Wife ‘scared’ of man accused of murdering her in Peterborough, jury told

Andriejus Kostiajevas, (47), is accused of killing Ligita Kostiajeviene, (42), in Cromwell Road, Peterborough on July 2 last year.

The BBC reported the couple’s daughter told a jury at Cambridge Crown Court he would regularly be violent towards her mother, and she had planned to call police as she “had enough of what was happening”.

Kostiajevas denies murder, attempted murder and wounding with intent.

Stuart Trimmer QC, prosecuting, previously told the court Mr Kostiajevas attacked his wife in their bedroom before resuming later when she “retreated” to the corner of another room on July 2.

Their daughter Viktorija Kostiajevaite said her mother “was scared at times of him”.

“I would say ‘divorce him if you’re not happy’,” Ms Kostiajevaite, who worked with her mother in a cosmetic factory, said.

She also told the court her father had spat at her and slapped her face at separate times, but she felt incidents of violence to her were irregular.

Ms Kostiajevaite told jurors violence towards her mother was “regular” and she had told her father “you’re not a man if you treat a woman like this”.

Rosina Cottage QC, defending, said it was not “his actions that are in dispute but what was in his mind at the time”.

The trial continues.