Pensioner who killed wife of 52 years dies in custody

Castle Huntly: Edwin Brown was serving a seven-year sentence for killing his wife.

A pensioner who stabbed to death his wife of 52 years has died in custody.

Edwin Brown, 76, was sentenced to seven years prison at the High Court in Edinburgh in 2008 after he was found guilty of culpable homicide.

The Scottish Prison Service confirmed that Brown died in Dundee Royal Infirmary while a prisoner at Castle Huntly.

Brown, a retired industrial chemist and former Commonwealth Games cyclist, confessed to a 999 operator immediately after the killing in a chilling phone call.

He told the emergency services worker: "I've killed my wife."

When the operator said: "Sorry, you've killed your wife?" Brown replied: "Hopefully, with a bit of luck, yes."

The High Court in Edinburgh heard that "a somewhat chilling conversation" then took place over the phone from Brown's Highland home.

During it he explained he thought he had cut an artery at the side of her neck.

The court heard Brown made a 999 call to Northern Constabulary at 8.15pm on the day of the attack and promptly confessed to killing his wife.

Brown was originally charged with murdering his 74-year-old wife at their home at Hollycroft, Badnaban, near Lochinver, in Sutherland, on May 7, 2008. But the Crown accepted his guilty plea to a reduced charge of culpable homicide on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

Brown admitted killing her by struggling with her and repeatedly stabbing her and hitting her on the head and body with an ornament.

The court was told Brown had feared that his wife had been unfaithful 30 years earlier in their marriage.

A statement from the Scottish Prison Service said: "A prisoner from HM Prison Castle Huntly died at Dundee Royal Infirmary on Wednesday. Edwin Brown was convicted of culpable homicide at Edinburgh High Court. The police have been advised and the matter will be reported to the procurator fiscal. A fatal accident inquiry may be held in due course."

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