Ex-Marine Ukip aide is quizzed over death of Scots wife

A FORMER Royal Marine and Ukip councillor has been arrested on suspicion of murdering his Scots wife.

Stephen Searle was being questioned last night after his wife, Anne, was found collapsed at their £400,000 house.

Mr Searle, a British Legion poppy seller, was arrested at the four-bedroom home soon after his 62-year-old wife was declared dead by paramedics at 10.30pm on Saturday.

She had suffered a cardiac arrest, but a post-mortem examination this week should reveal the exact cause of death.

The mother of three was married for more than 30 years to Mr Searle, 64, who was taken to a police station in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, near their home in Stowmarket.

Photographs on his Facebook page show the former commando holding guns, posing with former Ukip leader Nigel Farage, and standing with his wife, with

‘Declared dead at the scene’

whom he is thought to have three sons.

Suffolk Constabulary said a 64year-old man, who was known to the victim, was arrested on suspicion of murder at the address.

A spokesman said: ‘On arrival at the property a woman was discovered unresponsive.

‘Paramedics attended but the woman was declared deceased at the scene. The death is being treated as suspicious and a man has been arrested on suspicion of murder.’

Two officers stood outside in the cul-de-sac while forensics officers searched the home.

Shocked at Mrs Searle’s death, neighbour Richard Hallett, 40, said: ‘I thought the gentleman from the house where the woman died worked with the Salvation Army and did the poppy collection. He seemed a nice bloke.’

Representing Stowmarket South, Mr Searle was elected to Suffolk County Council in 2013, but he lost the seat in local elections in May.