By Sammie Jones-
A police inspector from Greater Manchester Police on a murder charge, laughed with parents on the school run in the hours after he strangled his wife to death, the prosecution has told a court.
Darren McKie from Greater Manchester Police
43 year old Darren McKie from Greater Manchester Police also showed his house to a surveyor, appearing very relaxed whilst his wife lay dead unknown to the world. The officer had just brutally killed his own wife, the prosecution alleges, but was acting happy as larry. The shocked jury of six men and six women were shocked at the horrifying allegation made, a number of them glancing at Mckie as he stood in the duck.
PC Mckie is accused of murdering his 39 year old wife Leanne, who was a detective constable at Greater Manchester Police, and dumping her body in Poynton Lake, Cheshire, where it was discovered on September 29 last year.The couple were over 100,000 pounds in debt at the time of her death. The case is as alarming as any can get, especially with a police officer being in the duck for the murder of his wife.
His trial at Chester Crown Court were told a post-mortem examination revealed she was likely to have die around midday the day before her body was found. McKie had left work at Stretford police station abruptly at about 11.30am on the day of her death after receiving a text message sent to him by his wife after she discovered he had applied for a £54,000 loan in her name.
Her body was discovered in a lake in Poynton Park – a beauty spot popular with dog walkers and cyclists, eight miles away. Her husband, who also worked for Greater Manchester Police, was arrested shortly afterwards and charged with her murder.
McKie denies the murder of the mother-of-three and has also pleaded not guilty to her manslaughter, as his three-week trial before Justice Spencer began today at Chester Crown Court.
The McKie family had made 15 loan applications had been made in their names on September 22 – a week before her death.
The jury was told McKie had sent his and his wife’s passport and proof of earnings to loan company Fluent Finance to apply for a loan of £54,000 and on the day of her alleged murder Mrs McKie received a letter from the firm.
The court heard earlier in the week that at 11.20am on the day she died, she sent her husband a message which said: ‘You liar. Just got back a loan application with my passport and my name. Wtf.’
She sent a second message, saying: ‘I asked you and you promised. Fluent Finance? Who are they? Are we in such a mess? Why again? The kids need clothes and shoes what’s going on?’
In a statement, neighbour Ann Taylor said she drove past the home at about 12.45pm and saw a red Mini – Mrs McKie’s car – reversing out of the driveway, but could not see who was at the wheel.Mr Parker told the court he arrived at the house at about 1pm and there were no cars on the driveway. A few minutes later, he saw the father-of-three arrive on foot and let himself into the home.
He said: “I just waited a couple of minutes and then I got out of my car and went to the front door.
“Mr McKie opened the door, we exchanged pleasantries.” He confirmed valuing the property at 505,000 , and said McKie waited in the kitchen while he looked around the property, which he valued at £505,000.
Mr Parker said McKie, who told him he had left work early because of the valuation, was “perfectly normal” and was not agitated or intrusive.
Friends of the couple also recollected to the court seeing McKie picking children up from school later that day and taking his daughter to a ballet class. In a statement read to the court, Sarah Eaton said she saw Mckie walking out of the school gates and laughing quite hard.
She said: “He was really laughing hard and I remember thinking he must have been told something funny.
“Looking back on it now, the laughing appeared over the top,”she said.
Friend Nick Baglin said he had spoken to McKie about their children outside the school.
He said: “He appeared a little bit more upbeat than usual, he certainly didn’t appear to be carrying any stress or strains.
“The last thing Darren said to me was ‘We must have you round for drinks’.”
Mckie denies murdering and the manslaughter of his wife. The trial continues.