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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Maplebeck farm death: Husband detained in secure hospital | Maplebeck farm death: Husband detained in secure hospital |
| (about 17 hours later) | |
| A farmer who strangled his wife will receive treatment in a psychiatric unit until he is well enough to stand trial. | |
| Peter Thurgarland, 72, who was ruled unfit to stand trial, had admitted killing his wife Julia at their farm in Maplebeck, Nottinghamshire. | |
| The jury at Nottingham Crown Court heard he had been suffering from a "severe mental disturbance" and became "fixated" with flooding. | |
| They unanimously decided he was responsible for the death of his wife. | |
| During the two-day hearing the court was told Mr Thurgarland had dug ditches, built a "fortress" of sandbags and stacked furniture after becoming obsessed with flooding. | |
| 'Health deteriorated' | 'Health deteriorated' |
| Prosecutor Michael Auty QC said the couple's farm had been flooded in 2007, forcing them to live in a caravan for 18 months. | |
| In the months leading up to the death of 70-year-old Julia, Mr Thurgarland's family said they had grown concerned about his mental state. | |
| He was due to attend a psychiatric assessment on the day of his wife's death, after attempting to smother her with a pillow two weeks earlier. | He was due to attend a psychiatric assessment on the day of his wife's death, after attempting to smother her with a pillow two weeks earlier. |
| On 28 December the couple's daughter Jayne O'Connell found her mother on the floor of the living room and her father slumped unconscious after attempting to take his own life. | On 28 December the couple's daughter Jayne O'Connell found her mother on the floor of the living room and her father slumped unconscious after attempting to take his own life. |
| Paramedics pronounced Mrs Thurgarland dead at the scene. A post-mortem examination found she had died from strangulation. | Paramedics pronounced Mrs Thurgarland dead at the scene. A post-mortem examination found she had died from strangulation. |
| During police interviews read in court Mr Thurgarland confessed to killing his wife with a piece of cord. | During police interviews read in court Mr Thurgarland confessed to killing his wife with a piece of cord. |
| "We were arguing over something. I flipped and strangled her. I don't know what came over me," he said. | "We were arguing over something. I flipped and strangled her. I don't know what came over me," he said. |
| "I killed her. I don't know why I did it." | "I killed her. I don't know why I did it." |
| Judge Gregory Dickinson said Mr Thurgarland would now stay in the secure hospital until his health improved. He would then be tried normally. | Judge Gregory Dickinson said Mr Thurgarland would now stay in the secure hospital until his health improved. He would then be tried normally. |
| Det Ch Insp Tony Heydon who led the investigation, said: "The death of Julia Thurgarland at the hands of her husband, Peter, was a tragic family event. | |
| "Nobody could have predicted this sad event but some time after November last year his mental health deteriorated and he took his wife's life and attempted to take his own." |