Pianist strangled and beaten to death by her Husband on their anniversary because she was more successful

In early August last year, the defendant threw Ms Strelchenko out of the house in anger, the jury was told, because he was not prepared to pay her mobile phone bill any longer.
Following that incident, Martin texted his wife's music publicist in which he said:

"She drives me crazy and must be stopped when it happens."    

Ms Strelchenko temporarily moved back in three days before her death ahead of starting a job in France - where she had a second home - the following month.
Martin was said to have become "very upset" the day before his wife's death when he discovered she had advertised the address on a property exchange website for people who wanted to swap homes for short periods, rather than stay in hotels.

A separate dispute followed over eating arrangements when Ms Strelchenko and friends arrived home in the early evening which led to the defendant drinking cider alone in the garden shed.
Martin later left the house for a couple of hours in which time he texted a friend: "Hopeless" and sent another message which read:

"I felt completely lonely all this summer"     

Mr Hall said the defendant eventually returned, with his mood said to be "particularly threatening".
A Polish violinist friend stayed the night and said she witnessed the defendant throwing Ms Strelchencko and himself down a full flight of stairs before he strangled her.
The woman ran to a neighbour's house and raised the alarm, the court heard.
When police attended Martin was in an upstairs bedroom and when arrested on suspicion of assault he repeatedly shouted: "Kill me."
Some of Ms Strelchenko's blood was found on a white double bass case in the house, the court heard.
Martin was later re-arrested in custody at a local police station on suspicion of murder and replied:

"I don't remember anything. "All I remember is I woke up here."     

Mr Hall said that essentially Martin's position had not changed and he maintains he has no memory of the events of August 30.
The prosecutor told the jury:

"The mental state of the defendant will become an important consideration for you as the trial progresses."     

The trial, estimated to last up to three weeks, continues on Wednesday.