Murder trial hears transcript of 999 call to ambulance operator

Robin Garbutt phoned for help on the morning of March 23 last year saying his wife Diana had been attacked.

A transcript of the call made from the bedroom was read to the jury at Teesside Crown Court yesterday in which Garbutt described going upstairs and finding her after a robbery in Melsonby Post Office, near Richmond.

“She’s gone a funny colour and is not responding to anything,” he said.

He told the operator he did not think she was breathing, she was face down and that there was blood on the pillow.

He was asked if weapons had been involved and said that the “guy did have a gun and he said don’t be stupid, we have got your wife. He’s gone, I’ve come upstairs.”

“Has your wife been shot?” asked the operator.

“I don’t know, I don’t know. I would have heard a gun,” Garbutt was heard replying on transcript of the call.

“She’s a funny colour,” he said. “She’s all purple and stuff.”

The operator tried to get him to turn his wife over but he said he could not manage it adding: “I think she’s dead.”

The sound of crying was recorded and Garbutt saying “Here you go Di” after he said her back was warm. He said: “There’s blood everywhere.”

He was given a holdall which he filled with money and after the man left said he found his wife sprawled on the bed.

The jury heard on April 14 Garbutt was interviewed after being arrested for the murder of his wife.

Asked “did you kill your wife,” he replied “No.”

Garbutt, 45, denies the murder of his 40-year-old wife. The prosecution claim the robbery was a sham and that he killed her under pressure of debts and her infidelity.

The trial continues.