What did David Clarke do? Swansea man sentenced to life imprisonment for setting wife on fire in car after he had affair with another woman

David Clarke, an 81-year-old man from Swansea, was served a prison sentence of 21 years and 8 months for the charge of the murder of his 77-year-old wife, Helen Clarke. He pleaded guilty at Swansea Crown Court on Monday, February 5.

The BBC reports that on September 22, 2023, David Clarke killed his wife, one month after telling her about his extramarital affair. The Swansea Crown Court heard how Clarke was married to Helen for more than 50 years, and the couple had lived a “comfortable life” in Zambia, then Zimbabwe, before moving to Swansea in 2018.

The court also heard how David Clarke was having an affair with a woman named L for a long time since they were living in Zambia, but his wife was unaware of it. In 2023, when Clarke wanted to take a trip to Australia to meet L, he took his wife along, telling her the trip was to meet old friends.

Clarke also met L once with his wife, introducing her to Helen as an old friend. On their way back to the airport, he admitted the affair to Helen. Upon hearing it, Helen accused Clarke of having “engineered the trip” to meet L, which he denied.

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David Clarke set his wife of more than 50 years ablaze over an affair

Clarke David (Image credit: South Wales Police)

Following David’s revelation of the affair, the couple started having “clear arguments,” with Helen texting their son, David Clarke Jr., that she planned to move in with him and his family.

On the morning of September 22, Helen texted her son saying, “I love you.”

Later that day, David Clarke reportedly hit Helen’s head with a hammer, then doused her in petrol and set her ablaze in his car. All of it was done in broad daylight on a busy road. Passer-by witnesses shared they first heard a scream followed by smoke, as reported by BBC.

A council employee named Liam Davie testified in court that when he attempted to assist her, Clarke shoved him aside and commanded him to stop. Then he swerved the car into a hedge and drove into traffic. Mrs. Clarke was discovered lying on the ground and "screaming for help" by the emergency personnel when they got on the site. She also told the paramedics:

“My husband has done this… he is responsible for all this.”

Helen was then taken to the Morriston Hospital, where she received treatment for her burns. The doctors stated that 58% of her body had severe burn wounds, with “extensive injuries” on the side of her head. She died two days later, not being able to survive the injuries, as reported by Sky News.

Prosecutor Mike Jones told the Swansea Crown Court how David Clarke had murdered his wife “in an utterly brutal and merciless manner” which he knew “would cause unimaginable pain and terror.”

The statement issued by Helen’s family included:

“Our mother [Helen] was a loving, kind, and courageous woman who greatly cherished her family, her friends, and the world at large. Her passing in such a sudden and tragic manner has been devastating; and our grief is immeasurable.” via South Wales Police

In his statement read to the court, David Clarke Jr., the couple’s son, said the family would never come to terms with the “incomprehensible” murder.