what the neighbours saw on the night husband murdered his love rival

Christopher and Hilary Morrison, who live opposite the Hills’ family home, were long-time friends of the couple. Mrs Morrison also owns the house on Ashley Grove which Dr Shawcross had been renting.

Mr Morrison said that he was “very surprised” Hill turned up on his doorstep that evening to announce that Julie was leaving him for Dr Shawcross, as they had never discussed personal issues before.

He added: “He was very upset and anxious. He was ordinarily a very calm person.”

Sarah Evenden, who was dropping her mother Carol Firth off on Walseker Lane that evening, accidentally drove over some of Mrs Hill’s clothes that were lying in the street.

She said: “I told him I was so sorry that I had run over the clothes. He told me that, for all he cared, I could have driven over them a few times as they were his wife’s clothes and she’d been having an affair.”

Neighbour Helen Elcock tried to calm Andrew Hill down that night while Mrs Hill and her son George took refuge at her house. She said: “I asked Andrew why he thought Julie was having an affair with Colin Shawcross and he said, ‘well, it’s the money’. I said money wasn’t everything.

“He mentioned about getting a private registration plate for Julie, and a new sports car.”

Hill had put down a 200 payment on the number plate prior to his arrest. Dr Shawcross also had a private registration plate on his S-type Jaguar.