A 74-year-old man has been declared mentally unfit to face trial for the stabbing death of his wife at their Merrylands home in Sydney’s western suburbs.
Father-of-three, Vincenzo Coluccio allegedly stabbed his wife Elia Coluccio while she slept before washing the knife and driving himself to the Merrylands police station where he told officers that “something terrible” happened.
Mr Coluccio had been in custody for more than five months following the night of his 63-year-old wife’s death, but he will not face trial for her murder after being declared mentally unfit by a judge who examined multiple expert medical reports.
Reports claim that one psychologist concluded that Mr Coluccio had a substantial mental impairment and mild intellectual disability, while another psychologist believed that Mr Coluccio was unsure about whether he was was was dead or alive.
It is believed that Mr. Coluccio was also fearful that his wife was “setting him up” and it is alleged that he also made claims that he believed that his wife had been cheating on him and that his children were mocking him.
“I am not satisfied that Mr Coluccio is capable of following the trial, understanding the evidence or instructing his lawyers,” said NSW Supreme Court Justice Robert Allan Hulme.
“I am also not satisfied that he can comprehend the defences open to him.”
Mr Coluccio listened to the judgment through an interpreter but remained silent throughout.
Although declared unfit for trial, Mr Coluccio will remain in custody until further order by the Mental health Review Tribunal.
Photo credit – iStock – SonerCdem
