Husband arrested on suspicion of murdering wife held in hospital

A man arrested on suspicion of murdering his wife and fleeing to Exmoor has been taken to hospital.

Richard Newton was tracked down to Dulverton in west Somerset on Monday, the day after the body of his wife Suzanne Newton was found at their home in the Bowerhill area of Melksham, Wiltshire.

Police arrested him on Monday morning and took him to Taunton police station, where he was assessed and then taken to hospital, rather than being taken back to Melksham to be questioned over the death of his wife.

The 51-year-old is expected to remain in hospital, under police guard, for ‘several days’. A spokesman for Wiltshire police said: “As is procedure with all detainees, the man was assessed at the custody suite and treatment was deemed necessary.

“He is likely to be discharged in a few days and upon release from hospital will be taken to Melksham Police Station for interview.”

Flowers were still being laid yesterday at the house in Bowerhill, which remains cordoned off for forensic tests. Among the tributes was one from Mrs Newton’s work colleagues at Darren Guinness Associates, a recruitment company in Calne.