Histon mortgage advisor who murdered his wife jailed for life

A man from Histon who killed his wife to claim her life insurance has been jailed.

Robert Hammond, known as James, strangled Sian Hammond to death at their home on Primes Corner in Histon, on 29 October 2023.

Hammond had growing debts of more than £300,000 and had spent months lying to debt collectors in order to delay overdue payments.

Sian's life cover was worth £450,000, and suspicions were raised when a post-mortem examination concluded Sian had been strangled.

Detective Inspector Richard Stott, from the Beds, Cambs and Herts Major Crime Unit:

"The pathology played a key part in this investigation, and this started to show how Mr Hammond had lied about how his wife had died.

"Once the investigation progressed it showed Hammond to be a competent liar and the large debts and financial pressures, he was under became clear. 

"His greed and fear of losing his public standing led to him murdering his wife to benefit from her life insurance and to continue to hide his debt and lies."

The court heard that on the day of the murder, Hammond, 47, and Sian, 46, had spent the day together shopping and using their home gym.

The next day, at 2am, Hammond rang the police, claiming he had found his wife not breathing, and always denied any wrongdoing.

Suspicions were not raised until a post-mortem examination in November 2023 determined Sian had been killed by a compression of the neck.

CCTV showed that no other person had entered or left their home that night and there was no suggestion of a third party involved.

Photos: Sian and Robert Hammond, Cambridgeshire Police

On 17 July 2024, at Cambridge Crown Court, a jury returned a unanimous guilty verdict on a charge of murder.

On 23 July, Hammond was sentenced to life in prison, and will serve a minimum term of 24 years.