A man was electrocuted Sunday, while his wife was injured when the two attempted to abstract electricity from a Jamaica Public Service (JPS) powerline in Newfield, Manchester.

The man, Evan Wilson, a 28-year-old football coach, was killed immediately after coming in contact with the powerline, while his wife Kerry-Ann Wilson was severely burned and was up to yesterday still being treated in hospital.

According to the Constabulary Communication Network, at approximately 2:00 am on Sunday the couple was attempting to abstract electricity to their Newfield home, which they had been renting when the wires they were using came into contact with JPS high-tension wires. Wilson died on the spot while his wife was rushed to hospital where she was admitted.

“He was unfortunate enough to rent a house without electricity and needed it so they decided to abstract it, and then this happened to them,” a police officer told the Observer yesterday, noting also that the abstraction of electricity was an uncommon practice in Newfield.

The couple had two young children.