An 86-year-old Hadleigh man who dragged his wife out of bed and tried to kill her told police he’d been “naughty”, a court has heard.

Margaret Walmsley, who’d celebrated her 82nd birthday the day before the brutal attack at the couple’s Hadleigh home, initially thought her husband David was waking her up from a nightmare but what happened next became the nightmare, Ipswich Crown Court was told.

After dragging his wife of 60 years out of bed Walmsley had climbed on top of her and repeatedly punched her in the face with clenched fists before attempting to strangle her and smother her with a pillow, said Riel Karmy-Jones KC, prosecuting.

During the attack Mrs Walmsley had tried to fight him off by poking him in the eyes, biting his hand and grabbing his groin.

She later described the attack as “brutal” and said she had been terrified and fighting for her life.

Mrs Walmsley said that when her husband had given up the attack through exhaustion she had crawled downstairs and unlocked the front door and picked up an iron for protection.

 In a call to the police she said her husband had “beaten her up horribly” and she thought he had lost his mind and was trying to kill her.

The court heard that prior to the attack he’d written a letter in which he’d apologised to his children for the “horrendous actions taken by me”.

In the letter he spoke of his concerns about his and his wife’s health issues and said: “We don’t want to be a burden to you”.

The court heard that following the attack Mrs Walmsley, who described her husband as “gentle, very caring and kind” said she couldn’t believe what had happened.

She said she had told him she wouldn’t like it if she was left on her own but said there had been no agreement about their deaths.

She also said he’d done what he did because he loved her and mistakenly thought she wouldn’t want to be left on her own when it was more like he wouldn’t want to be left on his own.

She said they’d been happily married for 60 years but prior to the attack she’d noticed he seemed depressed because he was no longer able to drive and do the things he used to do.

She said she was a “coper” and since the attack she had been learning to “live like a widow”.

 She had joined the university of third age and some lunch clubs and swam and did yoga regularly.

After the attack Mrs Walmsley was taken to hospital and was found to have a cut under her eye, heavy bruising to her right eye, face, neck and upper arms.

After his arrest Walmsley, who had scratches on his face and bruised knuckles, said he’d been “naughty” and when shown pictures of his wife’s injuries said: “Oh god”.

 Walmsley, of Meadows Way, Hadleigh,  admitted attempting to murder his wife on May 28 last year.

Judge Martyn Levett adjourned sentence until Monday ( July 15).

Christopher Paxton KC, for Walmsley, who has no previous convictions, described the case as “truly exceptional” .

He described what happened as a “terrible crime” but said it was committed out of a “mistaken belief and out of compassion, love and mercy”.

He said Walmsley had  been in custody for 13 months and was currently in the health care wing of Norwich prison.

The couple’s daughter said her mother still loved and cared for Walmsley and wanted the best for him. However, she wasn’t sure if she wanted to see him again.