Saved from the death penalty
British husband killer’s tears after court ruling
remorseful?” And she replied in tears: “So remorseful.”
Asked if she had logged a domestic abuse report before, she told him she had, back in the UK.
John, a former firefighter from Worcestershire, and Jones, an insurance clerk from Somerset, wed in 2001 and moved overseas for a new life in 2005 under the Malaysia My Second Home programme.
But the court heard how John, who had two children from his previous marriage, abused Jones emotionally and physically for years.
Jones’s lawyer, Sangeet Deo Kaur, claimed she was a “devoted wife” but feared he would kill her one day.
She suffered a broken jaw in one incident and numerous injuries during his drunken rages.
Ms Kaur had statements from witnesses saying Jones was “living in hell in paradise”.
John, a grandfather-of-five, had returned home drunk on the island of Langkawi at 2am on October 18, 2018. The court heard that he had been “aggressive and had consumed a lot of alcohol”.
Jones was in bed when he attacked her, causing her to fall off and then kicking her in the back and abdomen several times.
Ms Kaur told the court: “He grabbed her and dragged her to the living room, where he continued attacking her. She went to run out to get help from a neighbour.
“In the kitchen, the knife was on the counter, she grabbed it to defend herself and threaten him. To stop him hurting her.”
But the court heard a scuffle ensued and “the next thing she knew” he had been stabbed.
Jones claimed John pulled the knife out of his chest himself and after getting help she tried to stop the bleeding.
It took 45 minutes for the ambulance to arrive and when it did he was already dead. A postmortem found he died from a single stab wound to his chest, which caused a 15cm wound to his liver. Jones broke down when shown pictures of the postmortem and the knife in court.
She said: “I was scared and he was so angry. I miss him terribly. What I did that night was unintended.
“I tried to stop him. I did not know it would happen like this.”
Ms Kaur said Jones was originally charged with murder but they wrote to the prosecution, pleading for them to reconsider. She added: “The
Attorney General’s chambers agreed – rightly, I believe – to reduce the charge to one where the person did not have the intention to cause the death of the victim.
“The amended charge was read out to her and she pleaded guilty to that. She did not intend for this to happen.
“But she is relieved people have heard what she has to say.
“She is looking forward to her own recovery because this was a traumatising event for her. She has been really worried because she really thought this was going to be the end of her.
“Samantha is relieved and overwhelmed. She is still grieving and has lost the man she loved.
“She was on medication to cope with her treatment during the marriage but this has tripled.
“She’s lost her husband and her home and now she just wants to return to the UK and be with her family. We are not sure about the exact date she will be released but she will be immediately deported when her sentence finishes. She has done 20 months already so this could be around next March or April but we are checking.
“When she gets home she will have to get a lot of help to get over this.
“There have been days when she felt she would not get over this and did not want to go on.
“She’s aware that this has hurt his family too. She is very, very sorry. But we really did not feel the case deserved a charge of murder.”
Jones’s health has suffered behind bars and she has spent several days in hospital due to a chest infection from her severe asthma.
She is currently in isolation to shield her from the Covid-19 pandemic.
John’s family were unable to attend the hearing.
But a family friend, who did not wish to be named, said: “The family have kept a dignified silence so not to compromise a fair trial. They feel the evidence speaks for itself.”