'He tortures me' - Murder accused tells police while being arrested over husband's death

Christine Rawle told officers she feared her husband would kill her if he survived. Credit: Liz Cook

A woman accused of stabbing her husband to death broke down in tears in the back of a police van and told officers "he tortures me" as she was arrested.

Christine Rawle, 70, is on trial accused of murdering Ian Rawle at their north Devon home in 2022.

Jurors at Exeter Crown Court have been shown video footage of the moment Mrs Rawle was placed in handcuffs as paramedics were attempting to save her husband.

Speaking through tears, she told officers they had been arguing over the sale of a piece of land.

"How can you love someone and do everything for someone who is so calculating and nasty to you?", she said.

Police at the scene in Braunton Credit: itv

"He is narcissistic. It seems like a bad dream. I just wish it was me, I wish he had killed me.

"He just pushed me and pushed me and pushed me. He tortures me. I tried to get away many times. I wanted a divorce."

Later on the footage, which was captured by police officers' body-worn cameras, Mrs Rawle said: "He will come and get me. If he gets well, he will come and get me and he will kill me.

"The constant threats, the constant undermining, the constant laughing behind my back. I would have taken my own life."

Mrs Rawle is then told by an officer that her husband has died and is arrested on suspicion of murder.

She added: "He's not going to hurt me anymore. I want to wake up. I want to wake up from this."

Mrs Rawle also claimed that she tried to call the police to report her husband's behaviour but could not get through.

Christine Rawle denies murder and the trial continues.