Inquest told how Joanna Baker stabbed estranged partner with scissors before taking her own life

Published: 7th April, 2011
by JOSIE HINTON

A TEACHER stabbed her estranged husband with a pair of kitchen scissors before killing herself, an inquest has heard.

Joanna Baker, 59, was found dead in the bedroom of her home in Glenbrook Road, West Hampstead, by her husband, Michael Green, less than 24 hours after she stabbed him in the neck.

An inquest at St Pancras Coroner’s Court heard on Monday how the pair, who had been married for 40 years, had become increasingly separated as Mr Green’s work commitments took him across the world.

Ms Baker, an experienced teacher trainer who had published books on volunteer teaching in third world countries, was unable to join her husband abroad following a stroke she suffered in 2009.

In the weeks before her death in December last year she told a counsellor she was feeling “lonely and isolated”.

Mr Green, a consultant civil engineer, described how the couple got into a fight when he returned from Nepal, where he was living at the time.

“She was asking whether I was going to stay and she wanted to know why I had come back,” he told the court. 

“I said I thought I had better leave. As I was putting on my coat she came and stabbed me with kitchen scissors in my neck. I immediately ran out of the house and went to the doctors because it was bleeding, then I went to the Royal Free. When I came out I thought I’d give her time to calm down and went to a hotel that night.”

Mr Green attempted to contact Ms Baker the following morning, but when he received no reply he returned to West Hampstead where he discovered his wife. 

A post-mortem examination ruled she died of plastic bag asphyxia.

Mr Green was arrested while police investigated the death but was later released without charge after officers found suicide notes left by Ms Baker.

Police also found newspaper cuttings about euthanasia kits.

Coroner Dr Andrew Reid recorded a verdict of suicide.

Speaking on behalf of Ms Baker’s family, her brother Stephen Kerr said after the inquest: “My sister had a stroke and she appeared to be well but the psychological effects were much more serious than we realised. Like many people she tried to cover up her distress and we were shocked at how disturbed she was.”

He added: “She was a very bubbly, open person. Her last job was teaching refugees, she was enormously caring.”