Wife killed after police gave ex keys

POLICE handed back the house keys to a husband who went on to murder his estranged wife in the former marital home days after he was questioned on suspicion of raping her, an inquest has heard.

Sunderland Coroner Derek Winter said he will write to the Home Secretary about the case of carer Kay Richardson, 49, who was repeatedly hit over the head with a hammer and strangled by bricklayer Alan Martin.

The 53-year-old, who had a history of domestic violence, was found bare-chested and hanging from the loft hatch of their home in Shrewsbury Crescent, Sunderland.

Concerned family members called police to the locked house and officers broke in and found her partially clothed body in a bedroom.

Martin was living in Gardiner Square, Sunderland, at the time.

Ms Richardson was murdered on September 20 last year, two days after she had obtained a non-molestation

order against her husband from the family court.

On September 7 Ms Richardson walked into a police station and told officers her husband had assaulted and raped her. She later withdrew the rape allegation.

Martin was arrested, denied any offences during an interview and was later released “under investigation” without any conditions.

Detective Sergeant Katie Smith, of Northumbria Police, told the court Martin was given keys for the home they jointly owned.

Bail was not considered “proportionate” in this case as there was insufficient evidence of an assault at that time.

Mr Winter recorded Ms Richardson was unlawfully killed.

A separate inquest for the killer will be heard today.