Cwmbran murder-accused 'out of control' with Covid worry

A man who killed his wife days into the first national lockdown was "spiralling out of control" with worry over Covid and money, his daughter has said.

Anthony Williams, 70, strangled his wife Ruth Williams after a row at their home in Cwmbran, Torfaen, on 28 March.

Mr Williams denies murder but admits manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility.

Emma Williams told Swansea Crown Court her father became obsessed with Covid.

She said her father's personality had changed from being "a joker" to fearing "people would never leave the house again" after lockdown.

She said: "In recent weeks he always had his head buried into his tablet and wasn't talking much just looking at things about Covid online.

"I said 'dad you need to stop watching the news all the time and worrying about Covid. You're spiralling out of control'."

Ms Williams added that "two weeks before" her mother's death, her father said to her he thought he was going to "lose the house and not be able to pay the bills".

She said: "Dad said to me: 'Me and your mam are going to have to come and live with you'."

Defending, barrister John Hipkin QC asked Ms Williams about her parents' savings, which she said amounted to £148,000.

She said despite telling her father "he was fine with the savings and his and mum's pensions", he took Mrs Williams to the bank and withdrew "ten thousand from their savings to put it in their current account, that meant they had £18,000 in the current account".

Mr Hipkin also asked whether Mr Williams became "obsessed" with other things, to which Ms Williams said yes and that he "kept turning off the heating".

She told the court that the last time he was in her house he noticed her gas meter reading and "must have got up 30 times switching the heating on and off" because "he thought it would be too expensive for me".

She added that her mother had said Mr Williams "became obsessed with switching off the heating and lights at home too".

Ms Williams told the court: "The last conversation I had with him he was obsessing about his shoes and how he wouldn't be able to buy new ones because he thought his shoes were falling apart."

She added that her father had "always been a worrier, but something didn't feel right".

The defendant's daughter also told the court how her dad was losing sleep over health concerns and not eating properly because he feared he had throat cancer and "kept going back and fore to the GPs".

She said her father had problems swallowing and "thought he had a lump in his throat", but doctors were unable to find anything.

Psychiatrist Dr Alison Witts, who was also called to give evidence for the defence, described Mr Williams as suffering with anxiety and depression.

Dr Witts had three meetings with Mr Williams over a videocall after he was remanded in custody.

Dr Witts also said she believed that Mr Williams' mental health had dramatically deteriorated after retiring.

"Work gave him a structure and depression in over 60s is often not diagnosed and left untreated because they tend to minimise the symptoms and think they should be mentally stronger," she said.

She told the court that her opinion was "he was overwhelmed with anxiety at the material moment, which is when he killed Ruth Williams".

"He described significant apprehension, a feeling of being very tense, very anxious," she added.

"That can lead to a release in stress hormones and adrenalin, and he was overwhelmed psychologically by emotions and anxiety and impaired his ability to exercise self-control."

Dr Witts told the court this was why she recommended diminished responsibility to be considered.

The trial continues.