Man who murdered wife and stepson jailed for life

A "controlling and coercive" husband who murdered his wife and her son after she took steps to divorce him has been jailed for at least 34 years.

Calogero Ricotta, 64, repeatedly stabbed Maria Ricotta, 54, at their home in Ugley, Essex, on 28 May last year, minutes after she returned from visiting a relative.

The builder also fatally stabbed his 29-year-old stepson Giuseppe Morreale, who was trying to defend his mother.

Ricotta, who was born in Sicily and used an Italian interpreter throughout his trial, was handed a life sentence at Chelmsford Crown Court.

The judge, Mrs Justice Dame Mary Stacey, said Ricotta "used controlling and coercive behaviour" against his spouse and "tried to intimidate Maria into staying in a loveless marriage" before he "slaughtered" her and her son.

"Mr Morreale gave his life trying to protect Maria and his siblings. His bravery that day stands in contrast to the cowardly way that you killed both of them," she said.

"You planned to lure her into the living room by pretending to be nice.

"You manipulated her, knowing she would be tired after a stressful evening."

Ricotta was waiting for his wife when she returned from visiting one of her daughters on the evening she was killed.

The trial heard Mrs Ricotta - whose maiden name was Nugara - had been taking steps to divorce her husband.

Ricotta entered the kitchen and told his frightened wife "I want to talk to you" - jurors were told - before going into the living room.

A youth, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said he heard Mrs Ricotta screaming for help 10 seconds later.

A pathologist's report revealed Mrs Ricotta sustained a total of 14 stab wounds and 44 further cuts.

Mr Morreale tried to stop the attack, but was stabbed in the stomach, receiving four knife wounds in total.

The trial was also told how Ricotta made several verbal threats against his wife in the months before the murders, including saying on one occasion: "Dead or alive, you're not leaving this marriage".

Mr Spence said that in a WhatsApp message to a friend the day before, Mrs Ricotta said she was "a bit scared", adding: "He's saying I have to stay with him or things are going to get messy."

Ricotta claimed he had been trying to hide behind his wife as his stepson lunged at him with a knife, accidentally stabbing his mother in the process.

However, the jury of seven women and five men returned their guilty verdicts after three hours of deliberations.

He was also found guilty of causing actual bodily harm in relation to a third victim.

Ricotta shrugged his shoulders as the verdict was read out.

The words "yes" were uttered in the public gallery.

In a victim impact statement read out on behalf of two of Mr Morreale's siblings, they described their mother as their "best friend".

"They were murdered in the most horrific way that only a coward can inflict on his own family," they said.

"[Maria] was kind, caring and clever, with a cracking sense of humour."

They said their brother was a "free spirit" and an "enthusiast for everything that life had to offer".

Det Insp Lydia George, senior investigating officer, described Ricotta as "calculating, controlling and violent" and said "his claims of self-defence were completely dismantled by the evidence our officers compiled for this case".

She continued: "Maria had confided in those she trusted that Ricotta scared her, that she felt she was in danger.

"She was taking steps to catalogue his escalating behaviour and to remove him from his life.

"Our investigation proved beyond doubt that his hatred of Maria for trying to leave him was the motivation."

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