A WOMAN who was allegedly murdered by her own husband was found to have more than 20 injuries to her body.

Forensic pathologist Dr Virginia Fitzpatrick-Swallow said Linda Vilika also had bruises and cuts which were ‘classic defensive injuries’ seen when someone has been attacked.

Ms Vilika died aged 41 at her home in The Street, Great Saling, on August 19 last year after she was stabbed twice in the back and again in the chest.

Husband Wilfred Jacob, 43, is accused of murdering Ms Vilika - a charge he denies.

Jacob claims he pushed his wife in self defence after she attacked him with a knife.

He says he is unable to recount anymore of the incident because he suffered an epileptic fit.

Dr Fitzpatrick-Swallow carried out a post-mortem on Ms Vilika on August 21 and found the cause of death to be stab wounds of the torso.

She told Chelmsford Crown Court a range of injuries were found on the deceased’s body, including to her head, arms, hands and neck.

Dr Fitzpatrick-Swallow said cuts and slashes on Ms Vilika’s arms and hands indicated she had been shielding herself from a sharp object.

She also revealed small dots of blood in Ms Vilika’s eyes and injuries to her neck were caused by compression.

She added: “There were no hanging marks which leaves us with either strangulation by hand-on-hand or sometimes the forearm ,so for example a choke hold.

“Manual strangulation is the most common method by which you get these injuries.”

The court heard the deceased had suffered two separate stab wounds to the back, with one causing a fracture to a small vertebrae in her spine.

Dr Fitzpatrick-Swallow said it was highly likely Ms Vilika had also suffered a fatal stab wound to the right of her chest.

But the doctor was unable to provide certainty about the wound because it had been disturbed when paramedics had performed a thoracotomy when trying to revive Ms Vilika.

The procedure sees an incision made in the chest and the heart massaged manually in an attempt to get it restarted.

Jacob is accused of carrying out a ‘powerful’ attack by prosecutors after becoming ‘utterly obsessed’ about his wife’s alleged infidelity.

They claim he murdered Ms Vilika after she informed him she no longer wanted to be married.

The trial continues.