A JURY in the trial of a Suffolk chef accused of murdering his 37-year-old wife by hitting her repeatedly over the head with a hammer, today heard closing speeches by prosecution and defence barristers in the case.

A JURY in the trial of a Suffolk chef accused of murdering his 37-year-old wife by hitting her repeatedly over the head with a hammer, today heard closing speeches by prosecution and defence barristers in the case.

Before Ipswich Crown Court is Colin Dorey, 43, of Bedell Close, Bury St Edmunds, who has denied murdering his wife Christine Dorey on January 3 this year.

He has admitted manslaughter, but this plea has not been accepted by the prosecution.

Today, Nigel Peters QC, prosecuting, asked the jury to accept that Dorey knew "exactly what he was doing" when he put a blanket over his wife's head and hit her at least ten times with a club hammer he had bought earlier that day from B&Q.

"We say you can dismiss any suggestion about lack of control which we say this defendant was exactly in when he killed his wife.

"We say you can be sure that murder is the proper verdict," said Mr Peters.

Graham Parkins QC, for Dorey, told the jury that although his client was now well, two psychiatrists had agreed that Dorey had been suffering from a depressive illness when he killed his wife.

"I'm not going to ask for sympathy, but for understanding in what was a human tragedy," he said.

He said at the end of the day a young woman has lost her life, three young children have lost their mother and a family has lost a daughter.

Mr Parkins said that Dorey has admitted manslaughter and therefore whatever the jury's verdict, he would not escape justice.

"He isn't going to walk away from this a free man."

The case continues.