Man accused of killing wife ‘cried when police said she did not love him'

Independent

11-02-2025

A hockey coach accused of stabbing his wife to death cried when police told him she had said she did not love him, a court has heard.
Egyptian national Mohamed Samak denies the murder of 49-year-old interior designer Joanne Samak in the early hours of July 1 last year, claiming she had stabbed herself 'repeatedly' before he found her slumped on a bed with a knife in her stomach at their home in Chestnut Spinney, Droitwich Spa.
Samak, 42, claimed his wife was suffering with mental health and alcohol issues but the prosecution in a murder trial at Worcester Crown Court allege he killed her after becoming interested in another woman and experiencing financial difficulties.
In a police interview on July 3 following his arrest on suspicion of murder, of which a transcript was read to the jury on Wednesday, Samak was told by officers that his wife had confessed to a friend that she did not love him and 'I wish I could divorce him'.
In response, Samak became upset, saying: 'She never said that. I wish she did. If she is not happy about our relationship, why is she not bringing it out? I bring out stuff.
'She never said to me anything about that, it is the first time I hear this.
'I left my career, my country, I left my family behind for her. She said she loved me, she said she didn't have any problems.'
Samak, a former Egyptian international hockey player and coach who had worked with the under-18 Welsh national team, was also questioned by officers about why he told them he had found his wife dead on the bed, before saying he saw her stabbing herself.
Officers put it to him that he changed his story that there were no noises from his wife after he was told a neighbour had heard an 'almighty scream' that lasted seven to ten seconds at around 3am.
He responded: 'I was frightened of the situation, I was scared. I didn't mean to lie.'
When asked by officers why it took him more than an hour to call 999 and if he used that time to 'try and work out how to cover up' what had taken place, he said: 'I tried to help, I tried to stop her.
'I didn't do it, I was in a very difficult situation.
'I stopped thinking. Everything was so quick.'
Samak denied that the couple had argued and that he had 'lost control', said he did not inflict the injuries on her and denied that they had money problems.
He also told police he would 'never ever' cheat on his wife, even though he had been speaking to another woman and had met up with her in London.
The trial was previously told that Samak had made a call to a debt advice service and shared worries about not being able to pay his portion of the household bills, which his wife would ask him to send to her every month.
In one WhatsApp message sent to her husband in December 2023, Mrs Samak apologised for being 'an old nag' as she reminded him he needed to transfer her money.
Analysis of his mobile phone had also shown he had made various searches for nightshift jobs in hotels, retail work and delivery driver jobs.
The trial continues.