A chilling case has ended with Martin Suter locked up for a minimum of 27 years for brutally murdering his ex-wife, Ann Blackwood. The 68-year-old lay in wait at a cemetery before stabbing her 19 times at their son’s graveside in Stubbington.
Cold-Blooded Murder at Crofton Cemetery
Martin Suter, from Lee-on-the-Solent, pleaded guilty to the murder of 71-year-old Ann Blackwood on July 24, 2023 — a date marking what would have been their son Christopher’s 36th birthday.
Dressed in a beige suit and striped tie, Suter was also sentenced for indecently assaulting a girl under 14, an offence he admitted earlier this year in Manchester Crown Court.
Heartbreaking Details of the Attack
Prosecutor Robert O’Sullivan KC revealed the horrific planning behind the attack. “Suter armed himself with a large kitchen knife and waited at the cemetery, anticipating Ann’s visit to her son’s grave,” he said.
Ann arrived on her bicycle and was stabbed in the back with the kitchen knife, which broke. Suter then used a pair of scissors Ann had brought to trim flowers, stabbing her 19 times in the neck and shoulders.
At 3.39pm, Suter called 999 calmly admitting: “I have just murdered someone, I have just killed my ex-wife, I have just stabbed her to death.”
Devastated Family React
“The fact that such wickedness can be perpetrated is beyond our comprehension,” said Ann’s brother John Blackwood. “She was a kind-hearted mother and friend, popular in her community. Her brutal death has devastated us all.”
Judge Delivers Sentence
Judge Michael Bowes KC, sentencing Suter at Portsmouth Crown Court, said: “No sentence can compensate Ann’s family and friends for their devastating loss.”
He sentenced Suter to 27 years and 109 days for murder, plus 121 days for the indecent assault.
The judge added: “Christopher’s death was a tragic loss but doesn’t reduce your culpability. You committed this wicked, cruel murder at a place where Ann should have felt safe.”
Background and Aftermath
Christopher’s death in 2003 was ruled accidental. The couple, who divorced in 2004, had two children and once lived in Stockport.
Suter blamed Ann for ruining his life, including their son’s death. He later told his second wife: “I know I’m going to prison, I may as well go for this.”
Suter was diagnosed with autism and depression but has not shown genuine remorse, still contesting the murder charge.
Ann Blackwood’s family described her as “loving, caring and active in retirement,” enjoying tennis, sailing, cycling, and music. Her shocking death has left a deep scar on the community.
