Minister Murdered TV Make-Up Artist Wife

Breaking News

3:39pm UK, Monday March 02, 2009
A spiritualist minister has been jailed for life after being found guilty of murdering his Emmy award-winning make-up artist wife and dumping her body in woodland.



David Chenery-Wickens, 52, killed 48-year-old Diane Chenery-Wickens in January last year after she began to unravel his web of sexual and financial lies.

The 52-year-old was jailed for life at Lewes Crown Court and told he would serve a minimum of 18 years.

On the day she was murdered, Mrs Chenery-Wickens found out her husband had been cheating on her and had also dialled a gay chatline, Lewes Crown Court in Sussex heard.

A dog walker found the decomposed body of Mrs Chenery-Wickens in remote woodland off Worth Lane, Little Horsted, near Uckfield, last May, four months after she was killed.

Jurors convicted serial adulterer Chenery-Wickens, of Duddleswell, near Uckfield, East Sussex, of murder following a trial lasting more than a month.

Mrs Chenery-Wickens's credits included the BBC's Dead Ringers, The League Of Gentlemen and Casualty.

She won an Emmy in 2000 for Arabian Nights and received a Bafta nomination for Dead Ringers three years later.

Chenery-Wickens remained passive as the jury foreman read out the guilty verdict following 17 and a half hours of deliberation.

Members of Mrs Chenery-Wickens's family, including her mother, father, sister and brother, hugged each other following the verdict.

Passing sentence, Judge Mr Justice Cooke said Chenery-Wickens had lied repeatedly to his wife during the course of their "sham" marriage as he indulged his "sexual appetite" with other women and men.

Speaking of the night he murdered her, the judge said: "Whether it was a sudden loss of temper or in a controlled rage, you killed her, most probably by strangling her, though it's clear from the evidence that blood was spilt.

"You then disposed of the body either on that night or on the 23rd of January, knowing it was unlikely that it would be seen for a long time or ever."

Mr Justice Cooke said Chenery-Wickens went on to act out an "elaborate charade" as he reported his wife missing and "lied to all and sundry with ever-changing stories".

"You have continued to maintain the most preposterous lies to this jury," the judge went on, adding that aggravating features included the concealment of the body, the lies to police and her family and the attempt to blacken her character afterwards.

Mr Justice Cooke said Chenery-Wickens went on to act out an "elaborate charade" as he reported his wife missing and "lied to all and sundry with ever-changing stories".


Hmm well that rings some bells....

Ambersuz wrote:Mr Justice Cooke said Chenery-Wickens went on to act out an "elaborate charade" as he reported his wife missing and "lied to all and sundry with ever-changing stories".


Hmm well that rings some bells....

Doesn't it just?

The point here is that anyone can committ a murder. Be they ministers or even doctors.

Allstar wrote:The point here is that anyone can committ a murder. Be they ministers or even doctors.

Exactly. But for some reason people don't like to acknowledge that!