A HUSBAND has been charged with stabbing his wife and her new lover to death in a New Year’s Eve bloodbath. Martin Griffiths, 48, and Helen Almey, 39, were slain at the home she had previously shared with her headteacher ex Rhys Hancock in Duffield, Derbyshire. Friends said Helen, who had just left her husband, […]
A HUSBAND has been charged with stabbing his wife and her new lover to death in a New Year’s Eve bloodbath.
Martin Griffiths, 48, and Helen Almey, 39, were slain at the home she had previously shared with her headteacher ex Rhys Hancock in Duffield, Derbyshire.
Friends said Helen, who had just left her husband, was “just starting to get her life back together” but had to call 999 over Christmas after being threatened.
The trouble flared again at the New Year as she marked the occasion with her new partner.
Shocked neighbours heard someone yell: “They’re dead! They’re dead! What have you f******g done?” at about 3am.
Police arrived just over an hour later to find two “fatally injured” people in the three-bedroom home.
Helen bought the home in Duffield with her headteacher husband Rhys in 2014.
Her family today paid tribute to her, saying: “We are devastated at the loss of Helen who was a lovely, beautiful, friendly, bubbly and social person.
“We would like to thank people for allowing us privacy at this most difficult of times.”
Martin, a dad to a nine-year-old boy, had a “passion for adventure” and would often take his son on exotic hiking holidays.
His family added: “Martin was a lovely dad, husband, son, brother and uncle, who had a passion for adventure, running and a love of animals.
“He enjoyed travelling the world, mountain climbing and spending time with his two children.
“He will be greatly missed.”
Derbyshire Constabulary today confirmed it has referred itself to the IOPC due to the contact between Mrs Hancock and officers before the incident.
Neighbours today said Helen had dropped her children at her parents house half a mile away for a sleep over so they could go out.
One said: “I saw her on New Year’s Eve packing the kids into the car with their bits and pieces and driving off.
“Can you imagine anything worse for those poor children then waving goodbye to their mummy and then never seeing her again. It is heartbreaking and absolutely devastating and unbelievable.
“We heard Helen and her partner went out for the evening and then returned home, to her marital home where she lived alone with the children.”
Helen and Rhys, who had three children under the age of ten, split several months ago when she ended the relationship.
He was appointed last year as the headteacher at Stanton Vale Special School in nearby Long Eaton.
One local said: “My neighbour heard screaming and shouting coming from the house and outside the property at around 3am.
“My neighbour said he heard someone shouting, ‘They’re dead! They’re dead! What have you f***ing done?’ over and over.”
Another former neighbour, who did not want to be identified, said: “The marriage was on and off. I lived close enough to know what went on and so did some of the other neighbours.”
Crime officers searched the £415,000 home yesterday and a grey Seat thought to belong to Hancock was taken away.
Another grey Seat, thought to be Ms Almey’s, and a Honda Civic, believed to be her boyfriend’s, remained on the drive.
Neighbours in the village – which counts Derby FC footballer Tom Lawrence among its residents – yesterday described their shock.
A former school pal said: “Helen was a lovely girl. She was very popular at school and very sporty and played lots of netball.
“Duffield is a very small place where everyone knows everyone so we are all in complete and utter shock.
“We can’t stop thinking about her poor children.”
Rhys Hancock, 39, has been charged with two counts of murder and will appear at Southern Derbyshire Magistrates Court tomorrow morning.
