By Andrew Jarret and Rob McLaren

AN ARBROATH man is due to appear at the town’s sheriff court today charged with the murder of his wife.

Police last night formally identified the woman who died following a disturbance in her home in Glenisla Drive on Sunday night as 58-year-old Agnes Raffan.

It is understood that the victim alerted the emergency services herself following the incident shortly before 10.30pm on Sunday.

Despite the efforts of paramedics called to the scene, the woman was pronounced dead on her arrival at Ninewells Hospital, Dundee.

Early yesterday morning, Tayside Police confirmed that they were pursuing a positive line of inquiry following the death of the woman and in the late afternoon said they had formally charged a middle-aged man, understood to be the victim’s husband Peter.

A spokesman for the force last night said, “A 48-year-old man has been arrested by Tayside Police in connection with her death. It is anticipated that he will appear at Arbroath Sheriff Court tomorrow.”

It is understood that the woman has two daughters, who live locally. A third daughter is understood to have died during the 1990s.

The victim was a local lollipop lady serving Arbroath Academy pupils at the Mayfield Terrace crossing. Her home, where she has lived for more than 30 years, is close to one of the school gates.

A solitary police van remained sitting outside the victim’s terraced house until yesterday lunchtime.

Residents in the street were roused by officers making door-to-door inquir- ies shortly after 1am.

A statement issued by Tayside Police early yesterday said, “About 10.25pm on Sunday Tayside Police attended a report of a disturbance in a house in Glenisla Drive, Arbroath.

“Police attended, along with the Scottish Ambulance Service, and a 58-year-old woman was traced within the premises with serious injuries.

“She was conveyed by ambulance to Ninewells Hospital where she was pronounced dead on arrival.”