BT treasurer, 68, charged with murdering his wife of 42 years ‘was arrested at local pub after relative found the 66-year-old dying at home’
- Leslie Winnister, 68, appeared at the Old Bailey charged with murdering his wife
- Suzanne Winnister, 66, was discovered with severe head and neck injuries
- Police were called to couple’s £1.6million home in Bexley, London last Tuesday
- Prosecutors told court Winnister was ‘found in pub with blood stains on his shirt’
A senior BT executive charged with murdering his wife of 42 years was arrested at the local pub after a relative found her dying at home in Bexley, a court heard.
Suzanne Winnister, 66, was discovered with severe head and neck injuries when police were called to her gated £1.6million mock-Tudor property last Tuesday.
Her husband Leslie Winnister, 68, appeared at the Old Bailey, via video link from HMP Highdown, charged with murdering the retired bank worker.
Bill Emlyn-Jones, prosecuting, said: ‘The defendant was found in the pub, there were some blood stains on his shirt, that of his wife.’ He said Mrs Winnister had suffered ‘fatal injuries to the head and neck’ as a result of a violent assault.
Winnister has served as BT’s treasurer for 15 years and is currently registered as a director of the telecom giant’s property and investment arms.
Leslie Winnister (left) appeared at the Old Bailey, via video link from HMP Highdown, charged with murdering retired bank worker and wife of 42 years Suzanne Winnister (right)
A senior BT executive charged with murdering his wife of 42 years was arrested at the local pub after a relative found her dying at home in Bexley, a court heard
Judge Nigel Lickley QC told the Old Bailey in London: ‘It would appear that this incident arose for reasons that are yet to be explained.’
Winnister, a high-flying executive, has made public appearances with leading City figures for at least 15 years in his role as treasurer for the telecoms giant and he is currently registered as a director of BT’s property and investment arms.
Mrs Winnister’s body was found at 9.15pm by the partner of one of her nieces. He drove to the address after Mrs Winnister, who did not have any children, failed to respond to repeated attempts to contact her.
Police were called to the couple’s home at around 9.15pm last Tuesday. The London Ambulance Service pronounced Mrs Winnister dead at the scene.
A post-mortem examination held the next day gave cause of death as severe head and neck injuries, the Old Bailey heard.
Winnister, of Becketts Close, Bexley, was remanded in custody ahead of a plea and trial preparation hearing on November 30.
Police were called to the couple’s home in Bexley, south-east London, at around 9.15pm last Tuesday. The London Ambulance Service pronounced Mrs Winnister dead at the scene