Rachel McDaid murder: Michael McDaid strangled his estranged wife with a bootlace

Rachel McDaid had a bootlace wrapped around her neck when she was discovered. The lace belonged to her husband Michael McDaid, who used it to kill Rachel during a visit to the house. Despite them living separately Michael would often return to the home to see their three sons and collect his work tools.

It was during one of these visits on the morning of April 19 this year that McDaid strangled his 53-year-old former partner to death on the ground floor of her home. He then left the house, before returning a few minutes later to find one of his sons outside the property and unable to get in.

After watching him try to open the door of the home in Nottingham Road, Eastwood, Nottinghamshire, McDaid coldly warned his son: “You can’t go in the house because I’ve killed her.”

Rachel’s body was discovered by her son soon afterwards, with McDaid driving away in his van and calling the police to tell them his wife was dead and he was responsible.

The 60-year-old was arrested in Nottingham Road minutes later, while a boot with its laces missing was recovered from a narrowboat he was living on. McDaid, of Acre Lane, Aston-on-Trent, Derby, was charged with murder soon after that.

He admitted this at Nottingham Crown Court on Friday, and will return to that court to be sentenced next Friday (July 12).

Detective Chief Inspector Clare Dean, of the East Midlands Special Operations Unit, said: "Michael McDaid's actions that day destroyed the lives of the family members he was supposed to care about the most. I cannot even begin to comprehend the pain Rachel's loved ones were put through and what they will no doubt still feel today because of his despicable decision to murder his former partner.

"Michael McDaid admitting what he did in court means the family will thankfully not now have to relive all the details of the ordeal, which I hope provides them with some small degree of comfort."

In April Rachel’s family paid tribute to her, saying: “We are heartbroken over the loss of our beloved mother, daughter, sister, auntie and cousin. Rachel has been taken from us suddenly and we are unable to come to terms with the fact we will never see her beautiful face and smile again.

“As a family we were all so close, sharing jokes and precious time together, and the hole that has been left with the loss of Rachel is irreparable. We are truly devastated.”