Supervision order for man after wife’s death

A man has been handed a two-year supervision order after a jury found he unlawfully killed his wife, Delia Haxworth, 85, at their home in Bath on Tuesday 18 June 2024.

A two-day “finding of fact” hearing was held at Bristol Crown Court in September 2025 as William Haxworth, 88, of Upper Lansdown Mews, was not fit to stand trial.

Mr Haxworth appeared before His Honour Judge William Hart at the same court on Friday 19 December.

HHJ Hart explained that his options following a finding of fact hearing were limited by law, and that there was no question of conviction or punishment as there had been no attempt to prove the other ingredients of the offence of murder.

He said that the two-year supervision order, the maximum allowed, would include supervision by both a probation officer and a registered medical practitioner.

HHJ Hart said that Mr Haxworth had had a “fixed belief” that Delia was suffering from a “very serious if not terminal” illness. He described the circumstances as “most tragic” and gave his condolences to “all who knew and loved Delia and those who care for and love you”.

Police were first alerted when concerned members of the public reported concern for the welfare of a distressed older man in Bennett Street, Bath. The court had heard that the man – later identified as Mr Haxworth – told those trying to help him that he had killed his wife, and now it was “his turn”. He repeated the remark when police arrived.

Officers went to the couple’s home and, sadly, found Mrs Haxworth deceased.

Despite his initial comments, Mr Haxworth gave officers no account of what had happened. As he was deemed unfit to stand trial, no defence case was presented.

A postmortem examination established that Mrs Haxworth had died from suffocation, with evidence of smothering.

Detective Superintendent Tom Herbert said: “Delia’s unexpected death was not due to natural causes. Medical evidence showed that although she had some recent health issues, she had no terminal illness. The jury, after hearing the evidence from a thorough and necessary investigation, unanimously agreed that she was unlawfully killed by her husband.

“This is a tragic case, and our sympathies remain with the Haxworths in their loss.”