Pensioner who decapitated his partner acted 'out of pure hatred'

The 69-year-old has said the deceased was 'not the housewife she used to be'

Judith Nibbs, who was killed by her partner in April 2014

A jealous pensioner who decapitated his partner after she admitted seeing other men may have done so "out of pure hatred".

Demsey Nibbs is thought to have knocked his partner Judith unconscious before cutting off her head, trying to destroy it and flushing it down the toilet.

The 69-year-old admits killing Ms Nibbs but said he was acting in self-defence during a struggle, and was "out of his mind" believing she was a snake, the court has heard.

Jury members at the Old Bailey were told by the prosecution to "brace themselves" over details of the murder on 11 April 2014.

"Quite why the defendant decapitated Judith and then disposed of her head is not entirely clear but it may well be that he did it out of pure hatred at the sight of his wife's face," prosecutor Crispin Aylett QC said.

The pair lived on the Charles estate in Hoxton (Google Street View)

The pair, who never married but had two children and lived together in north London, began to argue after Nibbs grew angry at finding she was seeing other men, according to their son.

Kirk Nibbs told the jury: "I heard my mum say she had sex eight times. That was the first I was aware. My dad was really, really, really shocked. He was really hurt about what she did."

Nibbs reportedly said she was "not the housewife she used to be" after she began working at Hackney Council and going out with friends.

His 60-year-old partner predicted her own death to colleagues on the day of her murder when she said she feared she might be dead the following day.

Colleagues described her as "happy and smiley" and "always bubbly, very friendly and open-minded."

Nibbs reportedly dialled 999 after attacking his partner to report "a couple of dead bodies" before trying to turn the knife on himself.

A nearby paramedic and police officer arrived sooner than he expected, however, and prevented him from doing so - although he was then not well enough to be interviewed by police for a year.

Nibbs, who lived on the Charles Estate in Hoxton, denies murder and obstructing the coroner by disposing of her head, saying he was "defending himself" in a struggle.

The case continues.