A woman who claimed her husband had taken his own life after an argument has been jailed for at least 13 years for murdering him. Amy Pugh, 34, played the part of a "concerned" wife when she made a "desperate" 999 call on March 22, 2022, claiming to have discovered Kyle Pugh hanging outside their family home in Newport, Shropshire.
But Pugh had inflicted the fatal injuries on her 30-year-old husband herself during a fight in the kitchen. Kyle Pugh suffered compression to the neck and fractures to the neck structure, as well as a fractured nose and eye socket, before dying at Princess Royal Hospital in Telford the following day.
The deception unravels
Stafford Crown Court heard that Pugh waited 20 minutes after "gaining the upper hand" over her estranged husband before calling emergency services. She told the call handler her husband had taken his own life and could be heard saying: "Kyle, wake up, why have you done this."
The trial revealed that Kyle had been visiting the family home in Aston Drive to see his children when the fatal confrontation occurred. Pugh claimed she had "lost composure" after learning her husband's new partner might be pregnant, leading to an argument while they listened to music in the kitchen.
Prosecutor Julian Evans KC described her account as a "complete fiction", telling the court that Pugh had deliberately exploited Kyle's vulnerabilities and history of self-harm to cover up her crime.
Sentencing and family devastation
Judge Kristina Montgomery KC sentenced Pugh to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 13 years and 77 days on Friday, after she was found guilty of murder in June. The judge told Pugh she had been composed enough after the attack to tell "persuasive and cohesive lies" to police about what happened.
In victim impact statements, Kyle's father Keith Pugh said his son's death had left the family "living a nightmare". He said: "There are no words to describe the pain and suffering Kyle's death has caused and will continue to cause."
Kyle's sister Kayleigh emphasised that men can also be victims of domestic violence, describing her brother as "a kind and funny man who loved his children immensely". The judge condemned Pugh's lies as "cynical and cruel", saying they had caused the family "significant additional suffering" by suggesting Kyle had taken his own life.
Sources used: "PA Media" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
