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‘I just wished she’d got coffee,’ Michael Davies told police. ‘I was fighting with “leave her go” in my head but I couldn’t stop’

17:19, 03 Sep 2026

A man told police he was “cuddling” his wife in the moments before he strangled her to death. Michael Davies said he fought his impulses but “couldn’t stop” squeezing the neck of Tracey Davies.

Mr Davies, a 58-year-old security worker, denies murdering his 48-year-old wife. He has admitted manslaughter but pleaded not guilty to murder on the basis of diminished responsibility.

Mrs Davies was found dead on April 18 last year at her home in Bryn Terrace, Cefn Cribwr, Bridgend county. Her body was on her bed while Mr Davies was slumped against the door with self-inflicted stab wounds, Newport Crown Court heard.

Thursday’s evidence began with prosecutor Mark Cotter KC reading a transcript of a police interview of Davies. It was his fourth interview since his arrest and he had largely answered “no comment” in all of the previous three.

At the start of the fourth, though, Davies was asked if he had killed his wife by strangling her before stabbing himself. “I did, yeah,” he replied.

He told police his wife had woken at around 7.40am that day. “I had slept in the bed that night,” he said. “I had slept there all week.

“She said she would get up and make us coffee. She went to the loo and I thought she was going to make coffee. However she came back in the bedroom and lay in bed with me.

“We had a cuddle and as we were cuddling she was lying on her back and I just sort of got up on my knees and put my knees on her shoulders and put my hands on her neck and started squeezing.”

The heavy-set defendant, wearing a suit and tie in the dock, showed no emotion as the transcript was read out.

“It wasn’t a rage,” he told police in the interview. “It just came to me to do it. I hadn’t hallucinated that night. I had a sleeping tablet that night but I weren’t [sic] doing it to get back at her for anything.

“My rationality wasn’t there. I just wished she’d got coffee. It was as if it had no feeling to it. I think she was holding my hands, trying to stop my hands on her neck. I was fighting with ‘leave her go’ in my head but I couldn’t stop.”

Davies said he was sitting on his wife’s chest while his knees pinned her arms down. He did not know “what part of me was working”, he added.

“I just seemed to want to hold her neck. I wasn’t screaming or shouting. I was just holding her neck. I kept the pressure on her neck. She did struggle. I just didn’t understand what was going on.

“She stayed in that position for I don’t know how long… I loved Tracey to bits but I just didn’t have any understanding of what was going on in my hands or why I was doing it to a woman I loved… I just wanted to keep strangling her.

“I was in such a state. I didn’t blame her for nothing [sic]. I wasn’t screaming. I didn’t want to hurt her, I just wasn’t in control. I completely lost the time length and I had no sort of understanding of what Tracey was going through… I wanted to protect Tracey all my life since I’d known her.”

Davies said he believed he had “let her move” but had then “got back on top of her” and continued to strangle her.

One of the interviewing officers asked why he had let his wife move and whether he had wanted her to struggle. Davies replied: “Perhaps I stopped her moving.”

He said he went downstairs to get his tablets and some water from the kitchen. He took a quantity of Tramadol pills – a strong painkiller – and a similar amount of paracetamol.

“I was panicking seeing the state she was in,” he said. “As I took the medication I had an overwhelming feeling to get the knife from the kitchen.”

After going back upstairs he lay on the bed next to his wife, he said, adding: “She slipped down to the floor at the edge of the bed and I had this feeling that I had to put the knife in me.”

He said he first pushed the knife into his throat and then twice into his left breast. “I felt the stuff I had taken was having an effect on me and for some reason I pulled the knife out,” he said.

“I just wanted to be gone. I don’t remember people coming into the house. The next thing I remember is waking up in the Heath hospital on the Saturday.”

Family members had attended the property on the Friday due to a lack of contact from the couple.The court heard Mr Davies was lying unconscious against the door and Mrs Davies was kneeling down, flopped over with her bottom half hanging off the bed and her face on the pillow.

The defendant had been working for a security firm in Abu Dhabi but had returned to Wales on April 11 because he had been struggling with mental health issues including “hallucinations”. Family members, including Tracey Davies, were concerned for his welfare after he reported feeling depressed and anxious.

He said he was in his third week of taking antidepressants and the night before killing his wife he had taken a sleeping tablet. That night he got three or four hours of sleep, which he said was better than usual as he had been “a bit of an insomniac” due to his stress.

Davies described himself as a “good person” who had not been able to fight his “negative thoughts”. He said he had stopped eating due to his depression.

He added: “It was work, money, Tracey. We had issues in some parts of the house and didn’t have the money… It was on my brain constantly, the thought of finishing out in Abu Dhabi and coming back to the UK to work… I couldn’t rationalise it. It was all one big storm cup.

“I was trying everything. Medication, breathing, walking, reading. I had good days and bad days. Work gave me a week off to rest, which I thought was what I needed.

“For the first couple of days I had a brilliant time. She worked from home, I felt relaxed, we had chilled… I was very apprehensive because I was going back on a flight a week later.

“In my mind I was going back and it would be another couple of months before I’d see her again. I couldn’t rationalise my thoughts.”

He claimed it was never his intention to kill his wife. Asked what his intention had been, he replied that he did not know.

“I was fighting it every day, my negative thoughts,” he said. “I think Tracey, love her to bits, was oblivious to it. Her work was so busy.

“Tracey and my sister, who has had a tough old life, were brilliant. I just wish I had reached out to more people.”

Davies said his low mood had only begun in the weeks leading up to the killing. During that time he had considered suicide, he said, but before that it had not been “a major in my daily life”.

“I’m just totally ashamed of what I’ve done,” he said. “I couldn’t sit here saying ‘no comment’. I owe it to her family and my family to say what I’ve done.”

The court then heard from pathologist Dr Richard Jones who carried out a post-mortem examination on Mrs Davies. He found she had suffered fractures to her thyroid cartilage and that there was “squashing” of the right side of her face.

Dr Jones said he could not exclude the possibility that Davies smothered his wife with a pillow – something the defendant denies.

But the pathologist also said it was more likely Mrs Davies had died because of pressure applied to the front of her neck as described by the defendant in his account of the incident.

Bruising to her left shoulder and arm were consistent with pressure being applied from above by Davies, Dr Jones added.

The pathologist was asked why he thought Mrs Davies had been found kneeling down given that the defendant had described strangling her while she was lying on her back.

Dr Jones said it was possible that the act of strangulation could end up with her in that position – as suggested by defence barrister David Elias KC – but the pathologist added: “You are in danger of taking me outside my expertise.”

The trial continues.

For confidential support the Samaritans can be contacted for free around the clock 365 days a year on 116 123.

Safety concerns were raised about the popular seafront building on June 21, 2025, after a falling tile from the property narrowly missed a passer-by.

Temporary barriers and overhead protection were installed following the incident until scaffolding, funded by Windsor Court residents, was erected on July 8, 2025.

More than a year later, the scaffolding remains in place, while a final decision on how the building will be repaired has yet to be made.

Residents continue to pay for the scaffolding while awaiting a final repair scheme and are also expected to contribute towards the cost of the permanent works, previously estimated at around £50,000 per flat.

Windsor Court comprises 20 flats, and residents say the average age of the leaseholders is over 65. Several described the prolonged repair process as a source of frustration and financial uncertainty.

One resident said he and his neighbours felt they had been left “caught in the middle” while waiting for a decision.

Another resident said: “It’s been far too long and still no end in sight, and that’s concerning for everyone. It’s costing a lot of money and we don’t know how much. There’s all sorts of figures being bandied around, but it’s going to be a lot.

“We’ve all got other things we’d prefer to spend our money on rather than scaffolding and the fabric of the building. The sooner it’s done the better.”

For some, the scaffolding has also affected day-to-day life.

One first-floor resident said the scaffolding and protective netting “does affect” her view of Penarth Pier and the promenade, adding that: “It’s been like that for a long time and I don’t know when they’re going to see to it.”

Neil Gregory, of Western Permanent Property, which manages Windsor Court on behalf of the leaseholders, shared with the Penarth Times that further analysis of the building has identified several possible repair options.

He said: “The options available are replacement of the tiles like for like, that a render finish be introduced, cladding installed or the possibility of removing the tiles to leave the original brick finish. There are pros and cons of all possibilities.”

Mr Gregory further commented that planners are being consulted by the project managers before a meeting is held with residents, the freeholder’s representative and the project team to discuss the preferred option.

However, there is currently no confirmed date for that meeting, and residents are still awaiting details of the final repair costs they will be expected to contribute towards.

Slugs and snails can be a real problem in the garden, especially in damp autumn weather. But a common household staple could help deter them from your flowerbeds and patios

As temperatures drop and the rain sets in, autumn brings with it an unwelcome visitor — the slug. Damp conditions are ideal for slugs and snails, and they will shortly begin making their presence felt in flowerbeds, across patios and even inside your home.

While it may be tempting to reach for costly chemical sprays to tackle a slug infestation, there is actually a far better solution. You may already have the answer sitting in your kitchen cupboard — and crucially, it won’t cause any harm to your garden.

According to DIY expert Glen Peskett from Saxton Blades Multi Tools, washing-up liquid could prove to be an invaluable household staple as slug season gets into full swing.

He explained: “Washing-up liquid isn’t going to suddenly solve your slug problem, but if you’ve spotted a few on patios or other hard surfaces, a properly diluted solution can be a useful little trick to have up your sleeve.

“Just don’t overdo it. You definitely don’t want to be pouring neat washing-up liquid all over your plants or soil, as that’s not going to do them any favours.”

How to use washing-up liquid to get rid of slugs

Once slugs have been spotted in and around your home, it is important to act swiftly.

Mix a few drops of washing-up liquid with water and apply it to the areas where slugs have been sighted.

It is also a good idea to adopt additional slug-deterring measures to keep your property free of them. Bear in mind that slugs tend to emerge following rainfall, so remain vigilant during wet weather.

Keep your garden free from damp foliage and accumulated debris, and avoid clustering potted plants too closely together, as this creates ideal hiding spots for slugs. Should you encounter any slugs, simply relocate them away from your plants to prevent damage.

Glen said: “Once the weather gets wetter, you’re always going to see more slugs, so it’s really just about keeping an eye out for them.

“Have a look around after it’s rained, especially in those dark, damp spots where they like to hide.

“You don’t need to spend loads of money trying to get rid of them either. There are plenty of little things you can try with stuff you’ve already got at home.

“Just make sure you dilute the washing-up liquid properly and don’t go overboard with it.”

A man launched an unprovoked attack on a coffee shop customer in the middle of the afternoon, a court has heard.

Russell Holcombe “lulled his victim into a false sense of security” by chatting with him before beating him about the head with a chain as he sat outside a Starbucks branch.

Newport Crown Court heard the 52-year-old defendant later accused his victim of being “a grass”.

Hartej Saund-Matharu, prosecuting, told the court that on the afternoon of June 22 this year the complainant in the case, Yves Kazungu, was sat outside the Starbucks coffee shop in Cardiff’s Central Square with two friends when the defendant approached the group.

He said Holcombe started chatting to the men and everything appeared “calm” at first.

However the defendant suddenly shouted an accusation at Mr Kazungu before producing a metal chain from under his jacket and striking him to the head causing a number of lacerations.

The court heard Holcombe then walked away from the scene before returning and apologising.

Police were called and the defendant was located a short distance away standing in a shop doorway where he was arrested. A discarded chain was recovered from nearby.

The court that while being transported to the police station Holcombe told officers: “He was a grass and he attacked me last week.”

Russell Holcombe, of no fixed abode, had previously pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm and possession of an offensive weapon when he returned to the dock for sentencing. He has 16 previous convictions for 24 offences including arson, theft, public disorder, and drugs matters.

The court heard that three days before the chain attack the defendant was fined for possession of an imitation firearm. That offending involved Holcombe being seen holding what appeared to be a handgun under the table at a McDonald’s restaurant prompting a response form armed police. The handgun turned out to be a cigarette lighter in the shape of a gun.

Holcombe’s barrister told the court his client had been free from drugs for the last four or five years and said while being held on remand in prison he had secured a trusted job as a painter.

Judge Carl Harrison said Holcombe had “lulled his victim into a false sense of security” by chatting with him as he sat outside the coffee shop before launching a “brutal and unprovoked attack”.

He said the assault took place in a busy public space in the middle of the day and he noted the defendant had taken a chain to the location to use as a weapon and that there had clearly been a degree of planning to what happened. The judge also noted that Holcombe had been drunk at the time of the incident.

With one-third discounts for his guilty pleas Holcombe was sentenced to 13 months in prison. He will serve up to half the sentence in custody before being released on licence to serve the remainder in the community.

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South Wales Police launched an investigation in June after being made aware that two 17-year-olds from Cardiff had been arrested in Thailand.

The investigation focused on the circumstances that led to the teenagers travelling abroad.

Carrie-Anne Dreyer, 39, from Llantwit Major, has been charged with conspiring to fraudulently evade a prohibition on the importation of a class B drug.

She also faces four counts of conspiring to arrange or facilitate the travel of another person with a view to exploitation.

Dreyer has been remanded in custody and is due to appear at Cardiff Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, September 3.

A spokesperson for South Wales Police said: “A seventh person has been charged in connection with an investigation linked to two Cardiff children arrested in Thailand.

“In June, South Wales Police was made aware that two 17-year-olds from Cardiff had been arrested in Thailand.

“An investigation commenced into the circumstances which led to the children travelling abroad.

“As a result of the investigation, which is on-going, we can now confirm: Carrie-Anne Dreyer, 39 of Llantwit Major, has been charged with conspiring to fraudulently evade a prohibition on the importation of a class B drug and four counts of conspiring to arrange or facilitate the travel of another person with a view to exploitation.

“Dreyer is remanded in custody to appear at Cardiff Magistrates’ Court tomorrow (Thursday, September 3)”.

The two teenagers remain in custody in Thailand and are being supported by their families and the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.

South Wales Police said the families have been updated about the latest arrest and charge.

A police spokesman said: “We understand this continues to be a concerning time for them and wider community.”

Dreyer is the seventh person to be charged as part of the ongoing investigation.

The other individuals previously charged and who have already appeared in court are Jessica Sani, 28, from Newport; Tremaine Jeanne, 28, from Llanrumney; Levi Mohamed, 20, from Butetown; Patrick O’Driscoll, 30, from Caerau; Gareth Press, 42, from Ely; and Ffion Bowes-Cavanagh Hooley, 24, from Caerau.

Enquiries remain ongoing.

On Sunday, September 20, from 12.00pm until 10.00pm, the club’s members will take part in the Macmillan Darts Marathon. 

With a target of raising £500 for the life-saving charity, those taking part have set themselves the challenge of scoring 100,000 points in one day.

Macmillan Darts Marathon organiser Leighton Rowlands, Chair Michaela Guy, and Steward Chris Sharp are the first named people to be taking part in the charity fundraiser. However, many other committee and club members will also be joining in with the dart-throwing challenge.

In an open call for further participants and community involvement, The Penarth Conservative Club Facebook group said: “Whether you’re an experienced darts player or just fancy throwing a few arrows for a great cause, we’d love you to join our team and help us reach our target!”

Chair Michaela Guy made it clear that the challenge is “more than just a game – it’s our way of giving back, bringing our community together, and helping Macmillan continue the incredible care and support they provide to those who need it most.”

When organising the Macmillan Darts Marathon, Rowland said he took inspiration from “renowned Welsh darts referee Huw Ware”, who is also competing in support of the charity. 

Rowlands added that “the Cons Club already has a sports bar with four darts boards” and since “not many people know that Macmillan do this Darts Marathon,” “why not do something fun and raise money for charity?”

Money raised through the Macmillan Darts Marathon helps fund the charity’s frontline services, while the event also aims to encourage more open conversations about the experiences of people affected by cancer.

Those unable to attend the event can still support the fundraiser by donating via the club’s fundraising page or by scanning the QR code on the event poster.