‘I’m devastated by what happened’ says Crawley Down man who killed his wife and a passerby

A man who killed his wife and an elderly passerby outside his home in Crawley Down has told of his ‘devastation’ over what happened.
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Daniel Appleton said anxiety over starting a family destroyed his mental health causing a psychotic episode which led him to kill the two women last Christmas.

Appleton was a partner in a successful specialist garage when he bludgeoned wife Amy and local pensioner Sandra Seagrave to death after snatching her walking stick.

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The former businessmen, who owned two homes and four Audis including two classic cars, admitted he was responsible for the brutal killings but

Daniel Appleton arrives at Lewes Crown CourtDaniel Appleton arrives at Lewes Crown Court
Daniel Appleton arrives at Lewes Crown Court

denies murder claiming he was inadvertently exposed to illegal drugs while he was in prison.

During the second day of his evidence, Appleton offered an emotional apology to the families of the women he killed,

Asked by his counsel, Lewis Power QC, how he felt about the deaths he said: “I’m, I’m devastated.

“Absolutely devastated by what has happened.

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“I don’t know where, if they are here, or where they are, but I just want Amy’s family to know that I’m devastated by what has happened and that I didn’t mean to hurt anyone.

“Amy was very special to us all.

“She was loving and caring and she was just always so happy.

“Everyone loved Amy.

“I just want to say that I’m devastated for all the families that have been involved.

“Devastated for the loss of Mrs Seagrave and I can’t bring myself to imagine the trauma that they have gone through and I’m so very sorry.

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“I know sorry’s not good enough but I haven’t got words for any of this.

“It’s so very tragic.”

A jury at Lewes Crown Court in Hove heard Appleton describe how he felt a deep attachment to his friends on a night out in London before he killed his wife and Mrs Seagrave.

He told the court he believed his friends were his guardian angels and a mural of Santa had reminded him of his dead uncle.

Appleton said he remembered his wife making a hysterical phone call to his parents after he lay silent and motionless on their sofa after returning home.

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His father was so concerned about his behaviour he asked Amy if Appleton had taken any drugs.

Asked if he had taken anything the night before the killings, Appleton said: “I hadn’t.

“I have not taken any drugs and I did not take any drugs.”

The following morning he brought Amy a cup of tea in bed before demanding answers from her about their plans for a family.

“I seem to remember being in the bedroom,” Appleton said.

“Amy was in bed and I said to her, Tell me you love me and you wanna have kids with me.

“And I said that loud.”

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Appleton said he believed he was being watched as he stood at his bedroom window.

The couple went downstairs and Amy went outside, he said.

“I seem to remember going downstairs and her sort of slipping on her slippers.

“I was following her down the stairs.

“She just kind of slipped at the last couple of flights.

“I believe she went to the front door and opened the door and going outside and shouting I love Daniel and I want to have kids with him.

“I think I remember her shouting that.

“I shut the door and Amy tried to get back in.

“We were just to-ing and fro-wing at the front door and she said Why won’t you let me in?

“I remember her saying that.

“We were just pushing the door to and from each other.”

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Appleton has no memory of snatching the walking stick from Mrs Seagrave and clubbing her to death with it before using the same metal crutch to kill his wife.

“I remember going outside,” Appleton said.

“I remember seeing Amy on the floor and thinking she was hurt.

“I don’t remember going over to her.

“I just remember being outside and the car and Amy was there.

“I just remember being outside and I seem to remember people but I can’t remember where.

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“I just remember being outside and it being light and I could see people.”

He told the jury he remembered going into the loft and jumping out of it before slashing his leg with a kitchen knife.

Paramedics found him naked in a pool of his own blood with at least five self inflicted stab wounds to the chest and several other cuts.

The court heard phone records showed Appleton searched for information about magic mushrooms 11 days before the killings and traces of powerful synthetic hallucinogens were found in samples taken from him during his treatment and while he waited for trial in prison.

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Asked if he thought the drugs could have been found in his system as a result of contaminated blood transfusions as doctors battled to save his life, Appleton said: “There is a possibility, yes.”

Drugs were a large part of life in prison, Appleton said.

Prisoners were able to smoke cigarettes made from nicotine patches and tea bags, the court heard.

“I remember smoke being in the room,” Appleton said.

“The staff knew that I didn’t smoke.

“I mentioned about the smoke and they knew it was a problem.”

Nicholas Corsellis QC for the Crown asked him: “Do you see the overall picture, the fact is there were drugs in your blood and you were searching on December 11 and you had taken them before?

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“It’s therefore a coincidence because you say your psychotic episode was brought on by stress at work.

“You say you are a self-absorbed person who over thinks things and this led you to commit such horrific, violent acts?”

Appleton said: “Yes.”

Asked if starting a family was causing him stress, Appleton said: “I thought about everything over and over and took it all on board right down to child care and Amy’s school and how she would be able to continue with her job if she wanted to later on.

“I felt I would’ve been the breadwinner then.”

Appleton described the moment he found out his wife was dead.

He told the court his father visited him in hospital.

“I seem to remember my dad telling me,” he said.

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“He told me something about Amy wasn’t here any more and I think my mum and my sister, I remember seeing my mum and sister.

“I didn’t believe it.

“It just didn’t make any sense.

“I remember my dad telling me there was someone else, there was a lady that had been hurt.

“I remember my dad telling me Amy wasn’t here any more and the other lady had died.”

Daniel Appleton denies murder.

The trial at Lewes Crown Court in Hove continues.