Adrian Prout and the murder of wife Kate - Case background

[Admin]

On 5 February 2010, Adrian Prout was convicted of murdering his wife Kate and sentenced to serve a minimum of 18 years in prison.

Although Adrian and Kate were still technically married, they had in fact decided to divorce before Adrian reported her missing 5 days after he last saw her on the 5 November 2007.

Just days later, Adrian was arrested but released on bail and spent five weeks staying with Kate’s brother while the investigation carried out an extremely thorough and painstaking search of his home, farm and vehicles which were seized to be examined. Over 100 officers, a forensic team and a sniffer dog were involved but didn’t find Kate or any evidence suggesting where she could be.

He remained on police bail for over a year until he was released from it without charge in February 2009. In a bizarre twist and without any apparent explanation, Adrian was again arrested a month later in March when he was charged with Kate’s murder.

Adrian has always denied the murder allegation and continues to protest his innocence. There is no reason to believe he is lying and every reason to accept that he is telling the truth.

[Admin]

Following the conviction, Kate's family appealed to Adrian to tell them what he had done with her body. Her brother Richard Wakefield, 59, from Lypiatt, near Stroud, said: “Nothing will bring Kate back to us, but we are pleased that justice has been done. We would, however, appeal to Adrian to tell us what happened to Kate and where she is because we would like to lay her to rest and say our goodbyes.”

During the trial Crown Paul Dunkels, prosecuting, said that the Prouts’ marriage had never been an easy one. He said that Mrs Prout had a volatile personality. “She could be rude, had a short temper and she would have tantrums. This was reflective in the character of her relationship with the defendant,” he said.

The couple met and married in 2000, when Prout was living in a caravan, and later bought Redhill Farm for £820,000. Mrs Prout felt that her husband spent too much time working and too little with her.

There was friction when Prout’s daughter from his previous marriage came to stay. Mrs Prout left diary accounts of violent rows during which her husband threatened to kill her.

On one occasion she wrote that he threatened to finish her off by pushing her into the empty swimming pool at their home.

After the verdict Neil Kelly, the acting Detective Superintendent who led the investigation, said that Prout had shown no remorse for what he had done. “We are pleased with the outcome of the trial as it marks a successful conclusion to a very lengthy and painstaking investigation,” he said.

“This investigation proved particularly challenging for the force because the body of Kate Prout has never been found. This has made what happened more distressing for her family, who have never been able to say a proper goodbye. Throughout the investigation and the trial, Adrian Prout has shown no remorse and has failed to assist the police in any way.”


http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article7016580.ece

[John]

Murder victim left £626,000 inheritance to millionaire husband convicted of her killing.

The wife murdered by her millionaire farmer husband left him more than £600,000 in her will, it was revealed today.  Kate Prout disappeared three years ago and her body has never been found but a jury found she had been killed at the her hands of her husband Adrian, 47.  He was convicted of murder and jailed for 18 years in February last year, but remained the main beneficiary of the 55-year-old's will.

It has subsequently been revealed that Mrs Prout left her killer a gross estate of £626,463 and when her affairs were settled that amount dropped to £626,190.

However, British law forbids Prout from receiving any of the money because he carried out the killing.

Jewellery belonging to Mrs Prout was left to her sister Elizabeth Hopwood, while the victim requested she be cremated in the event of her death.

The will, seen by the News of the World newspaper, also showed she anticipated possible problems with her husband in the event of her death.

She stated that if his 'gift fails for any reason', the estate should pass to members of her family and shared with Great Ormond Street Hospital and other charities.



New lover: Debbie Garlick with partner Adrian Prout at Bristol Crown Court before he was found guilty of murder.





Probate has now been granted to brother Richard Wakefiled, 59 and her sister Ms Hopwood.

Mrs Prout disappeared on Bonfire night 2007 after her husband had asked for a divorce.

Diary entries showed she was scared of Prout after a series of acrimonious rows and the later murder trial revealed he had an affair.

After his wife's disappearance, Prout began a new relationship with Debbie Garlick, who gave birth to their child shortly before he was jailed.






Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1347652/Murder-victim-Kate-Prout-left-626-000-husband-convicted-killing.html#ixzz1aIuiNm4D