Statement on behalf of the family of Janine Mundy
26/09/2003
Thank you for all your time and excellent work and rest assured that if myself or family or friends require any legal help in the future I will refer them to yourselves.
Michael, CrawleyToday at Plymouth Crown Court Mr. Wayne Mundy was convicted of the murder of Mrs. Janine Mundy. Mr. Mundy pleaded guilty. He was given a mandatory life sentence although the tariff has not as yet been confirmed. Mr. Mundy assaulted Janine on the 9th June 2003 for which he was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. However the police released him the following day. The court heard the horrific details of how Mr. Mundy murdered Janine on the 26th of June 2003. Following the hearing at Plymouth Crown Court on 25th September 2003 the family of Janine Mundy said: "We are relieved that Wayne Mundy has pleaded guilty to the charges brought against him. We hope that we will now be able to start the difficult process of rebuilding our lives after this tragic loss and ask that the family's privacy be respected." The family's solicitor, Chris Gawne of Alexander Harris Solicitors added: "We welcome the commitment of the Devon and Cornwall Police to review this tragic sequence of events and ensure that lessons are learned." The Police will now be holding an internal inquiry. Alexander Harris will be representing the family's interests throughout and following the inquiry we will look at what options are then available to them.
Notes Anthony Wayne Mundy is commonly known as Wayne. The family does not wish to make further comments at this time but any questions should be addressed to: The family's solicitor, Chris Gawne of Alexander Harris Solicitors (0161 925 5526). Alexander Harris's Media Management Department (0161 925 5527). Devon and Cornwall Police Press Office (01392 452200). Alexander Harris specialise in health related law which includes the areas of clinical negligence, personal injury, as well as health related public law issues such as inquiries, investigations and actions against the police. Please see also www.alexanderharris.co.uk
BBC News Report
Husband's detailed Murder Plan A Cornish man who carried out a step-by-step plan to kill his estranged wife and make her death look like suicide has been jailed for life.
Prosecuting, Geoffrey Mercer QC told Plymouth Crown Court on Thursday how Anthony Wayne Mundy, 39, strangled Janine, his wife of 15 years, in front of their two young sons and then hanged her body from a stairwell by a noose.
The murder at the family home in Moor Street, Camborne on 27 June came just 16 days after Mr Mundy, who admitted murder, was arrested on suspicion of attempting to drown her in the bath.
Mrs Mundy, 34, escaped the first attack and was left so frightened she had the house locks changed and an alarm installed.
Mr Mundy was released on police bail and agreed not to harass his wife or enter her home.
Mr Mercer said Mr Mundy - who had moved in with his parents - followed his handwritten plan when he broke into the family home in the early hours of 27 June.
After deactivating the alarm he changed his clothes, in accordance with stage eight of his scheme.
The plan then read that he should find a rope under stairs, listen for any movement then creep upstairs, reminding himself to be careful where he stepped on the floorboards.
Stage 12 and 13 stated: " When upstairs make sure she is asleep.
"Quietly to the bedside. Wrap rope quickly around her neck and pull tight.
"Hold until she's dead. Sit on her and hold her down."
But the couple's two sons aged eight and 10 were woken by their mother's screams and went into her bedroom where they saw their father strangling her.
The younger boy went to the kitchen and tried to press the alarm his father had already deactivated.
After the killing, Mr Mundy dressed his wife and used climbing rope to suspend her body over the stairwell.
He then sent a text message from his wife's mobile to her mother's phone which read: "Mum I love you. I am so sorry. Everything has got out of hand."
He told his sons he killed their mother because she was trying to kill him, and warned them to say she had committed suicide.
He then returned to his parents' house on foot where he stayed until nearly an hour later when, as instructed, one of his sons telephoned him.
Mr Mundy went back to Moor Street after the police were called and was waiting in the doorway when they arrived.
He was arrested at the scene and the plan was found in the pocket of his jeans.
Jailing him for life, Judge William Taylor said: "It was in my judgment a wholly unnecessary and cold-blooded killing committed in front of two innocent children."
Medical evidence showed Mrs Mundy had been strangled and punched in the face.
Terrible events
In police interview Mr Mundy admitted the killing but said it was "a coincidence" he had the pre-prepared plan on him at the time.
Iain Leadbetter, defending, said Mr Mundy felt "consumed" at the breakdown of his marriage, his wife's affair and the fact that he would be unable to see his two sons.
He added: "He acknowledges that the events of that night were truly terrible.
"He has not only taken somebody's life, but he has potentially scarred his own flesh and blood forever."
Mr Mercer said: "The extent of the damage to them is quite simply impossible to say."
Speaking outside court after the case, Chris Gawne from Alexander Harris the family's solicitor read out a statement from Janine Mundy's family.
It said: "We are relieved that Wayne Mundy has pleaded guilty to the charges brought against him.
"We hope that we will now be able to start the difficult process of rebuilding our lives after this tragic loss and ask that the family's privacy be respected."
Back to news