A police officer has reportedly shocked his family and friends after he attacked and killed his own wife in their home.
The police detective was seen being led into court
A debt-ridden cop killed his police detective wife over money worries — before going on the school run as if “nothing had happened”, a court heard yesterday.
Insp Darren McKie, 43, is said to have murdered wife Leanne at the couple’s “expensive” renovated home after running up debts of £103,000 before dumping her body in a shallow lake.
Chester Crown Court heard how he strangled the mother of his three children last September after she began to uncover the truth about their finances. Counsel said he then picked up his kids from school, took them to ballet and cricket practice before giving them dinner.
He is then said to have waited until the children were all in bed before disposing of the 39-year-old’s body in a nearby lake. A jury heard that all the while he was continuing to text his “dead wife” updating her on his afternoon and evening.
McKie, of Greater Manchester Police, denies the murder. The jury heard how the couple had been having serious financial worries in the years before the killing — which intensified despite around £80,000 of bailouts by both their parents.
They were “living well beyond their means” and having bought a new home in Wilmslow, Cheshire, just months before her death had built up big debts trying to pay for renovations.
Leanne's body was dumped in a shallow lake
By August 2017 they owed around £45,000 in loan and credit card repayments, over £17,000 to builders and £40,000 in loan repayments. Despite the worries McKie hid their finances from his wife and attempted to resolve their issue by applying for 26 loans behind her back, the court heard.
Weeks before her death part- time worker Leanne had confronted her husband over post she had seen from finance firms.The court heard she had sent messages asking: “Are we in a mess??? Please tell me! I just worry you are trying to protect us again.” Her husband denied the allegation and told her: “Please stop doubting me.”
But on the day of her death Leanne discovered he had been accepted by a loan company, using her name and passport, for a loan of £54,000.
Leanne, of Greater Manchester Police’s sexual offences unit, texted him calling him a “liar” after making the discovery. McKie then raced home to confront his wife, the jury heard.
Prosecutor Nigel Power QC said: “The game was up. Not only were they in terrible financial trouble, but the defendant had been going behind her back.”
Mr Power said McKie had “taken his dead wife to the lake, dragged her along to the lakeside and dumped her body in the lake.” The trial continues.
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Via The Sun UK