Jon-Jaques Clinton's wife murder conviction quashed
A 45-year-old man jailed for murdering his wife after she left him and found a new man has had his conviction quashed.
Jon-Jaques Clinton was found guilty of the November 2010 killing of wife Dawn at their home in Bracknell, Berkshire.
The Court of Appeal has ruled sexual infidelity can be taken into account by jurors when considering whether the "loss of control" defence is allowable.
The defence, which replaced that of "provocation" in 2009, was withdrawn from the jury at Clinton's trial.
Judges at the Court of Appeal were interpreting the changes to the law introduced in the Coroners and Justice Act of 2009.
Hacked into Facebook
In order to raise the loss of control defence, there has to be a "qualifying trigger" and, in spite of the Act stating sexual infidelity is to be disregarded, the Appeal Court has now ruled it can be taken into account.
If used successfully, the loss of control defence will reduce murder to manslaughter.
Two other men who killed their wives failed in their bid to have their convictions overturned at the Court of Appeal, which heard the three cases together as they raised similar issues.
During Clinton's trial last year, Reading Crown Court heard that he hacked into his 33-year-old wife's Facebook account and found evidence of the relationship.
Mrs Clinton had left her husband a few weeks before her death and moved into her mother's home.
When she later visited the marital home, Clinton killed her.
A post-mortem examination showed she died from head injuries and asphyxia.
Clinton, formerly of Inchwood, Bracknell, remains in custody and now faces a retrial.