A woman who murdered her husband in a “ferocious attack” and hid his dismembered body in their garden has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 22 years.
Maureen Rickards, 50, stabbed Jeremy Rickards, 65, to death, then spent money on his bank card and concocted lies to try to divert suspicion away from herself.
Rickards got rid of evidence and the murder weapon has not been found, Canterbury Crown Court heard.
She had been abusive, violent and controlling in the build-up to the killing, the court was told, and his remains were discovered at their Canterbury address by police on July 11 last year, six days after he was reported missing by his stepdaughter.
On Wednesday, Mr Justice Kerr said Mr Rickards had suffered five stab wounds, including two through his heart, and it was clear that his wife had intended to kill him.
Prosecutor Paul Wakerley described the killing as a “ferocious attack”, adding the body was put in a bedroom storage cupboard before being wrapped in bin bags and moved into a large canvas bag, “possibly bought for that purpose,” and hidden at the bottom of the garden.
Efforts were then made to hide the body by using grass cuttings.
The judge said officers investigating her on suspicion of fraud for using his bank card found the body in a holdall after being alerted by an “overpowering odour” that “made them feel ill”.
Insights into their turbulent 27-year marriage became clear in video clips taken by Rickards, which showed her abusing, beating and mocking her husband.
She did not attend her final sentencing, but the judge directed his comments towards her, saying: “You filmed various incidents.
“Your videos also clearly show you threatening Jeremy, abusing him, using violence on him, and expressing an intention to kill him. He was in frail health and largely defenceless against you.
“Your voice can be heard in the background, threatening to kill him.
“He may have died on the ninth of June, the date you later told your daughter he had died.
“If it was not on the ninth of June, it was shortly after that he was stabbed to death in the attic room.
“He received five stab wounds, two of which pierced his heart.
“I am sure you intended his death and nothing less.
“The wounds could not have been inflicted by someone intending only really serious harm.
“You hid his body in the attic room cupboard, probably for some days.”
The judge said he was “sure” that when Rickards used her husband’s bank card to buy cleaning products, it was to try to get rid of blood from the carpet in the cupboard.
He added: “After the killing, you desecrated your husband’s corpse and took steps to conceal his body and remove forensic evidence from the attic room cupboard.
“You must have disposed of the murder weapon which was never found. ”
She also got rid of a her husband’s bank card, passport and even his wedding ring.
The judge said Rickards had not shown remorse, adding: “I do not know why you killed him. You will have to live with the loss of him.”
Gardeners had visited the property on June 26 and Rickards asked them to “leave the grass they had cut under some bushes”, the court had heard.
Mr Rickards’ body was later found in that location.
Senior investigating officer Detective Inspector Colin McKeen said: “Maureen Rickards carried out the vicious murder of her husband Jeremy before attempting to hide his body in their garden.
“She then sought to frustrate the investigation and has repeatedly refused to admit what she did, forcing a trial at which a jury saw through her deception.
“She will now serve many years in prison.
“I cannot imagine how difficult this investigation and trial has been for Mr Rickards’ family and I only hope that the conclusion of the case gives them some comfort as they continue to grieve.”
