Man kills woman he wed twice over other husband - had 2nd wife of own

Clair Fullarton, Kilmarnock Standard

A KILMARNOCK man has been jailed for life for murdering the woman he had married for the second time. George Clark, 53, was ordered to spend at least 14 years for what temporary judge Michael O'Grady QC described as the ‘cowardly and brutal’ murder of his wife Sharlene. The High Court in Glasgow heard that love triangle killer Clark married his victim Sharlene twice and moved with her into the home he shared with his second wife Helen, 58.

Judge O'Grady told Clark: “You have taken the life of your own wife. A woman who had a lot to live for.”
The High Court in Glasgow heard that Clark told a social worker that she had it coming to her saying: “I would have done it sooner or later.”

Clark murdered 44-year-old Sharlene by knifing her three times on the chest and once on the neck, a day after sending a chilling text message saying he was going to kill her. As Sharlene lay dying Clark dialled 999 and told an operator: “I've just stabbed my wife. Would you please get an ambulance. She's not breathing, hurry up.” When paramedics arrived on the scene they found Clark with both hands covered in blood and Sharlene lying dead on the living room floor.

Prosecutor Alastair Carmichael revealed that Clark has previous convictions for assault, breach of the peace and road traffic offences.

The couple who were first married 27 years earlier fell in love again after meeting by chance when Clark returned to Kilmarnock. Within seven months on March 11, 2009, they had married for a second time on the anniversary of their first wedding. They were the last couple to be married in the old registrar’s office in Kilmarnock town centre.

At first the couple were besotted with each other and even got tattoos to show their love for one another. Sharlene had the word George tattooed on her back and Clark had Sharlene tattooed on his body. But, Clark was jealous of Sharlene's friendship with former love Hayden McGonigale, 42, and she feared Clark was going to return to his second wife Helen.

Clark said he loved his wife and added: “I wouldn't have hurt Sharlene in a million years”, claimed he had killed her in self-defence after she had launched a murderous attack on him with a kitchen knife. He admitted picking up a double-edged hunter's knife and stabbing her, but claimed he was fighting for his life.

But the jury didn't believe his story and convicted him of murdering 44-year-old Sharlene, a mum of four and a gran of one, at 25 Lindsay Drive on October 12, last year.