Morning:
6°c
Case prompts domestic violence call
21 Aug 2010- Tributes paid to Whitney Houston
- Athens riots as cuts vote looms
- Andrew Lansley must go, says Hughes
- Hunt warns over racism in football
- Tom Jones kicks off Baftas bash
- Arabs call for UN force in Syria
- Drivers warned over icy conditions
- Fuel removal operations under way
- Jet diverted after cockpit attack
- Jagger and Macca grace pop charts
Police have appealed for victims of domestic violence to come forward and "break the cycle of abuse" after a man who strangled his wife to death was convicted of manslaughter.
Ronald Tyler, 47, throttled mother-of-five Julie McKinley, 40, two months after being released from prison for a previous attack on her, before calling 999. Tyler told emergency services where to find her body but said to "be careful" as there were four children asleep at the property.
Ms McKinley's body was found in bed in the same room as her 22-month-old son, at the couple's home in Finsbury Park, north London. Her eight-year-old daughter, who was in another room with two younger sisters, shouted out "she's in there" when officers arrived.
Jurors were told that Tyler killed his wife following a row after she returned home from a party in the early hours of December 31 last year. The Old Bailey heard that he was "obsessively jealous" and he claimed he strangled her after she told him their baby was not his.
On Thursday Tyler was cleared of murder but found guilty of manslaughter on the grounds of provocation by a 10-2 majority.
Officers have urged victims of domestic abuse to come forward.
Metropolitan Police Detective Inspector Colette Smyth said: "Whilst it is not known what Tyler's children may have seen or heard that night, what is certain is that the consequences of his actions will live with them forever. As always our thoughts are with the children and their relatives. I would urge any victim of domestic violence to come forward to police and break the cycle of abuse."
The court heard Tyler had convictions for 44 separate offences since 1977, 14 of which were for violence or threatening and abusive conduct - four of them involving his wife. There were also 20 other reports made to police by Ms McKinley between 1996 and 2009 of alleged violent or abusive behaviour which she did not pursue.
In addition, Tyler admitted to a psychiatrist that he had "slapped" three other women during three previous "turbulent" relationships.
Tyler will be sentenced on August 23.
