Man admits double murder of estranged wife and her partner

A man has admitted the double murder of his estranged wife and her partner, who were both found stabbed to death on New Year's Day.

Former headteacher Rhys Hancock murdered Helen Hancock, who was 39, and Martin Griffiths, 48, in a bedroom at their former marital home in Duffield in Derbyshire.

He then called police to tell them what he had done.

Mrs Hancock, a PE teacher, and father-of-two Mr Griffiths, were found with multiple stab wounds at the house in New Zealand Lane in the village just north of Derby, just after 4am.

A court previously heard how Hancock's mother, Denise Hancock, called police to tell them her son had left her home that night, having taken two knives with him.

She explained that her 40-year-old son had found out on Boxing Day that his wife had been seeing another man, and that it had caused him "some distress".

She said he seemed "calm", but was concerned he was going to do something because he had said earlier that he "felt like killing them".

Hancock's mother gave the police Mrs Hancock's mobile phone number, which was called, but it went to answer phone.

Prosecutor Jeanette Stevenson also previously told a court that the defendant ran 999 at 4.26am and told police that he was at the former marital home, and that he had committed two murders, and that the children were safe at his mother's.

When police arrived, a police dog handler was first on the scene, and ordered Hancock to the floor before arresting him.

Mr Griffiths had already died, but paramedics battled for 15 minutes to try to save Helen Hancock's life. But despite numerous attempts to resuscitate here, she died.

On Monday (6 July), Hancock admitted both murders in a virtual hearing at Derby Crown Court.

Judge Nirmal Shant QC took the unusual step of putting the charges to the defendant herself after problems with the court clerk's microphone.

Rhys Hancock, from Etwall in Derbyshire, will be sentenced at a later date, to be fixed.