David Barraclough, 46, murdered his wife Carolann Barraclough, 37, by beating her with a claw hammer in their home in Horbury, West Yorkshire on February 20. He hid her body in a chest freezer and used her phone to send texts to their children suggesting she was still alive. Barraclough maintained this deception for nearly two weeks before confessing to the police on March 5. Leeds Crown Court sentenced him to at least 21 years and six months after he admitted murder, rejecting his claim of being a domestic abuse victim.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-09,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
David Barraclough, 46, admitted to murdering his wife Carolann Barraclough, 37, in February. Carolann's body was found in a freezer at their home in Horbury, West Yorkshire, on March 6, about two weeks after her death. Initially, David told family and friends that Carolann was hospitalized, even sending texts from her phone claiming she would soon return home. He also prevented the children from entering the room where the freezer was kept. At Leeds Crown Court, Barraclough pleaded guilty to murder but refused to attend sentencing, which resulted in him being jailed for life with a minimum term of 21 years and six months. The court heard that Carolann died between February 19 and 21 from blunt force trauma to the head.
Written for “Husband Murders Wife Hides Body” on 2026-10-09,
grounded in this article and the 2 other(s) covering the same event.
A husband who bludgeoned his wife to death with a claw hammer and hid her body in a chest freezer used her phone to send texts to her children pretending she was still alive.
asserted
she → bludgeon → children
David Barraclough, 46, beat Carolann Barraclough, 37, around the head in their bedroom while her children were in the house then bound her with packaging tape, wrapped her in a duvet and placed her body in a freezer in their utility room.
asserted
children → beat → room
After killing the mother-of-three at the property in Horbury, West Yorkshire, on February 20, he began searching online for escorts, using the dating app Tinder and spending her money in local pubs, Leeds Crown Court heard on Friday.
asserted
Court → kill → Friday
Barraclough maintained the deceit for almost two weeks while her body remained in the freezer, even texting his wife’s daughter from her phone claiming she was recovering from an illness in hospital.
He eventually walked into a police station on March 5 to confess to killing his wife – only to claim he had ‘snapped’ after suffering years of domestic abuse.
uncertain
he → maintain → abuse
Barraclough told officers she was 'in the freezer' at his home, adding that he was ‘a victim’ and a '17 stone boy no-one will believe'.
asserted
one → tell → home
Jailing him for a minimum term of 21 years and six months after he pleaded guilty to murder on the first day of a scheduled trial, Judge Andrew Stubbs KC said his account of abuse was a 'callous' self-serving cover story.
asserted
account → jail → abuse
'He spun a web of lies and deceit to explain his wife's disappearance, telling his children and others that she was unwell and receiving treatment, providing updates and further explanations, and sending messages from her phone to perpetuate this fiction
asserted
she → explain → fiction
,’ he said.
asserted
he → say → ?
‘He even allowed her daughter to exchange messages with her mother's phone in the belief that she was communicating with her, rather than with him.
asserted
she → allow → him
Carolann Barraclough, a mother-of-three, was murdered by her husband in February
David
asserted
Barraclough → murder → February
Barraclough pleaded guilty to murder on the first day of his trial and has been jailed for 21 years
Mrs Barraclough, described by her sister Sarah Rowley as 'the bright light of our family', was last seen alive outside her home on February 19.
asserted
Barraclough → plead → February
The following day she was described as looking 'pale, miserable and terrified' with Barraclough looking 'really, really, really scary'.
asserted
Barraclough → describe → ?
Children at the address were made to believe that the pair subsequently left together for hospital.
However, prosecutors say Barraclough then murdered his wife in a bedroom before driving away alone at 10.03am.
A minute earlier, he had searched online for an escort in Wakefield offering sexual services.
asserted
he → make → services
In a victim impact statement, Ms Rowley added: ‘Her children were the centre of her world.
asserted
children → add → world
She loved being a mum.
asserted
She → love → ?
‘It is incredibly painful to see how he targeted her loving and social nature.
asserted
he → see → nature
'Slowly and calculatingly he isolated her from the people who loved her the most and created barriers to slowly stop us from seeing her or staying connected to her.'
Barraclough refused to appear in the dock for his sentence.
asserted
Barraclough → isolate → sentence
Under new legislation known as ‘Olivia’s law’ defendants can now be brought to court using reasonable force or jailed for not attending, however these powers are not yet in force.
asserted
powers → know → force
Following the sentence, Jill May, senior crown prosecutor for Yorkshire, said: 'David Barraclough tried to paint himself as a victim of domestic abuse who had no choice but to kill his wife and was heartbroken by what had happened.
uncertain
what → follow → wife
‘The evidence told a very different story.’
asserted
evidence → tell → story
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