Peterborough woman (64) admits killing husband (70) at their Gunthorpe home

A Peterborough woman has admitted killing her husband at their home in Gunthorpe.

Andrew Smith died at the home he shared with wife Lorraine Smith in Beauvale Gardens, Peterborough.

His body was found at the address in the early hours of Monday, December 13 2021. A post mortem examination revealed that had been strangled.

Lorraine Smith, then aged 63, was charged with his murder following the discovery.

She had pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Today (Wednesday, May 10), she appeared at Peterborough Crown Court via video link, when her trial was listed to start.

However, a new charge of manslaughter was put to her, to which she pleaded guilty.

The charge said that Lorraine Smith killed Mr Smith at some point between December 11 2021 and December 13 2021.

Andrew Jackson, prosecuting, told the court the plea to the charge was acceptable, and it had been put on the basis of diminished responsibility.

In English law, diminished responsibility is a partial defence to murder, in which the defendant is suffering from an abnormality of mental functioning, so they were not in control of their actions. When the defence is accepted, the charge is reduced from murder to manslaughter.

Lorraine Smith (64), who spoke only to confirm her name and her guilty plea, will appear at the court in person on June 2, when she will be sentenced.

Judge Sean Enright described the case as a complex one, as he adjourned the hearing.