Facing hanging, expat accused of killing husband

Samantha Jones is held after being accused of killing her husband John, right

A BRITISH expat wife facing being hanged in Malaysia after being accused of murdering her husband was terrified that he would kill her, her lawyer said yesterday.

Samantha Jones, 52, pleaded: “What's going to happen to me?” as she appeared, barefoot and handcuffed, before magistrates on the island of Langkawi, accused of stabbing her husband John to death.

She has been charged with murder with intent, which carries a mandatory death sentence.

Human rights lawyer Sangeet Kaur Deo branded the charge “ridiculous and unjust” and said: “Sam was the victim that night. Not John.”

She said the ex-insurance clerk, from Somerset, was in fear of the 63-year-old retired fire station boss who she claimed had broken her jaw, choked her and torn out her hair.

Ms Deo said Jones had reported her husband to UK police several times but felt unable to do so on Langkawi, where domestic violence is still “taboo”.

Ms Deo said sworn statements from Jones's friends claimed she was “living in hell in paradise”.

Ms Deo added: “Mr Jones beat her regularly so badly that she thought he was going to kill her.

“He would go from nice John crazy psycho John.”

In court, tired-looking Jones managed a smile for her sister and brother, in court to support her.

She is said to have stabbed her husband once with a 12-inch kitchen knife during a “quarrel” on October 18 after Mr Jones returned from an all-day drinking session, according to Ms Deo.

Her case was adjourned to January 13 and will take place in private.

If the murder charge is reduced to manslaughter, Jones still faces 10 to 30 years in jail. to