David Barraclough sentenced to life for murdering wife

David Barraclough, 46, has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of his wife, Carolann Barraclough, 37, in Horbury, West Yorkshire. The court heard that Barraclough killed his wife with a claw hammer while she was in bed between February 19 and 21.

Following the murder, Barraclough hid Carolann’s body in a chest freezer and maintained a ‘web of lies and deceit’ to cover his tracks. He used her mobile phone to message relatives and their children, claiming she was in the hospital and recovering from an illness. During this period, he also emptied their joint bank account, contacted escorts, and downloaded the Tinder dating app.

Barraclough initially claimed he acted in self-defence, alleging his wife had attacked him with a hammer. However, prosecutors presented CCTV footage showing him appearing completely uninjured shortly after the incident. He eventually pleaded guilty to murder at Leeds Crown Court but refused to return to court to face the victim's family during sentencing. He is eligible for parole after at least 22 years and one month.