Helen’s husband, David Clarke, who repeatedly hit his elderly wife with a lump hammer before burning her in their car has been sentenced for life imprisonment.
The 80-year-old man, David Clarke, of Langland, Swansea, on Friday received a maximum sentence of 21 years and eight months at the city’s crown court for murdering his wife, Helen, who was over 50 years old.
Helen, 77, who has been called a “kind, courageous and loving” heart, died of severe multiple organ failures after battling with painful serious burns all over her body.David Clarke
The city’s crown court judge presiding over the trial described David’s action as “utterly brutal and merciless” horror that had brought Helen. It was gathered that the victim was hit nine times before she was finally set on fire in their car.
David, a former competition shooter and electrical engineer, pleaded guilty to murder of his wife, Helen , at a court hearing in December 2023. David Clarke
However, the couple had four children after their marriage in 1968 at a church service.
One of the children, David Clarke Junior, said, in a witness statement, that his father was always “violent and bullying” but he thought they had changed with age. David Clarke
A source said the court heard the couple had begun to seriously argue again in the days before the murder, after Clarke revealed he had an affair some years prior and had arranged a holiday to Australia to see the woman again.
David had after planning on how to kill his wife, on the day of the murder, sent a text message to his children in which he told them that he loved them.
The “wife” killer, having pretended to have arranged to go have a good time with Helen at the beach, drove her to Sketty Lane where he “mercilessly” hit her nine times with a hammer in the car, drenched it in petrol, and then set her on fire. David Clarke
According to Sky News a passing council workman, hearing Mrs Clarke’s screams and noticing flames from the car, attempted to save the couple – but Clarke pushed him away before driving off and crashing into a hedge.
Helen, having suffered excruciating pain, died two days later at Morriston Hospital on 24 September 2023.
The sentencing Judge, Paul Thomas KC, said to David on Friday, “You knew that in setting fire to her, she would be caused an unimaginable pain and terror”.
“You killed her in an utterly brutal and merciless manner.
“You killed her in a car on a busy road in Swansea, where children were on the way to school. David Clarke
“You hit her repeatedly to the head with a lump hammer – you did so on no fewer than nine occasions.
“You then doused her with petrol and set fire to her.
“You knew that in setting fire to her, she would be caused an unimaginable pain and terror.” David Clarke
