British man, Alexander Clac who strangled his wife Nixiann Downes-Clack and buried her body in a suitcase after she found out he was cheating with their babysitter, walks free eight years into 67-year sentence
A British man who strangled his wife and buried her body in a suitcase within a shallow grave after she discovered he was cheating with their teenage babysitter has walked free eight years into his 67-year prison sentence.
Alexander Clack, 40, battered Nixiann Downes-Clack and strangled her when she threatened to leave him after he had an affair with the couple’s 17-year-old babysitter.
The former prison officer from London killed his wife on their fourth wedding anniversary in June 2014.
He buried her body in a small suitcase which was found in a shallow grave on the outskirts of St George’s, the capital of Caribbean island Grenada, five days later.
Clack was sentenced to 67 years and six months in prison in February 2016, but he has now walked free after his lawyer argued that the loss of a court computer with a transcript of his murder trial had made it impossible to appeal the sentence.
Nixiann’s aunt Kim Szmyglewska, 45, told The Sun: ‘I’m horrified. How could they release someone on such a flimsy technicality when he is guilty of such evil and clearly a danger to women.
‘Now he’s got away with murder and is heading this way.’
A former friend of Clack added: This decision defies belief. Even before the murder he had been involved in domestic violence involving calls to the police.’
The couple married on June 17, 2009, before moving to the upmarket southern region of Lance Aux Epine, running a successful recruitment firm together.
She fell pregnant in March 2011 and when little Anna (not her real name) was born in December that year, she said Clack was a doting father.
When their girl turned one, they hired a 17-year-old childminder, so Mrs Downes-Clack could go back to work.
Soon afterwards, though, she discovered that Clack had seduced the teenager, having sex in their marital bed, his murder trial heard.
Mrs Downes-Clack’s body was found five days after she had disappeared and Clack was arrested and charged with non-capital murder.
He had flown into an angry rage after collecting his wife from work, when she had threatened to leave him.
Back at the house, he’d beaten her black and blue, before strangling her in front of their two-year-old daughter.
Then he’d shoved her lifeless body into a suitcase – driving it to a hilltop overlooking Grenada‘s picturesque capital St George’s.
There, he’d buried the case in a three-foot-deep-ditch.
Clack’s lawyer Anselm Clouden said: ‘Mr Clack was overjoyed but is a typically reserved Englishman. He may have celebrated with a glass of port.
‘I understand the British High Commission assisted in arrangements to fly him home.’