Woman murdered 'kind' husband after necking six cocktails on birthday night out
A woman has been found guilty of murdering her "kind-hearted" husband after downing six cocktails on her birthday night out.
Lisa Ellwood, 40, was found guilty by jurors after her two-week trial where a court heard about how she stabbed her husband, Ryan Ellwood, at their home in Greenwood Court, Wakefield, on August 29 last year.
Ryan was stabbed with a knife which pierced his rib, lung and aorta. Ellwood claimed she had no recollection of the attack. Leeds Crown Court heard how the couple had visited the Blind Pig pub earlier in the evening and were celebrating Ellwood's birthday, reports Yorkshire Live.
A bar supervisor said he had seen them that night and they were in "good spirits." He said: "They seemed to be having a laugh and a joke all evening."
The bar supervisor said he had poured Mrs Ellwood a cocktail, comprising of 12.5ml of Midori, 12.5ml of vodka, 12.5ml of gin, 12.5ml of Bacardi, 12.5ml of tequila, sugar syrup and lime and lemonade. He said the cocktails were priced at two for £8 and Mrs Ellwood had around six in total.
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A bar supervisor said the couple 'seemed to be having a laugh and a joke all evening' while they were out together (MEN MEDIA)The court also heard the statements of two taxi drivers who picked up passengers from their base - one was for a man who was taken to Greenwood Court, and another a woman dropped off near to a pizza shop in Doncaster Road. Ellwood was captured on CCTV and just nine minutes later an ambulance was called to the family home.
Friends of Ryan told how he had "deteriorated into the shell of a man" over the course of his marriage. In his closing speech to the jury on Monday, Craig Hassall KC said: "Those people who knew him before or through the relationship described him in their witness statements as a quiet and kind-hearted man who would do anything for anyone. They also said throughout the relationship he became more introverted and deteriorated into a shell of a man..."
Ellwood - it was said - sought to portray herself as a "battered wife" and told doctors she had been the victim of domestic violence - but witnesses recalled her attacking her husband in public on a number of occasions, even fighting with a staff member at a pub after Mr Ellwood took a selfie with two work colleagues.
Friends of Ryan told how he had 'deteriorated into the shell of a man' over the course of his marriage (MEN MEDIA)Mr Hassall said: "The prosecution wouldn't have been especially concerned about telling you the detail of the previous incident but it obviously becomes relevant when she seeks to portray herself as a battered wife.
"When she says she had no sense of self, and he dominated her thoughts and physically. When she seeks to show herself in that way it becomes necessary to show the whole side of the story." Jurors retired to consider their verdicts at just after 10.30am on Tuesday morning, returning shortly after 4pm.
Recorder of Leeds His Honour Judge Guy Kearl told Ellwood she would be sentenced on Wednesday afternoon. She was remanded into custody and as she was led from the dock, cries could be heard throughout the courtroom.
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