A coroner has said the death of a woman who was killed by her husband during a violent nightmare was an "extraordinary and unique case".

Brian Thomas, 60, admitted killing Christine, 57, in their camper van, but blamed his rare sleep disorder, and was cleared during a trial in 2009.

The couple, from Neath, had travelled to Aberporth, Ceredigion in 2008.

The coroner said a condition known as "night terrors" led to Mrs Thomas's death.

Coroner Peter Brunton, sitting in Aberystwyth, said in the circumstances of this "remarkable, extraordinary and unique case" the only option was a narrative verdict.

He said Mrs Thomas died because pressure was involuntarily applied to her neck by Mr Thomas because of a "transient mental condition known as nights terrors".

The tragedy happened during a summer break when the couple had stopped for the night in a pub car park in Aberporth, Ceredigion, in July 2008, the inquest heard.
Continue reading the main story
“Start Quote

I think I have strangled her. I was fighting with this boy but there was no boy, it was my wife”

End Quote What Brian Thomas told police

They had driven from their home in Neath, near Swansea, and eaten out with friends.

On the night boy racers had turned up at the car park doing wheel spins and revving their cars.

The couple had moved to the upper end of the car park but when Mr Thomas slept the experience triggered a violent nightmare, the inquest heard.

He dreamed a man wearing blue jeans and a fleece jacket had broken into the van and was on top of his wife.

He dreamed he was grappling with the intruder only to wake and discover he had strangled her.
'Deeply distraught'

Det Insp Richard Evans told the inquest that Mr Thomas had admitted applying an arm lock to his wife's neck.

He was discovered outside the camper van in a "deeply distraught" state after reporting the killing himself.

He told police: "I think I have strangled her. I was fighting with this boy but there was no boy, it was my wife."

Det Insp Evans said Mr Thomas was eventually arrested and charged with his wife's murder and told the police: "I wouldn't, couldn't and didn't."

The father-of-two went on trial at Swansea Crown Court in November last year having already admitted killing his wife.

Within a week the trial collapsed as the prosecution decided that no further evidence would be put forward.

When the case against him was dropped the trial judge directed the jury to bring in a formal not guilty verdict.

The inquest had been adjourned awaiting the outcome of the criminal prosecution.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-mid-wales-11998813

Victims of snoring up and down the country thinking, ''Night terrors', eh?'

That was my first thought.

I've been known to snore, and my ex broke my nose while sleeping. At least she says she was sleeping...

Irony is, I snore worse than ever now it's all bent

I know that some people when sleeping can do things that they would not normally do. Though it could be the ultimate alibi if you know that you have night terrors. PS I do

I used to have them.

I woke my mum up once when I was straddled over her with both my hands around her neck!

I don't think it's as "remarkable, extraordinary and unique" as the judge remarked.

I've done some remarkably stupid things in the moments between sleep and wakefulness, once hurting myself quite badly by nutting the bedside table.

My dad has really bad nightmares - they're mostly related to war memories and he usually just shouts incoherent abuse, but he's said before that he's worried he might hurt my mum because he lashes out sometimes.

I do not have any reactions like that. I just have nightmares every night, waking me up every few hours.