39-year-old Rhys Hancock brutally stabbed his estranged wife and her new lover to death in the early hours of New Year's Day. Today, Rhys appeared for his hearing at Southern Derbyshire Magistrates Court. After a short hearing, the murder suspect remanded in custody without a bail application. The court heard that the police tried to contact the victims after the accused's mother alerted the police about her son's malintent.

39-year-old Physical Education teacher, Helen Almey, had spent New Year's Eve with her new lover, 47-year-old Martin Griffiths. The couple slept in Almey's marital home without being aware of their grim fate.

Rhys, the former headteacher of a special needs school, drove 10 miles from his mother, Christine Hancock's home in Etwall, to the £400,000 home that the couple used to share in Duffield. The couple's three children, aged nine, four and three, were with Christine and Rhys.

Knife stabbing
Estranged husband stabbed wife and new lover to death on new year's day. Getty

The Daily Mail reported that Christine noticed that her son had left home with two knives. Fearing for the worst, the woman called 999 and alerted the police around 4:11 am on New Year's Day. The police tried to call Almey but the call went to voicemail.

The court heard that Rhys had called 999 himself at 4:26 am and waited for the police to arrive and arrest him. Upon arrival, the police and emergency team found Griffins dead with multiple stab wounds. Almey, however, was alive when the paramedics arrived. After trying for around 15-minutes to stabilise the woman who had been viciously stabbed, the paramedics failed to save her life.

Since the stabbing, Rhys has cooperated with the police. He did not resist arrest, he did not submit a plea, and he did not apply for bail.

During the hearing, Rhys spoke only to confirm his name, age, and nationality. He will be taken to Derby Crown Court on Monday for his next hearing.

The Daily Mail also shared information about Griffiths' estranged wife. Griffiths worked at Derby-based creative design agency 22 Create. The death of the father of two left his wife, whom he had separated with, "devastated." Claire Griffiths used an image of her and her husband to pay tribute to the victim and the happy days the couple had together.