A 68-year-old man armed himself with a 12-inch kitchen knife and laid in wait at a cemetery before stabbing his ex-wife to death at the graveside of their son, a court has heard.
Martin Suter, of Lee-on-the-Solent, pleaded guilty to the murder of 71-year-old Ann Blackwood at Crofton Cemetery in Stubbington, Hampshire, on July 24 2023, which would have been the 36th birthday of their son Christopher.
The court heard that Christopher took his own life in 2003 and the couple had divorced in 2004.
The defendant admitted his guilt on the first day of his trial in May 2024 but the case is only now proceeding towards sentencing after a trial on separate indecent assault charges concluded.
He pleaded guilty in May 2023 to one offence of indecent assault of a girl under 14 years but was later acquitted of six further charges at Bolton Crown Court.
A Newton hearing is being held at Portsmouth Crown Court to determine whether Suter took the kitchen knife to the scene and whether he intended to kill Ms Blackwood or cause grievous bodily harm.
Robert O’Sullivan KC, prosecuting, said Suter drove his Mazda MX5 car to the cemetery and arrived with a bunch of flowers at about 10.30am, about five hours before his ex-wife.
Analysis of phone GPS data showed him at the cemetery at 10.30am and again at 2.30pm.
He said: “The defendant armed himself with a large kitchen knife from his home address and he took it with him to the cemetery that morning while he laid in wait to attack Ann Blackwood, rightly anticipating she would visit her son’s grave that day.”
He said that Ms Blackwood arrived by bicycle at about 3.30pm and as she approached the grave of their son, who took his own life in 2003, Suter attacked her.
Mr O’Sullivan said: “The defendant stabbed her in the back with a kitchen knife and, the blade having broken off, he repeatedly stabbed her in the neck with a pair of scissors that she had brought with her to cut the flowers she had planned to put on her son’s grave.”
He said that at 3.39pm, Suter called 999 and told police: “I have just killed my ex-wife, I have just stabbed her to death.”
Mr O’Sullivan added: “He said his life had been ruined by the deceased and he blamed her for his son’s suicide.”
The prosecutor said Suter then called his second wife, Diane, and told her he had murdered Ms Blackwood and, referring to the indecent assault conviction, said: “I know I am going to prison, I may as well go for this.”
Mr O’Sullivan said Ms Blackwood had suffered multiple stab wounds but no “defensive wounds” which Home Office pathologist Dr Basil Purdue suggested meant that she had been “taken by surprise or overwhelmed by the attack”.
The court heard Suter had refused to attend the hearing and had told prison officers at HMP Winchester that he believed the Newton hearing was “inappropriate” because he had a “moral right to a fair trial by jury, without duress”.
The family of Ms Blackwood, who lived in Lee-on-the-Solent, said in a statement released through Hampshire Constabulary: “Her daughter, brothers, their families and all her friends are absolutely devastated by the loss of Ann Blackwood.
“A loving, caring, kind-hearted mother and friend who was very popular in her local community, she was enjoying her retirement with an active lifestyle which included tennis, sailing, cycling and music.”
The hearing was adjourned to continue on Friday.
The sentencing of Suter has been listed for November 21 with Judge Michael Bowes KC set to give his ruling on the Newton hearing on November 7.
