I never thought that he would stoop as low

Sep 14 2007 by Chloe Griffiths, The Journal

A MOTHER of three accused of bigamy told police she never thought her husband would “stoop so low” as to trick her into illegally remarrying, Newcastle Crown was told yesterday.

Angela Kelly married Garry Stockdale in a white wedding, complete with Rolls Royces, stretch limousines and more than 100 hundred guests, at St George’s Church in Fatfield, Washington.

But a jury was told the 38-year-old was still married to Robert Atkinson, and had walked down the aisle knowing it was illegal.

Kelly denies one count of bigamy.

Yesterday she told the jury that she had signed a document produced by Mr Atkinson that she believed was “about the divorce”, then weeks later had received a decree absolute in the post, dissolving their nine-year marriage.

She told how she rejoiced with her mother, before going out with friends to celebrate.

Kelly then set about arranging her dream wedding with new partner Mr Stockdale, and the pair eventually exchanged vows about a year later, on August 20, 2005. But when details of the bigamy came to light and Kelly, of Firtree Avenue in Harraton, Washington, was questioned by police, she was unable to produce the decree absolute, and it later emerged no-one at the church where she wed had seen it.

But yesterday Kelly insisted she had possessed such a document and truly believed she had been divorced.

She said: “I would never have had such a public wedding in front of all my friends and family in the middle of Washington and spent such a large amount of money if I thought I was still married. My whole life has been turned upside down by this. I’ve gained nothing.”

The court was that when officers told Kelly there was no record of any divorce she claimed she must have been “set up” by her husband.

She said in a police interview: “He’s deceitful.

“If I’m not really divorced the only thing I can say is that he set us up.” She added: “I can remember him bringing the forms to us. I signed them and that was the last I heard about it until I got the decree absolute in the post.

“At the end of the day I just thought I was divorced.”

When questioned in court, she added: “I never in a million years thought he would stoop as low as to do something like this.”

But Lesley Dickinson, prosecuting, told the court decree absolute forms could only be computer generated at a court of law and accused Kelly of never receiving such a document.

Miss Dickinson told the jury Kelly knew full well the legal process to get a divorce.

She added: “She set her heart on getting married to Garry Stockdale, she wanted a big wedding and it was too difficult to tell him she wasn’t divorced, so she carried on regardless.”

The jury has heard a legal defence for bigamy is to believe the first marriage has been dissolved.

The trial continues.