Wife of police officer accused of murder expected 'death message' from his colleagues, court hears
THE wife of a PC accused of murdering his lover of 10 years expected a knock on the door by his colleagues to tell her he was dead after he went missing for hours on the day of the tragedy, a court has heard.
Martha Brehmer said in a statement read to Salisbury Crown Court that she had become increasingly worried after her husband Timothy Brehmer, from Hordle, failed to return home for a family barbecue on 9th May this year.
He said he was popping to his office and to visit an elderly woman in Sway for whom the couple had been caring during the pandemic.
At about 2.45pm he had sent her a message saying “On my way, fast as possible” but still failed to arrive. At about 3pm she received a text message from her husband saying he had been “cheating” on her.
She said she spent hours calling him and texting him but getting no reply, adding: “I was getting sick with worry.”
She rang his work where a colleague of Brehmer told her there had been an incident and officers were on their way to her home.
Mrs Brehmer said in her statement: “I thought they were going to pass the death message to me. I asked if he was dead.”
When they arrived, she was told her husband had been detained and was in hospital. Unbeknown to Mrs Brehmer, her husband was being treated for knife wounds in the car park of the Horns Inn in West Parley, near Christchurch.
He had gone there to meet his lover of 10 years Claire Parry. Brehmer has admitted manslaughter her but denies murdering her.
Passer-by Rachel Bartlett told the jury she had seen Brehmer sitting near the entrance to the pub covered in blood. She went to his aid and called 999. She said Brehmer had told her he had been stabbed.
Mrs Bartlett said she could see two cars parked up and asked him if there was anyone else injured. But he didn’t answer. Her husband then saw Mrs Parry lying motionless.
Mrs Bartlett said that as she waited for the ambulance Brehmer was sobbing and telling her he would not be able to see his seven-year-old son again.
First-aider Mark Herridge went to help Mrs Parry and found her hanging out of the driver’s door of the car.
The trial continues.
