Murder suspect Ivan Esack admits manslaughter
by
Keith Hunt
An ex-police officer who killed his estranged wife at her
hairdressing salon has formally admitted manslaughter.
Ivan Esack (pictured left) denies murder, claiming his
responsibility was diminished because he was suffering from a
recognised mental condition.
After the 38-year-old former detective entered his guilty plea
to the lesser charge Judge Charles Byers told the jury of eight men
and four women: “That means the only issue for you to decide is
whether, in fact, this is a murder case or whether it is a
manslaughter case.”
Oliver Saxby, defending, said Esack would not be giving evidence
and the judge issued a warning that jurors could, if they thought
it proper, draw an adverse inference as a result.
CCTV footage has been shown at Maidstone Crown Court of Esack’s
movements before he stabbed his wife Natalie at the salon in
Ashford High Street on the morning of April 30 last year.
Esack could be seen entering Sainsburys supermarket in the town
and selecting a knife and some chicken before paying at the
self-service tills.
Cameras recorded Esack leaving at 9.25am. He then drove to an
NCP car park at County Square, left his car and walked into Tufton
Street.
He turned into Church Path by the churchyard and passed by the
rear of Esack Hair and Beauty and entered at the front.
There was no footage of what happened inside but
moments later at 9.36am hairdresser Chelsea Ford, 17, could be
heard in a distressed state as she ran from the salon into a shop
next door.
Cameras then pick up Esack retracing his steps back to the car
park and driving out to go home to Rosewood Drive, where he was
arrested soon afterwards.
Jealous of Natalie’s new relationship, he is alleged to have
launched the attack after making a series of threats to kill
her.
Miss Ford was the only other person in the salon as Esack
plunged the blade into Natalie, 33, up to 11 times as she tried to
escape into the basement.
The teenager was to tell police how Esack calmly walked out of
the salon declaring: “She deserved it, the bitch.”
She said she had heard him tell Natalie on a previous occasion
she was “a dead woman walking”, adding: “Tick tock, tick tock.”
The trial is continuing with psychiatric evidence.
04/01/13
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