Stephen Booth was jailed this week for a minimum terms of 22 and a half years for the murder of his wife in Shaw.

Susan Booth was struck 19 times with an axe outside her home on Hillside Drive in May this year.

Manchester Crown Court Crown Square heard Booth decided to kill her after being told he had to leave the home they had lived in while they were married before she left in 2017.

The 64-year-old took a taxi to the spot and told the police right away what he had gone.

The court heard what he told the police when interviewed.

Prosecutor David Toal said: “He was interviewed the following day on 5 May.

“He fully admitted the murder of Susan Booth.

“He stated they had been married for around 35 years, in April 207 she moved out from the home and she wanted a divorce.

“He stated he did not want the marriage to end, he was devastated when she left.

“Divorce proceedings had been on going, not finalised.

“By this stage he had not spoken to her for two years.

“She wanted half of the family home valued at £425,000.

“It had recently been sold for £452,000.

“He stated he did not want her to have half of the house he had built.

“‘He said ‘I built it myself.’

“‘She shouldn’t be able to by something for herself without me.’

“When he returned home from walking he made the decision to kill his wife later that evening.

“‘He said ‘if I went to prison it would not be any more painful than the pain I am going through now.’

“He mowed the lawn, drank tea, booked a taxi to take him to his wife’s address.

“He knew she was working and would arrive at 8.30pm.

“He took the taxi and arrived on Hillside Avenue at 7.30pm.

“He took with him an axe.

“He walked around and waited for her.

“He saw her at around 8.30pm and walked over to her drive.

“He grabbed her from behind.”

“He struck her with quite a bit of force.”

The prosecutor added the pathologist’s report backed up what Booth told the police, and it indicated she had been struck 19 times.

He said Booth later said to the police: “I feel remorseful about it.”

Booth, from The Paddocks in Churchfields in Audenshaw, was jailed for a minimum of 22 and a half years after pleading guilty to murder in court.