Man Dismembered His Wife After Argument Over Frozen Chips, Sentenced To 13 Years In Jail

A husband who murdered and dismembered his wife after an argument over frozen chips was sentenced to 13 years in prison.

The Manchester Crown Court on Tuesday sentenced, 49-year-old Thomas McCann, for strangling and dismembering his 46-year-old "childhood sweetheart," Yvonne, at their home in Stockport, England, on Saturday, May 23, 2020.

The couple, who were married for 24 years, argued about a bag of frozen chips.

McCann strangled his wife to death in the bathroom. He used a Stanley knife and a tree lopper to cut up the body before dumping it in Reddish Vale Country Park "like garbage."

He then used her phone to sent text messages to their children pretending that their mother was still alive. He told them that she had walked out after they had a row.

Passing sentence at Manchester Crown Court, Judge Alan Conrad QC told the suspect: "Your actions after the killing amount to serious aggravating factors."

"The defence suggest a combination of self-interest and panic, but what you did makes a terrible case even more horrific and even more upsetting to those concerned."

"Yvonne McCann was a woman with a great deal to live for and a great deal to look forward to when her life was so cruelly cut short by you," the judge said.

Police were alerted after dog walkers at the park found parts of Yvonne’s body.

The police initially discovered two bags. During a search around the area, officers found four more bags dumped in another part of the park half a mile away.

Following an investigation, McCann was spotted on CCTV, leaving the house with bin bags and dumping them in his car. He is also seen bringing bags towards the country park.

He claimed to have last seen his wife when he dropped her off near the home of her new partner.

Police later discovered that McCann had scratches to his cheek, arms and hands and was arrested.

McCann described himself as, "Hannibal Lecter." Following the arrest, he told police that he killed his wife and “disposed of her like garbage" after he "lost control and could not stop".

"Seemingly the trigger was some used frozen chips," Prosecutor, Andrew Smith, said.

"During that argument it is now clear that the defendant attacked Yvonne, strangled her to death in the bathroom and thereafter he dismembered her body in the bath."

The couple had known each other since teenage and had been together for 32 years. They had four children.

"We are all really struggling with this. We love our mum very much, we also love our dad," their daughter, Rachel Lawson said.

McCann was sentenced to serve a minimum term of 13 years and four months in jail before parole.