DESPERATE husband Frank Wade attempted to murder his partner of 40 years by suffocating her with a pillow.
The 55-year-old full-time carer snapped after seeing Susan Wade’s life spiral out of control through drink and depression following a brain operation.
He held the pillow down over Mrs Wade’s head for a few seconds after reaching the end of his tether at their Newcastle home on October 23 last year.
It has emerged Wade had previously called 999 to warn police that he feared he could kill his wife because of a lack of support.
And police only became aware of the incident four days later when Wade admitted what he had done.
He told Staffordshire Police: “I put a pillow over her face and I intended to kill her.
“I held it down with both arms over her face and said, ‘I can’t stand to see you suffering any more’.
“She was shouting. I pulled the cover back. Her eyes were closed but I shook her and she looked at me.
“I said, ‘Jesus Christ, look what you nearly made me do, I shouldn’t be doing that’.”
Wade, of Poplar Court, is today starting a two-and-a-half year jail sentence after admitting attempted murder, on the basis that he was under pressure as his wife’s main carer and struggling to cope with her alcoholism.
Andrew Wallis, prosecuting, told Stafford Crown Court that Wade had made a desperate call to police.
He said: “In the 12 months before the offence Susan Wade’s drinking had been getting worse.
“Their daughter noted she would scream and shout in the defendant’s face when drunk.
“She said the defendant had got to the end of his tether.
“A year before the offence he called 999 and said he was about to kill his wife.
“Leading up to the offence he had said, ‘I can see myself smothering her or knifing her. She would be better off dead and put out of her misery’.
“On October 27 police attended the couple’s home for an unrelated matter.
“The defendant told them, ‘I need to say that last Sunday I tried to kill her’.”
The court heard the couple – who met in 1970 – have three daughters.
Catherine O’Reilly, mitigating, said: “Mr Wade has an intense feeling of guilt.
“He was suffering from an amount of stress. He acted spontaneously.
“Ironically, as a result of his actions, his wife has now got the professional help she needed and is making good progress.”
Judge John Wait described Wade’s case as ‘unique and tragic’.
Sentencing Wade, Judge Wait said: “This was an act done out of frustration because you could not see a way out.
“I accept it was a dreadful situation you were in. You had been trying to assist her but were unable to do more.”
