Cheating husband, 80, gets life in prison for murdering his wife, 77, by assaulting her with a hammer and setting her on fire, days after learning his old boyfriend, whom they met on holiday in Australia, was in fact his ex-lover. child with him

A retired engineer was today told he would die in prison for killing his wife, just days after confessing to an affair and a secret love child during their 53-year marriage.

Churchgoer David Clarke, 80, assaulted unsuspecting woman Helen, 77, with a hammer and then set her on fire, days after telling her 'out of spite' how he had betrayed her with a woman she had considered a friend. court ruled today.

Mrs Clarke, described as a 'loving grandmother', was left 'completely devastated' by the shocking news, which came after the couple traveled to Australia to meet his former lover and her family.

When they returned from the trip to their beautiful cottage on the Gower Peninsula, the couple argued and Mrs Clarke hit her husband with a picture frame and a cup of tea, Swansea Crown Court was told.

Four days later, the father of four – a former international pistol shooting champion – texted relatives to say: 'I love you.'

He then left with his wife for an early morning drive, saying they were going “to the beach.”

But during the journey Clarke stopped the car and hit his wife – who used a wheelchair – in the head several times with a hammer, prosecutor Michael Jones QC told today's hearing.

The retired businessman then threw paraffin on her body and set her on fire in the couple's Honda Civic.

A brave passerby tried to intervene but Clarke drove away before crashing into a hedge as flames burst from the car.

Mrs Clarke was able to tell firefighters that her husband was responsible for the attack on September 22 last year.

“He hit me twice with a sledgehammer, covered me in paraffin and set me on fire,” she said.

She was taken to hospital, where she tragically died from her injuries two days later.

When questioned in hospital about a bruise on his head, the court heard Clarke told a paramedic: 'My wife is not the forgiving kind.

'We have been married for 53 years, I had an affair 50 years ago that she only found out about a few days ago.'

Clarke later told his son on the phone about the attack from prison that he “hit her with the hammer to knock her out, but she just wouldn't come out.”

Mrs Clarke suffered extensive burns all over her body and nine head wounds as a result of the hammer blows with doctors telling her family her injuries were 'unsurvivable'.

Clarke had an affair with a friend of Ms Clarke – a woman identified only as 'L' – when the couple lived in Zambia, today's hearing was told.

He later confided the affair and his secret daughter to his son, David Clarke Junior, while living in Zimbabwe in 2003, but told him not to tell his mother.

Mr Jones said: 'He asked David Clarke Jr. to go driving with him, and during the ride the suspect started crying and told his son that he was having an affair with a woman in Zambia – a family friend called 'L'. – and he thought that affair had given him a daughter.'

The son “believed that nothing good could come from knowing his mother,” Mr. Jones said, although he did tell his own wife.

In 2023, Clarke sent a message to 'L' – who had then emigrated to Australia – despite her telling him to stop, the court heard.

He also texted pictures of 'L' to relatives, describing her as his 'soulmate' – and booked flights for him and his wife to travel Down Under

One of their stops on the trip was 'planned' by Clarke as he knew 'L' and her daughter lived in the area after becoming 'fixated in his belief that he now had other grandchildren', Mr Jones said.

“It appears that they met 'L' and her husband with Helen Clarke, completely unaware of the real reason for the defendant's meeting.”

Mr Jones said the couple were due to fly home on September 18 last year and Mr Clarke unsuccessfully begged 'L' and her daughter to invite them to the airport.

Messages exchanged on the Clarke family's WhatsApp that day made it clear he had told his wife about the historic affair, the prosecutor said.

She was “obviously and understandably devastated and angry,” he added.

“She accused the defendant of organizing the trip to 'L.'

The court heard Clarke committed the fatal attack on his wife four days later.

John Hipkin QC, defending, said Clarke had no previous convictions and may have been suffering from an 'adjustment disorder' at the time.

Judge Paul Thomas KC told Clarke, of Langland, Swansea: 'You have been an aggressive, sometimes violent husband under a veneer of apparent respectability for many years, both in Africa and recently in this area.

'Despite your profession of Christianity, your behavior in private has never matched your public image.

'Your infidelity with a woman in Africa had been hidden for about half a century, until last year you tried to rekindle an old relationship.

'You went to so much trouble to arrange a holiday to Australia with the hidden agenda of meeting a lady you had previously dated.

“When she wanted nothing to do with you, on the way home you spitefully told your wife about the affair, which of course led to an argument between you.”

Clarke was given a life sentence with a minimum of 21 years and eight months and was told he would die in prison.

“I cannot give a verdict that is likely to result in your release in due course,” the judge said.

“To coin a phrase, I can't utter a phrase here that would allow for a significant light at the end of the tunnel.”

Afterwards, Rebecca Carter, from the CPS, said: 'Helen Clarke was murdered by her husband, aged 53, in terrible circumstances.

“This has been a tragic case. Our thoughts and condolences go out to Helen's family at this difficult time.'

After the hearing, the devastated family spoke of their “unimaginable pain” since Mrs Clarke was “brutally taken from us” in what they described as a “private tragedy”.

“Our mother was a loving, kind and courageous woman who deeply cherished her family, her friends and the world at large,” they said.

“She was deeply committed to her faith, had a laugh that would set a room on fire, and had a deep appreciation for life and the beauty of the world.

'Her death in such a sudden and tragic way has been devastating; and our sorrow is immeasurable.

'The situation we find ourselves in highlights the complexity and fragility of the human mind.

'We have endured unimaginable pain since she was brutally taken from us – and our children dearly miss their grandmother, who was immensely proud of them.

“We continue to do our utmost to support and protect them as we navigate these very difficult circumstances.”

They expressed their gratitude to the public and emergency services who tried to save her from the burning car.

Chief Inspector Paul Raikes, of South Wales Police, said: “This has been a challenging investigation due to its nature and circumstances.

'To this end, I would like to express our condolences to the family of Helen Clarke and thank them for their cooperation and understanding during extremely difficult times for them.'