Children cried 'Daddy's stabbing Mummy' as policeman stabbed wife and then hanged himself with dog lead

PC Lance Williams, 38, flew into a rage when his wife Wendy, 36, returned to their family home to collect their two children.

Dog-handler PC Williams dragged her into the hallway, punched and kicked her before stabbing her with a kitchen knife.

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The inquest heard the couple's children Elinor, 11, and Lewys, nine, fled from the house screaming: "Daddy's stabbing Mummy."

Neighbours then helped Mrs Williams stagger from the family home bleeding from wounds to her chest and hand.

Her husband's colleagues then arrived at the house and broke in to find him hanging from a dog lead.

The inquest heard PC Williams had also stabbed himself in the chest before hanging himself from the attic hatch.

Mother-of-two Mrs Williams told the hearing: "I promised Lance that even though our marriage had broken down I would never take the children away from him - he was their daddy.

"In the month we had been apart, there had only been three days when he hadn't seen them and that was because of his work."

The children were both living with Mrs Williams but spent much time at the father's modern detached house in Llandrindod Wells, Powys.

Mrs Williams said: "We had been married for almost nine years but had been apart for a month because of difficulties in the marriage.

"It was my birthday and Eli opened the door and said Lewys was finishing his tea. I waited in the hall and I saw Lance.

"I could see he did not look his usual self.

"He looked angry and his eye was bloodshot and he was aggressive. He told me to get off his land.

"I didn't want to get into an argument or confrontation. I just wanted to get the kids from there.

"He told me I had ruined his life. I told him not to be silly - I didn't want to argue in front of the children. That is when he grabbed hold of my wrist and pushed me to the floor.

"He started punching and kicking me in the head. I can remember the kids shouting: "Stop it, stop it." But he just carried on.

"I remember looking up at him and just seeing this fist punching me all the time."

Council office worker Mrs Williams blacked out for a moment and woke to see her husband with the kitchen knife in his hand during the attack last June.

She said: "It was cutting into my hand as he was trying to push it into my chest. I shouted at the children to go and get help. They ran out into the street."

Neighbour Amanda Lawrence said she then saw Lewys outside the house shouting: "Help my mummy, my daddy's trying to stab her."

After giving her evidence, Mrs Williams was questioned by her husband's sister Leigh Michelle over an earlier argument after they split.

Mrs Michelle said: "You called my home and the phone was put on loudspeaker. You were shouting and swearing at Lance - you used quite abusive language.

"You told him: 'You will never see the children again.'"

Mrs Williams admitted she had been "aggressive" but said her husband had been late returning the children and she didn't know where they were.

Another of PC Williams's sisters Adele Pitt said: "My brother was a fun-loving, caring man who was devoted to his two children.

"He was a well-liked and respected police officer. We were all stunned at the events which took place.

"We knew the strain he was under but we don't understand what triggered his uncharacteristic behaviour that day. No-one would have been more disappointed with his actions than Lance himself.

"He had been placed under great strain during the break-up of his marriage and wanted nothing more than to keep his family together."

Powys coroner Peter Maddox recorded a verdict of suicide. He said: "Sadly but not unusually, Lance and Wendy's marriage had been in difficulties but it is also clear that they dealt with this in a sensible and sensitive way.

"Lance was having regular contact with the children. Something occurred that day as a catalyst but we do not know what it was."