A MILLIONAIRE who shot his wife at point blank range over the breakfast table is to appeal against his conviction, the East Anglian Daily Times can exclusively reveal.

Kate McGrath

A MILLIONAIRE who shot his wife at point blank range over the breakfast table is to appeal against his conviction, the East Anglian Daily Times can exclusively reveal.

John Walker, 70, will appear before the High Court on July 24 - four years after he was jailed for life for the brutal murder.

Cheating husband, Walker, killed his wife, Glenda, to whom he had been married for 41 years, at the breakfast table in their family home in Great Bealings, near Woodbridge, on November 12, 2002.

It is not yet known upon what grounds he is set to appeal, but legal experts told the EADT last night it is usual to appeal within three weeks of the sentence unless new evidence has come to light.

His defence barrister in the appeal hearing will be Stephen Ferguson and Karim Khalil will be prosecuting. Neither men could comment on the particulars of the appeal last night.

At his trial, Ipswich Crown Court heard how Walker had been having an affair with a woman he had met at ballroom dancing classes.

Mrs Walker had found out about the affair after hiring a private detective and had walked out on her husband twice, before asking for a divorce.

Shortly before the shooting the couple had a heated argument during which Walker claimed his wife had threatened to take him for all he had in their impending separation and to publicly disgrace him over the affair.

With this in mind, Walker went to his gun cabinet, calmly took his 12-bore single barrelled shotgun and shot his wife once in the chest at short range, the court heard.

Sentencing him in March, 2004, Judge John Devaux said: “You are a manipulative, hypocritical, deceitful and cold-hearted man.

“You are entirely selfish, giving no thought to the actions on your children or grandchildren.”

Walker had denied murdering his wife but admitted shooting her.

His defence team argued he should be found guilty of the lesser charge of manslaughter as he was clinically depressed at the time.