Murder trial: Partner of cheating joiner kicks him out again

The partner of a cheating joiner kicked him out of their house for a second time just hours after he told a murder trial jury he had planned to set up home with his lover.
The scene of the stabbing in Makinson Avenue, HindleyThe scene of the stabbing in Makinson Avenue, Hindley
The scene of the stabbing in Makinson Avenue, Hindley

Mark Prescott said he was due to a view a bungalow with accountant Mandy Gallear on the day of her killing after their affair was uncovered days earlier.

Mrs Gallear, 42, did not make the appointment after she was stabbed to death by her husband, Stuart, 51, in the kitchen of their home in Hindley, on October 6 last year.

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Former warehouse manager Gallear has pleaded guilty to her manslaughter, but denies murder.

Mandy GallearMandy Gallear
Mandy Gallear

Giving evidence at Manchester Crown Court on Monday, Mr Prescott said he was now reunited with his long-term partner, Ann-Marie Croft.

But on Tuesday, Ms Croft told the court she had since kicked Mr Prescott out of their home.

Asked why, she explained: “Because my daughter showed me something on my phone, which was in the news, that he was going to view a bungalow with her.

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“I didn’t know that until yesterday. I threw him out last night.”

Mandy GallearMandy Gallear
Mandy Gallear

She confirmed both had travelled to court on Monday and knew they were giving evidence as witnesses but he had still not told her about the bungalow.

Ms Croft said she discovered the affair on October 3 when her adult children found text messages between Mr Prescott and Mrs Gallear.

She said she also kicked him out of the family home on that occasion and the pair separated for up to five weeks.

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Her son went on to tell Mr Gallear about the affair on October 5.

On the morning of October 6, Ms Croft said Gallear visited her home and said he understood they had both been cheated on for 18 months.

She said: “He walked in and we both just looked at each other. We didn’t say anything for a bit.

“He was just devastated and I was. We were like zombies.

“I said to him: ‘Are you going to get him?’ I wanted him to have a smack. He deserved a smack.

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“He replied: ‘Yeah I’ll get him and if I don’t I will get someone else to’.”

She said that Gallear had also told her: “I have to be careful, Ann-Marie, because she will have the children and end up with the house and I will have nothing.”

Ms Croft said Mr Prescott had initially denied the affair despite his phone containing photographs of Mrs Gallear and sexually suggestive messages between them.

She said he later denied the affair lasted 18 months, and said it was “six months, if that”.

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She added: “He told me that it was nothing and he had tried to finish it three times.”

The jury has heard that police found Mrs Gallear motionless on the kitchen floor with three deep wounds to her chest on the afternoon of October 6 after Gallear phoned for an ambulance.

Gallear told police he had “lost it”, and after being formally arrested he replied: “I’ve made a mistake. I accept the consequences.”

Mother-of-two Mrs Gallear was rushed to hospital but medics could not resuscitate her and she was pronounced dead.

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Earlier on October 6, Mrs Gallear told work colleagues at Chorley-based property developers Heaton Estates she was getting divorced and was planning to view a property for rent with Mr Prescott that day.