05 October 2006
A woman who killed her retired police officer husband has had
her legal battle for a widow's pension dismissed by the Court of
Appeal.
Carol Glover stabbed husband Michael in the heart with a kitchen
knife at their Stoke-on-Trent home on Boxing Day 1998.
Glover, then 48, who admitted manslaughter, was jailed for two
years at Birmingham Crown Court in May 1999.
She was told she would not be granted a widow's pension, but had
challenged the decision in the High Court.
Staffordshire Police Authority's reason was based on the common
law rule of forfeiture.
That means someone who has unlawfully killed another cannot
acquire a consequential benefit.
She has previously lost a crown court appeal against the
decision but took her case further.
In July, a High Court judge was urged to send the matter back to
the authority to provide an opportunity for the merits of her case
to be considered.
After hearing legal arguments, Mr Justice McCombe reserved his
judgment.
He made his ruling on Thursday at the Court of Appeal sitting in
Manchester.
