Suicide of West Yorkshire wife killer

A MAN hanged himself after killing his wife – decades after knifing and trying to smother his first wife’s alleged lover in Leeds.

Lorry driver Paul Knowles, 50, stabbed his wife Gillian, 51, in their home last May and posted a notice on his front door stating “Please call the police” before hanging himself.

When police arrived they found another note reading: “I murdered my wife Gillian Knowles today at 0200 hours.”

After an inquest, Mrs Knowles’s son Daniel McElroy revealed that two days before his mother was murdered, she said her husband had discovered she was having a relationship.

Recording a verdict of unlawful killing and suicide, Coroner Nicholas Rheinberg said: “Paul Knowles was very possessive and had a fiery temper. There was evidence of it and violence by him against his wife.”

In January 1993, Knowles was jailed at Leeds Crown Court for 29 months for wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm to David Naylor – the alleged lover of his first wife Amanda – after being acquitted of attempting to murder Mr Naylor.

That court heard that on November 3 1991, Knowles, then of Lea Park Close, Belle Isle, Leeds, stabbed Mr Naylor four times with two knives, bludgeoned him with an iron and a vacuum cleaner pipe and discussed funeral arrangments with his badly injured victim, before then attempting to smother him with a pillow.

At one point, he gave his victim water, stating: “I’m supposed to be killing you not saving you” - but said he would “finish him off” and stabbed him a fourth time in the chest before leaving the house.

The trial jury was told Mr Naylor had had a five-year relationship with Knowles’ sister Tracey, which had ended.

Shortly after, Mr Naylor began an association with Knowles’s wife Amanda.

Knowles spoke to the pair about the situation, but both denied that any affair was going on.

In November 1991 Knowles, his wife, Mr Naylor and other relatives attended a bonfire.

Knowles and his wife argued and he went home.

When Amanda returned, she was unable to gain entry and telephoned Mr Naylor and they spent the night together.

The following morning, Knowles saw Amanda and his wife admitted having a relationship with Mr Naylor and Knowles threatened to kill him.

Knowles and his second wife Gillian were found dead in their home in Chester.