Jewish woman receives life sentence for murdering husband in Prestwich home
Daryl Berman must serve at least 12 years after being convicted of fatally stabbing her husband, David, with a vegetable knife
A Jewish woman has received a life sentence after being convicted of murdering her husband at their home in Prestwich.
Daryl Berman, 72, was sentenced on Friday at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court after a jury found her guilty of murdering her husband, David Berman, 84. She must serve a minimum term of 12 years before becoming eligible to apply for parole.
The conviction followed a retrial after an earlier jury was unable to reach a verdict.
David Berman died on 13 March 2025 after suffering a stab wound to the chest at the couple’s home on Butterstile Lane. Daryl Berman initially told police and paramedics that her husband had accidentally fallen onto a knife after slipping in the kitchen.
When officers arrived at the house, paramedics were treating Mr Berman, but he was pronounced dead at the scene later that afternoon.
According to Greater Manchester Police, Berman questioned why officers were present, asking one of them: “You don’t think I have murdered him, do you?”
She later told officers that her husband had taken her lunch tray into the kitchen before she heard what sounded like him stumbling. She said he called back to reassure her that he was “fine”, but when she entered the room she found him lying face down beside a broken plate in a pool of blood and dialled 999.
Initially, the death was believed to have been a tragic accident. However, a Home Office post-mortem examination concluded that the fatal chest wound bore the characteristics of homicide rather than an accidental fall onto a knife. Berman was arrested five days later.
During both trials, she denied murder, maintaining that her husband’s death had been accidental.
The first trial ended in December 2025 after jurors were unable to agree on a verdict. At the retrial, an 11-to-one majority found her guilty on 23 June.
Following Friday’s sentencing, Detective Inspector Alex Wilkinson, from Greater Manchester Police’s Major Incident Team, said: “David Berman was an 84-year-old man who should have been able to enjoy his later years in the safety of his own home. Instead, his life was cruelly cut short by the person he trusted most.
“From the outset, Daryl Berman attempted to present her husband’s death as a tragic accident and maintained that account throughout the investigation. However, the findings of the post-mortem examination exposed the truth and ultimately led to her being found guilty of his murder.
“Our thoughts remain with David’s family and loved ones as they continue to come to terms with his death. While nothing can undo the pain caused by his loss, we hope today’s sentence provides them with a measure of justice and allows them to begin moving forward.”
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