Estranged husband, 40, stabbed mother-in-law to death at home

Sebastian Mercante, 40, killed Carol Berry, the mother of his estranged wife, before jumping to his death from a multi-storey car park, Bradford Coroner's Court heard.

After fatally stabbing the 66-year-old divorcee and seriously wounding her son, Andrew Field, Mercante drove back to his hotel in Manchester to change his clothes before going to the nearby car park, where he spent several hours prior to taking his own life.

Mercante, an Argentinian and a former member of the French Foreign Legion, had been married to Elizabeth Claire Tootill, 31, and the couple had been living together in Tenerife since 2005.

But problems developed in their relationship, and she decided to leave the Spanish island and return to England after a visit from her mother.

The court heard that Mrs Berry and her son had been watching TV on March 5 this year when the security lights came on outside their home in Bradley Road, Huddersfield.

Mr Field, 36, went out to investigate and was confronted by a large man whom he initially failed to recognise as his brother-in-law.

A struggle ensued outside but it was only when the pair moved into the hallway of the family home that Mr Field recognised his assailant. His mother came to see what was happening.

When ambulance crews arrived they found Mrs Berry, a mother-of-four, on the floor bleeding profusely from a number of stab wounds.

Chief Insp Christopher Walker, of West Yorkshire Police, said : "Andrew Field answered the door and an intimidating and large man burst into the house and a struggle took place. He didn't realise who it was until later" – his estranged brother-in-law Sebastian Mercante.

Mr Walker told the court that Mr Field was "injured with a knife wound to the neck" and then his mother told him to run and get help, when he returned she was on the floor seriously injured.

Both injured victims were taken by ambulance to Huddersfield Royal Infirmary but Mrs Berry was pronounced dead later that evening. Mr Field, who underwent surgery, is now recovering.

At around 2am the next day West Yorkshire police received a call from police in Manchester that a body had been found outside a car park in the city centre.

Police officers went to the scene and confirmed it was Mercante. The car he had hired near his hotel was parked on the second floor of the car park.

The court heard that Mercante had arrived in the country on March 3, two days before the attack. Chief Insp Walker confirmed that the knife used in the attack was bought from a Manchester shop in that period.

He added that the police had received closed circuit TV footage of Mercante returning to the hotel were he changed his bloody clothing before he "went to the car park and stayed for several hours".

He said: "inquiries are ongoing to trace Mercante's family. He does have a brother, Hugo, in Buenos Aries. He has now left that address and there is a possibility that he has travelled to Tenerife. Spanish police and Interpol are investigating.''

Mrs Berry died from stab wounds to her neck, chest and abdomen while Mercante died from multiple injuries as a result of his fall, coroner Roger Whittaker said.

He adjourned the inquest "pending the finalisation of the investigation''.