Man killed sleeping wife after talk of divorce
A NURSE was stabbed to death by her husband as she slept days after she demanded a divorce, a Birmingham inquest heard.
Amy Barnes, 32, was knifed in the neck in her bed by James Barnes at home in Cofton Park Close, Rednal, on September 26.
He then drove to his parents’ house in Linforth Drive, Streetly, and killed himself.
Amy had previously told her husband she wanted a divorce despite a weekend away and marriage counselling.
The couple had been married for three years and Amy was a nursery nurse caring for babies at Birmingham Women’s Hospital.
Pathologist Nicholas Hunt said a post-mortem examination found she died from a stab wound to the neck which required “severe force”. He concluded she had been asleep when it happened because there were no defensive wounds.
Police found notes written by Mr Barnes, 30, in which he talked of how Amy had wanted to end their marriage, the inquest heard.
He had signed the notes: “Goodbye, James.”
Det Insp Caroline Corfield said Amy finished her night shift, arrived home at 7.45am and went to bed.
There was a text on her phone from a colleague at 9.50am, which had not been read.
Mr Barnes’ phone showed he was in Cofton Park Close between 7am and 11.40am, when he left.
He was filmed on CCTV at a petrol station at a Morrisons store in Rubery at 2.30pm buying a can of petrol.
He then drove on the M5 to his parents’ house in Streetly and mobile phone records showed he was there from 3.15pm to 11.30pm.
He texted his brother at 10.50pm telling him he was “going for a long sleep”.
Amy’s mother, Valerie Shimmal, told the inquest there was no history of domestic violence and Mr Barnes had never threatened to hurt his wife and she was not in fear of him.
“It was very civil and Amy said James was in the process of moving his stuff out of their home,” she said.
Birmingham Coroner Louise Hunt concluded that Amy had been killed unlawfully.