Woman who stabbed husband to death took over 999 call and refused to give aid, court hears

A woman who stabbed her retired husband of 24 years to death took over his 999 call as he lay dying and refused to give emergency aid, a court has heard.

Penelope Jackson, 66, stabbed her husband David, a retired lieutenant colonel, three times in the kitchen of their bungalow in Parsonage Road in Berrow, Somerset, on 13 February this year.

Mr Jackson called 999 himself, but could then be heard screaming as his wife allegedly drove the knife in a final time.

The defendant took over the call, telling the operator, “he’s in the kitchen bleeding to death, with any luck” – repeatedly acknowledging what she had done as she refused to give emergency aid.

Police later found a confession note by the phone, jurors were told.

It read: “To whom it may concern, I have taken so much abuse over the years – look at my records.”

It continued: “But he was a good Daddy. However the mask slipped tonight. That was unforgiveable. I accept my punishment, may he rot in hell.”

On the second day of Jackson’s murder trial at Bristol Crown Court on Tuesday, the jury heard that the 78-year-old victim had been her fourth husband, and she was his third wife.

Sheila Taylor, Mr Jackson’s second wife, told the court her marriage to the victim had ended when he began an affair with the defendant in 1993 and that she believed he was “very frightened” of her.

Ms Taylor told the court she had learned of the affair when Jackson rang their home and demanded to speak to her husband.

She said he had been “white and shaking” when he came off the call, adding: “He told me he had been having an affair with a woman called Penny, but the relationship was now over.

“[Jackson] didn’t want the relationship to be over, and she was insisting he tell me about it and go and live with her.”

She said after her divorce from the victim had been finalised, he had told her that Jackson had threatened to “do a Bobbit on him” if he ever tried to leave her.

This was a reference to a high-profile case in the US at around the same time, where a wife had cut off her husband’s penis.

“He was very frightened. He honestly believed she was capable of carrying out that threat,” Ms Taylor said.

Ms Taylor said that she believed her former husband “was afraid of Penelope”.

“He was frightened she would destroy his army career and destroy his reputation, and there’s no doubt in my mind she was capable of doing that,” she added.

Mr Jackson’s daughter from his first marriage, Jane Calverley, said she had never seen the couple be violent towards one another, but said the defendant had liked making people feel uncomfortable.

“When he was with the defendant, he always seemed like he was on edge,” she said of her father.

Ms Calverley continued: “I always felt everything had to revolve around Jackson, she was a very larger than life character, she would enjoy making people uncomfortable.”

She also recalled staying with Jackson and her father when she was having trouble in her marriage.

Ms Calverley said Jackson told her: “It’s much easier if your husband kills himself.”

The jury heard that Jackson’s third husband had taken his own life a few days after he learned of her affair with the victim.

Jackson admits manslaughter but denies murder, claiming that she suffered years of physical abuse and coercive and controlling behaviour at the hands of the victim.

The trial continues.

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