Joanne Samak was found dead at their home in July last year
Mohamed Samak murdered his wife(Image: WMP)
A former Wales under-18s hockey coach, who claimed his interior designer wife had stabbed herself to death, has now been convicted of her murder. Mohamed Samak, 43, denied murdering Joanne Samak, 49, claiming he woke up at around 3am on July 1 last year to see her stabbing herself at their home in Chestnut Spinney, Droitwich Spa.
Prosecutors said Samak, a former Egyptian international hockey player and coach who worked with the Wales under-18s team, killed his wife because he was suffering financial problems and had become interested in another woman.
Samak maintained during the trial that his wife took her own life, struggling with alcohol and mental health issues, despite friends and family stating they had no concerns about her drinking or mental state and that she had things to look forward to.
The defendant initially claimed he was asleep during his wife’s death, waking at 4am to find her unconscious and slumped over her bed.
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Footage was shown at Worcester Crown Court of Samak sitting on his bed, tearfully telling police how he turned his wife over to see a knife in her stomach. The court heard how he had kissed another woman during their relationship, and told the court his wife “stormed off” in tears after he confessed to the infidelity.
Samak tearfully told the court that on the night of the incident, he heard a “loud shout” from the direction of the bathroom. He said: “I woke up straight away and I looked where the noise came from and I could see Jo standing. I got out of bed, put my crocs on and went outside to Jo.
Joanne Samak, 49, was pronounced dead by emergency services
“She was facing the corner of the bathroom and bedroom. As soon as I went out I asked ‘Jo are you okay?’ She was standing facing the corner. I thought she was in pain and I asked her if she was ok. She was hunched over and slightly moving.
“I started to get close to her and she turned and I saw a knife in her hand. I asked ‘what are you doing?’ and she said ‘leave me alone’. I was shocked to see her holding the knife in her hand as she was turning.
“Everything happened in seconds. She said, ‘I don’t need any help’ in a screaming way, then she ran straight into the room.
“I didn’t see any injuries. Everything happened in seconds. All I saw was that she was holding the knife. I was really surprised to see that.
“She was moving (her arm) in a quick motion, going backward and forward, stabbing herself. I was trying to stop her. I was trying to block her arm. I couldn’t stop her.
“She lost control and lost balance and went down facing the bed. I was behind her.
“I saw her taking her final breaths. I was crying standing by the door of the bedroom with my hands on my head, I didn’t know what was going on.”
Mrs Samak suffered six stab wounds to the chest and abdomen, ranging between 2.5cm and 10cm deep. Don’t miss a court report by signing up to our crime newsletter here
Medical experts told the jury considerable force was needed to penetrate her breastbone, making it highly unlikely she could have inflicted the injury on herself.
After a retrial at Worcester Crown Court, Samak was found guilty by a jury on Wednesday (October 29) afternoon, the Crown Prosecution Service said.
A jury in the first trial, held earlier this year, failed to reach a verdict.
Samak will be sentenced at the same court on Friday.
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