Husband admits murdering his ‘loyal and forgiving’ schoolteacher wife during trial

A 46-year-old man has admitted to murdering his schoolteacher wife on the second day of his murder trial. Conrad Iyayi was on trial for the murder of his wife, Kathryn, known as Katy Harris, at Derby Crown Court, having already admitted manslaughter.

But on Wednesday, Iyayi admitted to murdering his wife, by stabbing her seven times in the chest in the early hours of February 6 last year at their home in Oak Crescent, Littleover, Derby.

He will be sentenced at the same court on August 18. Informing the court of Mr Iyayi’s decision, his barrister, Amjad Malik KC, said: “Yesterday afternoon, after court ended, I went to see Mr Iyayi and he indicated what he wished to do, and this morning I have gone through the process with him.

“Mr Iyayi wishes to plead guilty to murder and in these circumstances, the jury has been kept waiting, but for good reason.”

Thanking the jury for their service, Judge Shaun Smith KC said: “It is difficult for a defendant to come to the decision that they have done something as large as committing an offence of murder, which you would have been told involves an intention to kill.

“Sometimes it takes a while to come to terms with what you have done.”

Mr Malik asked the court for the case to be adjourned for a “significant” period of time so reports could be prepared but acknowledged “there is only one sentence in this case”. Ms Harris, a teacher at St Clare’s School in Mickleover, was described as “loving, compassionate, forgiving, loyal and creative” by her children in a statement released last year.

In a joint tribute, released on what would have been Ms Harris’s 53rd birthday on March 1 last year, her children Alexa, then 28, Phoebe, then 23 and Theo, then 11, said: “She was an advocate for young people and believed in everyone’s potential, always encouraging them to be their best selves.

“She was incredibly supportive and efficient and she dedicated her life to her children. The loss of our mother is the most sudden and tragic event we will experience in our lives.

“Although a victim in this circumstance, our mother was not a victim in life. Katy was a fearless woman, she spoke her mind and stood up for herself and others.

“The pain that we feel now that our mother has been taken from us is indescribable, however, we will move forward as a family with the spirit of our mum with us forever.”

Iyayi, who remained silent and bowed his head throughout the hearing, was remanded in custody.