ESTRANGED HUSBAND SENTENCED TO 24 YEARS FOR MURDERING WIFE IN BEDFORDSHIRE
Lee Anstice, 50, an estranged husband, was convicted of murdering his wife, Tracy Anstice, outside her parents' home in Flitwick.The prosecution detailed that on 26 August last year, Anstice, who had been living with his parents in Oxfordshire after being ordered to stay away from the family home, waited in a car near his wife's residence.
When Tracy arrived, he attacked her on the driveway with a knife he had purchased earlier that day in a supermarket.
He stabbed her four times, with one blow penetrating her heart, leading to her death.
The court heard that Anstice used his military training to carry out the killing 'with brutal efficiency,' and it was considered an 'aggravating feature' that the murder was committed in front of her parents and their 8-year-old daughter.
Despite his defense claiming he was severely depressed and hearing voices, Anstice was found guilty of murder and sentenced to 24 years in prison.
The judge, Richard Foster, emphasized his controlling and jealous nature and his refusal to accept the breakdown of the marriage, which was 'irretrievable.' Anstice had previously expressed an inability to accept that he no longer had control over his wife, and his actions reflected his attempt to assert dominance.
He had served with the RAF in the first Gulf War, and the court noted his military skills were used to ensure the fatal blow.
Tracy Anstice was a vibrant, caring individual who wanted happiness for herself and her daughter.
Her family released a statement expressing their grief, stating, 'justice has been done, but the day Tracy died will be forever etched in our memories, it was the day our lives were torn apart.
Tracy was a healthy, vibrant, loving and caring person who was very much loved by all her family and many friends.
All Tracy wanted was a chance for her and her daughter to be happy and was very much looking forward to her future.'
