A JURY is expected to retire to consider its verdict today in the case of a husband accused of murdering his wife by shooting her in the chest.John Walker, 66, of Lodge Road, Great Bealings, has denied murdering his 63-year-old wife Glenda at their home on November 12, 2002.

JOHN Walker has today been found guilty of murdering his wife Glenda.

The jury in the case of a husband accused of murdering his wife by shooting her in the chest took just a few hours this morning to reach their verdict.

John Walker, 66, of Lodge Road, Great Bealings, had denied murdering his 63-year-old wife at their home on November 12, 2002.

He had admitted the shooting but his defence team argue he should be found guilty of the lesser charge of manslaughter as he was clinically depressed at the time.

However the jury found him guilty and he will now face a mandatory life sentence.

Judge John Devaux concluded his summing up of the case yesterday after prosecution and defence counsel made their closing speeches to the jury sitting at Ipswich Crown Court.

Karim Khalil, QC, prosecuting, repeated the alleged words of Walker to the emergency services after he had shot his wife.

"'Hello, my name is Walker and I have just committed a murder.' 'Why have you done that Mr Walker?'. 'I was overcome with anger'," he said.

"The prosecution say that is right. He had just committed a murder and was overcome with anger."

Mr Khalil said the defence would claim Walker was provoked by his wife immediately before the incident occurred.

"The prosecution say no. This is murder," he added.

But defence counsel Diana Ellis, QC, said she hoped to persuade the jury on the basis of the evidence heard that the verdict was one of manslaughter and not murder.