02/03/2009
Spiritualist Minister Jailed For Wife's Murder
A spiritualist minister has today been jailed for life for murdering his make-up artist wife and dumping her body in woodland.
David Chenery-Wickens, 52, killed his wife Diane in January last year on the day she discovered he had been cheating on her and had also dialled a gay chatline.
The 48-year-old TV make-up artist's decomposed body was found off Worth Lane, Little Horsted, near Uckfield, last May, by a dogwalker - four months after she was murdered.
Chenery-Wickens was found guilty of her murder at Lewes Crown Court in Sussex.
Jurors were told the prosecution was unable to say how, where and exactly when Mrs Chenery-Wickens died due to the length of time her body was exposed to the elements.
The court also heard Chenery-Wickens had several affairs behind his wife's back during their 11-year marriage.
On the day she was murdered, his wife who was alone at their home in Duddleswell, East Sussex noticed some mystery numbers on their shared bill. She called one of the numbers and it connected her to one of the women her husband was having an affair with. The second number she dialled was a premium-rate gay chatline called Mantalk.
Serial adulterer Chenery-Wickens was convicted of murder following a trial lasting more than a month.
Mrs Chenery-Wickens was an award-winning professional who had worked on the BBC's comedy and drama series Dead Ringers, The League Of Gentlemen and Casualty.
She also won an Emmy in 2000 for Arabian Nights and received a Bafta nomination for Dead Ringers three years later.
Chenery-Wickens was convicted of murder following a trial lasting more than a month, and will serve a minimum of 18 years behind bars.
(JM/BMcC)
David Chenery-Wickens, 52, killed his wife Diane in January last year on the day she discovered he had been cheating on her and had also dialled a gay chatline.
The 48-year-old TV make-up artist's decomposed body was found off Worth Lane, Little Horsted, near Uckfield, last May, by a dogwalker - four months after she was murdered.
Chenery-Wickens was found guilty of her murder at Lewes Crown Court in Sussex.
Jurors were told the prosecution was unable to say how, where and exactly when Mrs Chenery-Wickens died due to the length of time her body was exposed to the elements.
The court also heard Chenery-Wickens had several affairs behind his wife's back during their 11-year marriage.
On the day she was murdered, his wife who was alone at their home in Duddleswell, East Sussex noticed some mystery numbers on their shared bill. She called one of the numbers and it connected her to one of the women her husband was having an affair with. The second number she dialled was a premium-rate gay chatline called Mantalk.
Serial adulterer Chenery-Wickens was convicted of murder following a trial lasting more than a month.
Mrs Chenery-Wickens was an award-winning professional who had worked on the BBC's comedy and drama series Dead Ringers, The League Of Gentlemen and Casualty.
She also won an Emmy in 2000 for Arabian Nights and received a Bafta nomination for Dead Ringers three years later.
Chenery-Wickens was convicted of murder following a trial lasting more than a month, and will serve a minimum of 18 years behind bars.
(JM/BMcC)
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