Estranged couple found dead

LAST night PSNI detectives were continuing their investigation into a domestic incident at the weekend in which a husband is believed to have killed his estranged wife before taking his own life.

The body of mother-of-three Sharon Hull, 33, was found in her detached house in Carnbeg Meadows, Antrim, shortly after 8.30am last Saturday.

Ten minutes later her husband, Philip, was discovered in a red Ford Escort in a car park of the nearby Tardree Forest, in the Parkgate Road area of Kells, five miles away.

Detectives are treating Mrs Hull’s death as murder and her husband’s as an apparent suicide. They are not looking for anyone else in connection with the deaths.

Local Ulster Unionist Party councillor Adrian Watson, who knew the couple, said the area was in shock.

“When the news started breaking, friends and family, everybody was in total shock,” he said.

“With a young family, lovely house, everything seemed to have been going quite well.

“Certainly no one would have suspected this event would have been brought to their door.”

The couple have two boys and one girl, all thought to be under 10, but none were in the house when the body was discovered.

Police confirmed there had been a restraining order in place against Mr Hull.

Mr Watson said the couple were well known and liked in the local community. They had been long serving and active members of Antrim Rugby Football Club.

Chairman Hugh Wallace described the incident as a tragedy.

“They were both members of the club and our sympathy goes out to the family,” he said.

It is understood Mr Hull had been playing for the club since his teenage years and was a member of the men’s first team.

Mrs Hull, who it is understood worked as an accountant, was also an active member and had also played for a period.