A WOMAN died after being stabbed with “knives and other kitchen implements”, an inquest heard.

Wirral coroner Christopher Johnson opened and adjourn-ed the inquest into the death of Elaine Louise Bailey, 39, who was killed by multiple stab wounds.

The mother-of-three was found dead in her home at Locker Park, Greasby, during a siege involving her husband at their next-door neighbour’s house.

The coroner’s court at West Kirby heard that around 2.27pm last Thursday , Glynis Boyle had been in her kitchen when she heard banging at her door.

Coroner’s officer Arthur Flower said Mrs Boyle had identified the man at her door as her neighbour Robert Bailey, who was “covered in blood and carrying a screwdriver or knife”.

Mr Flower said Mrs Boyle had the presence of mind to take a phone and keys to her rear patio door and went into her garden where she called 999 and told the operator that she believed the man may have harmed his wife. The inquest heard the man had smashed through the front door and that police arrived and had forced their way into the house, via the garage, but the unarmed officers retreated and called for assistance when confront-ed by the man in the house.

Mr Flower said: “Mrs Boyle was found in the rear garden and removed to safety by officers.

“The male then smashed his way through the rear patio door when officers used CS gas in order to contain him before he went back inside the front downstairs lounge where he smashed the front downstairs window.

“A siege situation then ensued with the male contained within the house and the surround-ing area and nearby roads cordoned off by police.”

Armed officers arrived and a trained negotiator was brought to the scene while police entered the next-door property where they found Mrs Bailey’s body.

The mother-of-three children, aged five, six and 14 years old, including a daught-er with Downs Syndrome, had suffered multiple stab wounds to the head, face and body which the inquest was told were “believed to have been caused by a number of sharp pointed instruments includ-ing knives and other kitchen implements”.

Paramedics found no signs of life and death was formally pronounced at 3.04pm. Her body was later formally identified by her uncle, David Knowles, and a post mortem confirmed she had died of multiple stab wounds.

Robert Bailey was later arrested after attempting to “self harm” and was taken first to Arrowe Park then Broadgreen with serious but not life-threatening injuries.

Coroner Mr Johnson said the inquest would be adjourned until a date to be fixed, following the completion of the police investigation.

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