Man appears in court accused of killing his wife

POLICE investigating the alleged murder of a woman at her home in Torquay have charged her husband with killing her.

Susan Cole, 54, was found dead at her house in Shelley Avenue last week. Her husband Michael Cole, 56, was immediately rushed to hospital with injuries of his own.

He has since appeared in court charged with the murder of his wife.

Police were called to the three-storey property early on Thursday, March 7, where they discovered Mrs Cole's body.

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Paramedics were called, but she was declared dead at the scene. Detectives released few details about the incident although it is understood she had been stabbed.

An inquest is expected to be opened this week.

Mr Cole was admitted to Torbay Hospital where he was kept under police guard. On Saturday morning he had recovered sufficiently to appear at Torquay Magistrates' Court.

He was committed to Exeter Crown Court for a preliminary hearing on March 22 and remanded in custody.

Police were called to the address at about 6.40am.

Scenes of crime officers carried out a forensic search of the property while detectives made house-to-house inquiries.

The investigation is being led by the major crime investigation team and the investigating officer is DCI Dave Thorne.

A neighbour of the Coles said: "They've always kept themselves to themselves and don't have many visitors.

"Whenever we do see them they are always very polite and friendly. I don't think they work.

"When I woke up at about 6.30am I opened the curtains and saw a police car and two ambulances.

"Obviously I knew something serious had happened because I saw the forensic people going in. It is quite a shock when something like this happens so close to you."