Mother of two found guilty over husbands death court report(1)

Mrs Alex Horton-Smith was sentenced to 18 months in prison today after being found guilty of the manslaughter of her husband John Horton-Smith at their home on the 27th of May.

Attending police officer Pc South, who already knew the family, was first on the scene and found Mrs Horton Smith sat at the bottom of the stair case. “Sorry Eddy was hoping it wasn’t going to be you.” was her first words.

Prosecuting council, Mrs Cloves said that Mr Horton-Smith had been found shortly after 9.00pm after a call that Mrs Horton Smith herself made at 8.57pm He had sustained one shot in the chest and one shot to the back. Evidence suggested the first shot hadn’t killed him instantly. Mrs Cloves went on to say that Alex Horton-Smith had “shot him twice within a 20second interval and had made no attempt to save her husbands life.”

James McKenzie, duty pathologist said that due to the location and remoteness of the Horton-Smith family home there had been no chance of survival after the second shot was fired.

Alex Horton Smith, who had studied journalism, had lived with John’s brother Robert while at university. She had moved in with John when she had got a job in radio. They later went on to marry when she fell pregnant.

The jury heard how John suffered from depression which was aggravated further when his crayfish business fell through duty to contamination. According to Mrs Horton Smith his depression lead on many occasions to violent behaviour towards her and on many occasions this was often of a sexual nature.

Alex Horton- Smith told the court that on the day that John had died, details had been disclosed to him regarding an alleged affair between Mrs Horton-Smith and Robert Horton- Smith. Robert Horton-Smith fiercely denied any such allegations.

Mr Horton-Smith went on to say that after sending her children to bed early. She had got the gun from the kitchen because she “feared another attack was inevitable,” due to the mood that John was in that evening.

Defence counsel Mr Prestwick suggested that Mrs Horton-Smith had merely wanted to stop all the violence from happening, he went on to say how she had given up everything for her husband she was just protecting herself and her children.

Mrs Horton Smith has already served 9 months of her 18month sentence in custody.