University hockey coach 'stabbed wife to death at home near Birmingham' and claimed she killed herself
28 January 2025, 17:51
A former international hockey player has appeared in court accused of stabbing his wife to death - but claims she killed herself.
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Egyptian national Mohamed Samak has denied killing Joanne Samak, 49, at their home in Droitwich Spa in the early hours of July 1, 2024.
Samak, 42, was arrested by West Mercia Police after his alleged victim was found at the address with what police described as unsurvivable injuries.
Opening a trial at Worcester Crown Court on Tuesday, lead prosecutor Mr Harpreet Sandhu KC told the jury that Samak killed his wife after becoming interested in another woman and experiencing financial difficulties.
The prosecutor said Samak, who was a hockey coach who had previously worked with the under-18 Welsh national team, had "kept an eye" on his status as an alleged beneficiary of Ms Samak's life insurance policy and pension.
His wife, who was to have begun working at her new interior design business on the day of her death, was said to be the "breadwinner" of the household, and the defendant had been seeking the assistance of financial advisers while struggling with his mental health, the court was told.
Mr Sandhu told the jury that Samak had killed his wife, but lied to police by claiming she had instead "stabbed herself repeatedly" before he found her slumped on a bed with a knife in her stomach.
The defendant alleged he had found Ms Samak, who slept in a separate bedroom from her husband, at about 4.10am after he woke to use the toilet, and immediately phoned 999.
But Mr Sandhu, who said a post-mortem examination found six stab wounds on Ms Samak, including one to the chest, accused the defendant of later changing his account "to fit the evidence".
During a police interview, Samak was told neighbours had claimed to have heard screaming at about 3am. He told officers he was awoken by a noise coming from the bathroom at about the same time.
He allegedly looked out from his bedroom, saw Ms Samak holding a knife, screaming and "trying to stab herself", the court was told.
When he tried to help her, he said she went into the bedroom and continued to stab herself before landing on the bed.
He claimed to have waited an hour before calling the emergency services because he was crying and "struggling to breathe".
The court heard that Samak, who moved to the UK after marrying Ms Samak in 2014, claimed his wife was struggling with her mental health and alcohol at the time of her death.
But friends and family, including her brother, Mark Vale, who gave evidence on Tuesday, denied this and said "she was happy" and "loved her work" as an interior designer.
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She was also said to be "excited" about her new business venture and was planning a party and trip to Paris for her upcoming 50th birthday.
Prosecutors said: "On the one hand, (there is) a woman who had everything to live for, a woman who had made lots of future plans that decided to take her own life.
"Alternatively, her husband, who was interested in another woman, had financial concerns and had an eye on what he might get if she died, killed her."
The trial continues.
