Inspector admits killing his wife
Police inspector admits manslaughter after changing his plea, but denies murdering his partner as trial continues
A POLICE inspector has admitted to killing his detective wife.
Insp Darren McKie, 43, changed his plea and admitted manslaughter on the ninth day of his trial. He had denied manslaughter.
McKie, 43, of Burford Close in Wilmslow, continues to deny murdering wife Leanne, 39, a detective constable, and the trial continues at Chester Crown Court.
The father-of-three left his work at Stretford police station early on September 28 last year and killed his wife after she is said to have discovered he had applied for a £54,000 loan behind her back.
He is said to have strangled his wife at their home in Wilmslow and used her Mini Countryman car to dump her body in Poynton Lake while their children slept.
A post mortem examination on her body concluded Leanne died of asphyxia probably caused by ‘manual strangulation.’
The force was such that two bones in her neck were broken.
The couple, who both worked for Greater Manchester Police, had amassed £103,000 in debt with loan firms and builders renovating their Cheshire home, including costs for granite worktops and underfloor heating.
The prosecution say McKie strangled Leanne after she found out about the loan application as the family’s dire financial situation worsened.
Leanne is said to have sent her husband an angry text calling him a ‘liar’ after she opened the correspondence which included details of a £54,000 loan application and the couple’s passports, which had been used to apply for the money.
As the prosecution concluded its case at Chester Crown Court yesterday, the defendant’s barrister Trevor Burke QC invited the clerk of the court to put the manslaughter charge to the defendant again.
He was ordered to stand in the glass-fronted dock and when asked how he pleaded he replied: “Guilty.”
His tearful family watched from the public gallery moments after he entered the changed plea.
Trevor Burke QC, defending, told the jury he would be calling no evidence and confirmed his client would not be giving evidence.
On Wednesday, the jurors had been told that the defendant would be giving evidence.
The judge, Mr Justice Spencer, told the jurors not to speculate or worry about the development and that they should not be tempted to discuss the case at home.
He said the defendant had admitted unlawfully killing his wife by his change of plea.
However, he stressed McKie continued to deny murder and the issue for them to decide now was whether he ‘intended to kill her or cause her really serious harm.’
The judge sent the jury home for the day and the trial is due to resume on Monday when the barristers are expected to make their closing speeches.