DJ Suzie McGuire’s suicide bid to ‘escape’ husband

Suzi McGuire arrives at court. Picture: Mike Gibbons/Spindrift

The 45-year-old mum of four said she was “hanging by a thread” and that her suicide bid was in an effort to get away from her violent husband Derek Mitchell.

She the told how she drove to Bonnyton Woods only two or three miles from where she stayed in Eaglesham and phoned her husband to tell him she had had enough.

Paisley Sheriff Court also heard Mitchell, 35, went to the procurator fiscal’s office to try and have charges dropped against his wife but she denied it was at her request.

Miss McGuire was giving evidence for a fourth day at the court where her estranged husband faces a string of charges including assault and breaches of the peace.

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During cross-examination by defence lawyer Billy Lavelle the witness said she had appeared on court on two charges of assault and a public disorder charge which allegedly took place on December 8, 2012.

He asked her: “Before I ask anything further is it your position your not going to answer any questions about the events of 8 December 2012?”

She said she would “like to clear things up and put things behind her” but that she would take the sheriff’s earlier advice not to answer any questions if the answer would incriminate her.

The court heard that the proceedings against Miss McGuire have been suspended temporarily.

She told the jury: “Derek not once, not twice, not three but four times spoke to the Crown office and procurator fiscal and said it didn’t happen.”

Mr Lavelle put to her that the proceedings against her remain live and an indictment could be served at any time and she agreed.

He put to her: “Through this period right up to July 2013 when you and Mr Mitchell finally split, right up until that point, your main concern and the thing which was troubling you at all times, because you were speaking to Mr Mitchell on a daily basis about was this serious allegation of serious assault hanging over your head, wasn’t it?”

She replied: “I think the important word here is allegation.”

Mr Lavelle continued: “That’s all I can say to you. This serious allegation was the most important thing in your life at that point.”

The witness answered: “I disagree, I really disagree.” She added that the most important thing was four healthy, happy children and getting back to full health herself.

The defence lawyer put to her that she was in the public eye and had gone through court facing serious charges. He asked: “That must have been a concern?”

She said: “Of course it was concerning but not as concerning as trying to take your own life and escaping a bullying, violent husband and removing yourself from your four children.

“Nothing will come close to that.”

It was suggested to Miss McGuire that she requested Mitchell have the charges against her dropped but she said that was untrue.

Mr Lavelle said: “And you and him throughout the period of July 2013 actively tried to do that” but the witness also denied that.

Miss McGuire was asked about her suicide attempt she told the court about in earlier evidence when she took 40 paracetamol and a litre of vodka.

She said: “I drove up to, it’s a wee place behind Eaglesham, Bonnyton Woods, it’s behind the golf course.

“I just sat in my car and took everything I had. I went in to four separate shops in Eaglesham because you can’t buy that amount in one go.

“So bought the stuff and drove up there.”

She was asked how she ended up in hospital and said: “Derek found me.”

Mr Lavelle asked how and she said: “No idea because I didn’t tell him where I was.”

The jury heard she phoned Mitchell and told him she couldn’t take anymore and was taking her own life.

It was suggested that the reason she did it was because the Crown were not, at that point dropping charges against her.

She answered: “You think that’s why I tried to kill myself?”

Mr Lavelle said: “I’m suggesting that’s exactly why you took the action that you took.”

Miss McGuire said she was “I’m appalled, I have survived that, I can tell you that’s absolutely untrue. I was actually a woman pushed to the limit.

“Beaten up, berated daily, I had nothing left to give.”

She added: “I was absolutely hanging by a thread and that thread was gone. I’m dealing with much worse issues now than that now and I’m still standing.”

Mitchell denies the charges and has lodged a special defence for one of the charges.

The trial before sheriff Susan Sinclair continues.

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