62-year-old woman stabbed her husband with an almost 20-cm knife; he died several days later. She faces life imprisonment

As a result of his injuries, the man died three days later. The woman was charged with murder. She is in pre-trial detention. The defendant and the victim had been married for 39 years. Four years ago, arguments began between them. The reason? They were short of money, and he abused alcohol, so the quarrels intensified.

Nevertheless, from 31 December of the previous year, the couple celebrated the arrival of the New Year together. On 2 January 2014, when the alcohol ran out, the victim ordered his wife to go to the shop for a new bottle. When she refused, he began pulling her hair. The woman fled to the kitchen. The victim followed her. Wiesława B. then grabbed a knife with a 19.5-cm blade and stabbed her husband in the abdomen and right thigh.

The man fell to the floor. The defendant wiped the knife and hid it in a drawer. She threw her husband’s T-shirt and the cloth into the rubbish. She did not call an ambulance

From 2 to 5 January, the victim vomited and complained of abdominal pain. During the night of 4–5 January, he fell in the kitchen. At 2:05 a.m., Wiesława B. determined that her husband showed no signs of life. She informed the neighbours, who called an ambulance.

An autopsy established that the abdominal stab wound had damaged the small intestine, leading to purulent peritonitis and, consequently, death. An expert determined that the lacerations and cuts around both hands indicated that they may have occurred when the victim was shielding himself from the blows and grabbing the knife blade. In her opinion, there had been a strong chance of saving the man.

B. was charged with murder. She was placed in pre-trial detention. During questioning, she partially admitted guilt. She explained that she had not wanted to kill her husband, but only to frighten him. She thought he was vomiting because he had drunk too much alcohol.

Later, however, she denied being guilty, saying that she remembered nothing.

She now faces a possible life sentence. The case will be heard by the court in Legnica.

District Prosecutor’s Office in Legnica/ii