An 86-year-old Hadleigh man who dragged his wife out of bed and tried to kill her because he didn’t want them to be a burden to their children has been given a suspended prison sentence.

Sentencing David Walmsley at Ipswich Crown Court, Judge Martyn Levett said he had carried out the attack out of “a genuine belief it was an act of mercy” and had told a psychiatrist that he had planned to kill himself shortly afterwards.

He said Walmsley, who admitted attempted murder, had written a letter to his children before the attack apologising for his “horrendous” actions and saying he and his wife, who both had health issues, didn’t want to be a burden.

Sentencing him to a two-year prison sentence suspended for two years with a condition that he resides in a care home in Bury St Edmunds, he said Mrs Walmsley had told police that there was never a suicide pact.  

Judge Levett said there didn’t seem to be any reason for the attack, but Walmsley, who had run a laundrette business with his wife of 60 years, had told a psychiatrist: “I decided to do it on the weekend, it was her birthday, and I should do it then.

“I thought it was our general understanding in my mind. Looking back now, I must have misunderstood things… I can’t make sense of it.

"It’s a horrendous thing that I did.  I must have thought it was the right thing to do. I would not do it if I had the time again. It was a foolish and idiotic thing to do, it was absolutely horrendous.  

“I love my wife. At the time I thought it was the only way to go. I wanted both of us to die together. I can’t remember if I thought we were going to die. I can’t understand why I thought that way”.  

He said that Walmsley, of Meadows Way, Hadleigh, had no previous convictions and had been in custody for 413 days.

He said Walmsley, who has mobility issues, had been suffering from depression and since the attack he had expressed remorse for what he’d done.

Judge Levett said the criminal justice system was currently experiencing an overcrowding crisis and he expressed concern for elderly prisoners who he described as “a hidden and little recognised” part of the prison population.

In addition to a two-year condition of residence in the residential care home, which was aware of his conviction, Judge Levett made a restraining order banning him from contacting his wife for five years.

Mrs Walmsley, who’d celebrated her 82nd birthday the day before the brutal attack, initially thought her husband was waking her up from a nightmare, said Riel Karmy-Jones KC, prosecuting.

After dragging her out of bed, Walmsley had climbed on top of her and repeatedly punched her in the face with clenched fists before hitting her head on the bedpost, attempting to strangle her and smothering her with a pillow.

During the attack, Mrs Walmsley had tried to fight him off.

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

In a call to 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 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 hadn’t been any discussion about a suicide pact.

Mrs Walmsley 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.

She said they’d been happily married for 60 years but prior to the attack she’d noticed he seemed depressed.

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

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”.

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”.