tactic 00.tac.9992 Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire

Truck driver Albert Lilley broke down as he recalled the way Shipman announced the death of his wife, 59-year-old Jean Lilley.

"He said, 'I have been with your wife for quite a while now, trying to persuade her to go to the hospital, but she won't go. I was going to come home (later) and have a word with you and your wife and I was too late.'"

"I said, 'What do you mean too late?' He said, "You are not listening to me carefully."' Perhaps Shipman took pleasure in forcing Lilly to guess his beloved wife had died.

He repeated this tactic with Winnie Mellor, a healthy outgoing 73-year-old who still played football with her grandchildren.