Husband stabbed wife to death after being freed on bail for strangling her

Prosecutors wanted Robert Lee, 51, kept in custody while awaiting trial for the alleged attempt to kill his wife Jane, but he was released by magistrates.

Six weeks later he seized her in the street and murdered her in a frenzied attack.

The failure to protect the mother of two was revealed at Sheffield Crown Court as Lee was jailed for life and ordered to serve a minimum of 19 years before being considered for parole.

The court heard that in the earlier attack Lee, who had a record of assaulting his partners in drink-fuelled attacks, straddled his wife, put his hands around her neck and told her "I will f****** kill you" before she lost consciousness.

Neighbours, alerted by her screams, called police but bizarrely they arrested her instead of him, believing she was drunk and could commit a breach of the peace.

In reality she was suffering from the effects of the attack.

Mrs Lee was locked in police cells until the custody officer noticed signs of strangulation and she was taken to hospital.

The casualty doctor said the marks on her neck were the worst symptoms of strangulation she had seen in 12 years.

After Lee was arrested he denied throttling her and said he acted in self-defence after she attacked him, but he was charged with grievous bodily harm with intent and remanded in custody.

Two days later, his solicitor persuaded magistrates it was safe to let him out pending trial.

Under the terms of his bail Lee was forbidden to contact his wife, but in November last year he lay in wait for her outside a house in Barnsley where she worked as a cleaner.

Nicholas Campbell, QC, prosecuting, told the court he was armed with a baseball bat and two knives.

She saw him as she went to get into her car and tried to run away.

He grabbed her and "frogmarched" her down the street as she screamed: "Please don't do this, Bob."

Annette Eaden, a passer-by pushing her grandson in a pram, saw Lee hitting her with the bat and "had the courage to intervene", telling him: "Don't do that to her."

Mr Campbell said Lee threatened Mrs Eaden with a knife when she tried to dial 999 and she ran away.

Moments later she watched from behind a hedge as Lee repeatedly stabbed his wife. He took her keys and fled in her car. By the time help arrived Mrs Lee was dead.

Lee drove 50 miles to Grimsby and was arrested several days later in the car.

Mr Campbell said the twicemarried defendant, who worked as a handyman, had five children from earlier relationships.

He said Lee's relationship with his previous partner ended violently when he grabbed her around the throat and squeezed. He was convicted in December 2004 of common assault.

Lee met his second wife Jane Gracie in 2005.

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Released to kill: Robert Lee had tried to strangle his wife weeks before he stabbed her to death after being bailed

The relationship hit problems due to his heavy drinking and she asked him to leave their home in Barnsley. They were reconciled and married in February 2007.

In May, Lee was arrested after assaulting his wife but she refused to give evidence.

In a statement to police at the time Mrs Lee said: "I feel scared and nervous. I have been a strong woman but it's knocking my confidence.

"His behaviour has made me worried what will happen if he drinks and flips again."

Lee was due to stand trial for murder and attempted murder, but pleaded guilty to both offences after the lesser charge was reduced to assault causing actual bodily harm.

Judge Alan Goldsack said the decision by magistrates to release Lee was "understandable" given the information they had at the time.