Susanne kills her husband of 50yrs by smothering him with a cushion
Court told of strain over abuse allegations
A RETIRED nurse killed her sick husband after 50 years of marriage by smothering him with a cushion. Susanne Wilson had cared for Henry, 70, who had chronic heart disease, and said she believed he wanted her to help him to die at their home in Ayr last September. But a judge heard yesterday how the 72-year-old gran had been struggling to come to terms with allegations of child sex abuse against her husband. Wilson, who was originally accused of murder, admitted culpable homicide. Prosecutors accepted the plea on the basis of her “diminished responsibility” at the time due to the strain she was under. The court heard that in 2015, Wilson became aware of abuse allegations against her husband. Prosecutor Bill McVicar told the High Court in Glasgow: “She accepted the accusations were true but continued to live in the same house to provide care.” On the day of the killing – September 3 – the OAP asked his wife to call one of his accusers. After he spoke to the person on the phone, Wilson was “very angry” and hit her husband with a plastic jug, leaving him bleeding.
The former Labour councillor claimed her husband spoke about taking his life. Wilson left out medication she had been prescribed and went to a neighbour’s house.
McVicar said: “She seems to have hoped he would end his life while she was away.”
When she returned, her husband was struggling to breathe and she noticed he had taken some of the medication.
McVicar said: “She reports her husband said ‘help me’ as his breathing worsened.
“She took that as a request that she should help him to die. She smothered him by placing a cushion over his face until he died.”
McVicar said Wilson intended to end her husband’s life which “would ordinarily be regarded as murder”. But psychiatric evidence led to a reduced charge being accepted.
Wilson, who lost eldest son Jonathan to cancer in 2001, had suffered from depression.
Son Christopher gave a victim impact statement which was said to be “supportive” of his mum. Gordon Jackson QC, defending, said daughter Madeline had expressed her backing for Wilson.
Judge Lady Rae said the case was “difficult and very unusual”. Wilson was granted bail and will be sentenced next month.