Jewish woman accused of murder claims she found husband ‘gurgling’ in pool of blood

But Manchester Crown Court heard that a third pathologist “favoured” Mr Berman dying in a tragic accident.

Dr Richard Shepherd, a retired forensic pathologist who has investigated high-profile cases including Princess Diana, 9/11 and the 7/7 bombings, told the jury: “This was extremely unusual, atypical domestic stabbing event.”

When questioned by Michael Hayton KC, defending, he said the location of the chest wound - close to Mr Berman’s right armpit - was “very odd” and the “vast majority” of knife attack wounds are to the front of the chest.

Mr Shepherd, who did not carry out his own post-mortem, said a “horizontal jabbing action” could have caused the Mr Berman’s chest wound and “severe force must have been used.”

But he said it was possible that Mr Berman had been stabbed after falling to the floor.

“I think there’s no doubt in my experience a fall to the floor can cause very severe injuries,” he said.

And when asked by Mr Hayton whether a fall on to the knife “could amount to severe force”, he replied: “Absolutely, yes.”

Given the “odd position” of Mr Berman’s finger injury and the absence of others, he said he “wasn’t satisfied” that it was “defence injury”, typical when someone attempts to fend off an attack with a sharp weapon.

Overall, he told the jury, he was “much more in favour of this being an accident”, although he couldn’t exclude homicide.

When questioned by Michael Brady KC, prosecuting, Mr Shepherd conceded it was “entirely possible” Mr Berman could have been stabbed near his armpit as a result of being attacked.

But he suggested Mr Berman may have suffered two falls, after his wife told police she heard a first fall followed by a “bang and sort of groan”.

He said Mr Berman could have stabbed himself in the chest while getting up on his hands and knees but this was based on a hypothesis he’d not let go off the knife when he initially fell.

And he said “all bets were off” if Mr Berman had been stabbed while he was on the ground.

Mr Shepherd also claimed his finger injury could have been caused by “shards” from a broken plate.

But he agreed, when asked by Mr Brady, that it would be “significant factor” if the jury decided the wound was a defensive injury.

The jury previously heard how the couple, who were married for 27 years, had a “loving and mutually supportive” relationship.

But Mr Berman had been in “declining health” after recently being diagnosed with dementia, and had suffered previous falls and needed walking stick.

His wife claimed she found him “gurgling” and face down on the kitchen floor, which was “bright red” with blood.

After dialling 999, she said she performed chest compressions until paramedics arrived, who found Mr Berman with the tray, a 12cm long paring knife and a broken plate next to him.

Attempts were made to resuscitate him after he went into cardiac arrest, but he was pronounced dead around 40 minutes later.

When police were called to the scene Berman told one officer: “You don’t think I’ve murdered him do you?”

She was originally treated as witness but later arrested.

Berman denies murder and the trial continues.