A policeman who is accused of murdering his wife has been transferred from prison to a psychiatric hospital.
PC Ivor Jones, 40, of the Cleveland force, was too ill to attend court yesterday (Thurs) for his first appearance before a judge since he was arrested a week ago on suspicion of stabbing to death his hairdresser wife Maria, 36, in their bedroom at their home in Barwick Close, Ingleby Barwick, Teesside.
He was moved from Durham Jail on Tuesday to the Hutton Unit at St Luke's Psychiatric Hospital in Middlesbrough. Judge David Bryant was told at Teesside Crown Court that PC Jones's fitness to plead might be one issue of the case.
A pathologist's report on the killing of the mum-of-two is not yet ready, said prosecutor Richard Parsell.
Graham Brown, Jones's lawyer, said: "His immediate health has to be a priority and that is clear from what is concluded in a medical report."
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