THE mum of Ann-Marie Pomphret has told a court that her daughter’s killer husband ‘deserved a medal for putting up with his wife’.

David Pomphret bludgeoned the 49-year-old, known as Marie to her friends and family, to death by hitting her in the head with a crowbar more than 30 times at a stables in Burtonwood in November last year.

But the 51-year-old, of Masefield Drive in Winwick, denies murder – having instead pleaded guilty to manslaughter ‘due to a loss of control’.

Warrington Guardian:

Police at the scene on Old Alder Lane

Liverpool Crown Court heard evidence from Carol Buckley, Ann-Marie’s mum, during the fourth day of his trial today, Thursday.

In a statement read to the jury, Ms Buckley said: “David was an angel.

“He deserved a medal for putting up with Marie.

“I could not have wished for a better son-in-law or dad for Megan.”

The statement described Ann-Marie as the ‘driving force’ in the relationship, the couple having married in 1997 and shared an interest in horses.

Warrington Guardian:

Ms Buckley added that her daughter could easily ‘take the huff’, blocking her on Facebook at times.

Kenneth Crane, Ms Buckley's partner, also gave evidence to the court today.

In a statement, he said: “Marie, I would describe as a Jekyll and Hyde character.

“She was like a volcano, she could erupt at any time without warning.

“I would describe David as a very quiet bloke, he would never talk or chat.”

Warrington Guardian:

‘Beloved’ mum Ann-Marie suffered catastrophic head injuries during the attack at the couple’s farmland on Old Alder Lane on the evening of Friday, November 2 2018.

Defence barrister Richard Pratt told the jury earlier this week that his client, a technology expert at Barclays, was a ‘quiet man who finally snapped’ after sustained periods of verbal and physical abuse at the hands of his wife.

The trial continues, and is due to last until the end of next week.