LONDON, April 12 (UPI) -- A British court has cleared a wealthy businessman of attempted murder although he admitted to hitting his wife with a bat.
Philip Cowell, 44, admitted to repeatedly hitting Faith, 38, on the head as she slept, because she had tried to end their marriage, reports The Times of London. The beatings were interrupted by the couple's 10-year-old daughter.
A rounders bat is shorter than a baseball bat and is usually swung one-handed.
Cowell later threatened to kill himself during a stand-off with police last June, the report said. The prosecution claimed Cowell had planned to fake his wife's suicide.
When asked by the defense why he had used the bat, Cowell said: "I don't know. I am not a violent person. I hit her. The first thing I remember was she started shouting, 'Who's that? Stop it.'"
The woman suffered a fractured skull.
Cowell admitted to grievous bodily harm with intent and awaits sentencing.
