Manslaughter - Man sentenced

23 May 2012

An Ipswich man has been detained following the death of Ruth Jacobs in Needham Market.

The body of 60-year-old Mrs Jacobs was found in Needham Lake on the morning of Sunday 20th February 2011. A post mortem examination found that she died from drowning.

Stephen Jacobs, a 60-year-old man from Ipswich, was arrested by police on the same day. In February he appeared at Ipswich Crown Court and pleaded guilty to the charge of manslaughter with diminished responsibility. He appeared at the same court on Wednesday 23 May for sentencing and was detained under Section 37 of the Mental Health Act.

Detective Chief Inspector John Brocklebank who led the investigation said:

"Ruth’s death was a tragic crime and our sympathies remain with her family and friends. Crimes of this severity remain a rare occurrence in Suffolk but inevitably cause concern in the local community. This particular case was an isolated and contained incident involving a husband and wife, with no threat to the wider community. Nevertheless it resulted in a lengthy investigation by the Norfolk and Suffolk Joint Major Investigation Team and I would like to thank all the staff who contributed to this enquiry."