A man accused of murdering his estranged wife when he stabbed her almost 70 times is expected to give evidence in his trial on Monday (May20).

What we know so far, is that Harry Turner admits he killed his wife Sally in the hallway of her daughter’s County Durham home but denies murdering her.

The 50-year-old suffered 78 wounds, including defence injuries, from at least 68 knife blows with the deepest being 11cm deep and one was so powerful that it broke her shoulder blade while another broke one of her ribs.

Mrs Turner was found collapsed behind the door of the house when she failed to pick up her disabled granddaughter when she was dropped off from school by taxi.

The Northern Echo: Sally TurnerSally Turner

Newcastle Crown Court heard how Mrs Turner was having an affair with her granddaughter’s taxi driver, Philip Smith, who sent he a sexually explicit message in the hours leading up to her death.

Craig Hassall KC told jurors that there is no eyewitness account of the fatal stabbing or what was said in the lead-up to her killing but a neighbour heard two loud screams.

The Northern Echo: Police at the scene on Cuthbert Avenue, DurhamPolice at the scene on Cuthbert Avenue, Durham

He said the couple were the legal guardians of Mrs Turner’s two grandchildren and had been having amicable conversations in the days leading up to her death in June 2022 at her daughter's home on Cuthbert Avenue, Durham.

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Home Office pathologist Dr Louise Mulcahy told the court that Mrs Turner’s cause of death was multiple stab wounds to the neck and torso.

Mr Hassall said: “One blow had been delivered with such force that bent the knife blade rendering it useless as a weapon.”

The 55-year-old Turner, of Tiree Close, Brandon, has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter.

The trial continues.