Shopkeeper denies murdering postmistress wife

Robin Garbutt, 45, is accused of bludgeoning 40-year-old Diana three times over the head as she slept in their living quarters above The Village Shop and Post Office in Melsonby last March.

The prosecution at Teesside Crown Court allege Garbutt killed his unfaithful wife then pretended an armed robber did it before raiding the safe.

The jury has heard the couple had £30,000 credit card debts yet went on expensive weekend breaks.

Jamie Hill QC, defending, opened the defence by asking: “Mr Garbutt, did you kill your wife?” The 6ft defendant, softly spoken with a slight speech impediment, replied from the witness box: “No, I would never hurt Di.”

He said he grew up near York and was managing director for a family business when he met his future wife. She worked for Group 4 as a security officer in magistrates and crown courts. He said they decided to buy the post office so they could spend more time together.

The court has heard Mrs Garbutt had become involved with three men - becoming “intimate” on the sofa with one, sharing sexual banter on Facebook with another and apparently kissing a third - her cousin’s husband.

The defendant said he became “upset” when his wife confessed to him she had shared a kiss with a man on the settee. This was described by Mr Hill as a “sexual encounter”.

Garbutt said he did not know about his wife flirting on Facebook with a local called Craig Hall and told the court that she had denied relatives’ claims that she kissed her cousin’s husband.

He became emotional when he said: “We had the best relationship. I thought we were a loving couple and I miss her terribly.”