gmb45
8th July, 2009, 07:27 AM
what a bitch !
Tracey Roffey leaves court, where she is accused of attempting to suffocate her disabled husband to death
A mother of three tried to suffocate her wheelchair-bound husband after learning insurers would pay a six-figure sum if he died, a court heard yesterday.
Tracey Roffey, 37, allegedly placed a pillow over her husband Gary's face as he dozed in bed before switching to a carrier bag while their three-year-old son was left in the car outside.
She is then said to have gone shopping and left Mr Roffey - who has the degenerative condition motor neurone disease - to die.
He was saved when two carers arrived at the couple's home shortly afterwards and called paramedics.
During the attack, Mrs Roffey allegedly ignored her husband's declarations of love for her, instead telling him that she could no longer stand to live with him.
The court was also told that, despite Mr Roffey's illness, the couple had never discussed euthanasia and that Mrs Roffey believed she would receive a ?350,000 insurance pay-out in the event of his death.
Describing the alleged incident yesterday, Mr Roffey, also 37, said: 'I was half asleep. I thought it was a burglar. I could hear Tracey crying and she started to suffocate me.
'She tried to stop me breathing, then dropped the pillow and put a Next bag over my head to kill me. She was trying to suffocate me.
'She was crying, "I cannot live like this any more". I was saying, "I love you, I love the kids - what are you doing? You'll go to prison".'
Gary Roffey claims his wife tried to kill him to get a ?350,000 insurance pay out
Chelmsford Crown Court heard how Mr Roffey was a ?28,000-a-year IT worker in the City before being diagnosed with motor neurone disease in May 2006.
The couple, who have been married for 15 years and have three children, two girls aged 14 and ten, and a three-year-old boy - moved to their home in Harlow, Essex, in 2007.
By the end of last year, Mr Roffey's condition had deteriorated 'significantly' and carers regularly attended the house. He also spent time in respite care in order to give his family a break.
Chelmsford crown court
Tracey Roffey is standing trial at Chelmsford crown court accused of attempting to murder her husband
On November 4, Mrs Roffey is alleged to have dropped her daughters off at school before returning home and leaving their son in the car outside.
The court heard it was then that she launched the alleged attack on her husband.
Prosecutor Richard Kelly said that when she realised the pillow wasn't working, she 'held a bag around his neck, saying, "I love you, I don't want to do this" and that she couldn't bear to see him like this any more.'
The court also heard Mrs Roffey had been on holiday to Spain alone two months before the alleged incident and that, after the break, would no longer have sex with her husband.
Mr Kelly said there was also a potential financial incentive lurking in the background. She believed she would receive ?350,000 if he died 'but it would, in fact, have been just short of ?200,000'.
Mrs Roffey, who has separated from her husband and is living in Loughton, Essex, denies attempted murder.
The case continues.
Tracey Roffey leaves court, where she is accused of attempting to suffocate her disabled husband to death
A mother of three tried to suffocate her wheelchair-bound husband after learning insurers would pay a six-figure sum if he died, a court heard yesterday.
Tracey Roffey, 37, allegedly placed a pillow over her husband Gary's face as he dozed in bed before switching to a carrier bag while their three-year-old son was left in the car outside.
She is then said to have gone shopping and left Mr Roffey - who has the degenerative condition motor neurone disease - to die.
He was saved when two carers arrived at the couple's home shortly afterwards and called paramedics.
During the attack, Mrs Roffey allegedly ignored her husband's declarations of love for her, instead telling him that she could no longer stand to live with him.
The court was also told that, despite Mr Roffey's illness, the couple had never discussed euthanasia and that Mrs Roffey believed she would receive a ?350,000 insurance pay-out in the event of his death.
Describing the alleged incident yesterday, Mr Roffey, also 37, said: 'I was half asleep. I thought it was a burglar. I could hear Tracey crying and she started to suffocate me.
'She tried to stop me breathing, then dropped the pillow and put a Next bag over my head to kill me. She was trying to suffocate me.
'She was crying, "I cannot live like this any more". I was saying, "I love you, I love the kids - what are you doing? You'll go to prison".'
Gary Roffey claims his wife tried to kill him to get a ?350,000 insurance pay out
Chelmsford Crown Court heard how Mr Roffey was a ?28,000-a-year IT worker in the City before being diagnosed with motor neurone disease in May 2006.
The couple, who have been married for 15 years and have three children, two girls aged 14 and ten, and a three-year-old boy - moved to their home in Harlow, Essex, in 2007.
By the end of last year, Mr Roffey's condition had deteriorated 'significantly' and carers regularly attended the house. He also spent time in respite care in order to give his family a break.
Chelmsford crown court
Tracey Roffey is standing trial at Chelmsford crown court accused of attempting to murder her husband
On November 4, Mrs Roffey is alleged to have dropped her daughters off at school before returning home and leaving their son in the car outside.
The court heard it was then that she launched the alleged attack on her husband.
Prosecutor Richard Kelly said that when she realised the pillow wasn't working, she 'held a bag around his neck, saying, "I love you, I don't want to do this" and that she couldn't bear to see him like this any more.'
The court also heard Mrs Roffey had been on holiday to Spain alone two months before the alleged incident and that, after the break, would no longer have sex with her husband.
Mr Kelly said there was also a potential financial incentive lurking in the background. She believed she would receive ?350,000 if he died 'but it would, in fact, have been just short of ?200,000'.
Mrs Roffey, who has separated from her husband and is living in Loughton, Essex, denies attempted murder.
The case continues.