to 58 per cent of her body as well as nine separate lacerations to her face and head.
Tragically Helen was declared dead on September 24 from multiple organ dysfunction due to severe burns in a woman with vascular and lung disease.
Police arrested and charged Clarke after finding two lighters and a green petrol can in the gutted car.
How you can get help
Women’s Aid has this advice for victims and their families:
Always keep your phone nearby.
Get in touch with charities for help, including the Women’s Aid live chat helpline and services such as SupportLine.
If you are in danger, call 999.
Familiarise yourself with the Silent Solution, reporting abuse without speaking down the phone, instead dialing “55”.
Always keep some money on you, including change for a pay phone or bus fare.
If you suspect your partner is about to attack you, try to go to a lower-risk area of the house – for example, where there is a way out and access to a telephone.
Avoid the kitchen and garage, where there are likely to be knives or other weapons. Avoid rooms where you might become trapped, such as the bathroom, or where you might be shut into a cupboard or other small space.
If you are a victim of domestic abuse, SupportLine is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 6pm to 8pm on 01708 765200. The charity’s email support service is open weekdays and weekends during the crisis – [email protected].
Women’s Aid provides a live chat service – available weekdays from 8am-6pm and weekends 10am-6pm.
You can also call the freephone 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247.
In a statement, the family said: “Our Mother was a loving, kind and courageous woman who greatly cherished her family, her friends, and the world at large.
“She was strongly committed to her faith, had a laugh which would set a room alight, and a great appreciation for life and the beauty of the world.
“Her passing in such a sudden and tragic manner has been devastating; and our grief is immeasurable. The situation we find ourselves in highlights the complexity and fragility of the human mind.
“We have endured unimaginable pain since she was brutally taken from us – and our children miss their Granny, who was extremely proud of them, so very much.
“We continue to do our utmost to support and protect them as we navigate these very difficult circumstances.”
WNSHelen had recently discovered her husband’s affair[/caption] Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
