RIP Ann Widdecome

[Pblakeney]

It's just the initial hearing. The trial won't start for ages yet.

Thanks.
Not sure how they can define the charges without knowing the cause of death though. Not that I think it was in any way natural or unconnected.

 

[BoldonLad]

Thanks.
Not sure how they can define the charges without knowing the cause of death though. Not that I think it was in any way natural or unconnected.

BBC News tonight saying there is video footage of the actual attack, from a camera in the kitchen. If this is true, how did it take so long to decide it was murder, or, at least manslaughter?, or, am I missing something, is there a new game where someone batters you over the head with a hammer, for fun?

 

[Pblakeney]

BBC News tonight saying there is video footage of the actual attack, from a camera in the kitchen. If this is true, how did it take so long to decide it was murder, or, at least manslaughter?, or, am I missing something, is there a new game where someone batters you over the head with a hammer, for fun?

The whole saga is a little, weird.

 

[First Aspect]

It took them about 28 hours to publicly declare it was a murder.

Although it was probably immediately clearly a murder, several hours will have been taken securing the scene and getting detectives to it. That location is about an hour from both Exeter and Plymouth, for example, and the small towns nearby won't have bases for anything other than uniform police, if that.

You then have to factor in time to identify the victim, identify next of kin, inform next of kin and presumably some of the police will have needed some sleep in there somewhere as well.

 

[Pblakeney]

It took them about 28 hours to publicly declare it was a murder.

Although it was probably immediately clearly a murder, several hours will have been taken securing the scene and getting detectives to it. That location is about an hour from both Exeter and Plymouth, for example, and the small towns nearby won't have bases for anything other than uniform police, if that.

You then have to factor in time to identify the victim, identify next of kin, inform next of kin and presumably some of the police will have needed some sleep in there somewhere as well.

Yeahbut, she died 13 days ago now.

 

[First Aspect]

Yeahbut, she died 13 days ago now.

Her death was discovered 12 days ago and announced that it was a murder 11 days ago. The fact the BBC is reporting that there is video footage gives no information on when the police had access to it.

I'm not sure I am seeing the point you are both making here.

 

[BoldonLad]

Her death was discovered 12 days ago and announced that it was a murder 11 days ago. The fact the BBC is reporting that there is video footage gives no information on when the police had access to it.

I'm not sure I am seeing the point you are both making here.

Well I cannot speak for the other poster, but, I think it strange because:

Her Gardener found her, presumably he knew who his employer was, so, although may not have had "official" identification, they would have known who the victim was.

Even allowing for the "remoteness" of the location, I find it hard to believe that the Police could not move more quickly for what, it must have been rather obvious was a brutal death.

To me, the initial Police statements if anything "played it down", it must have been obvious this was a brutal killing

You may think differently, so be it.

 

[First Aspect]

Who knows. A day seems not inexplicable to me and perhaps it is significant that their first suspect was arrested only 2 hours later.

 

[Pblakeney]

Who knows. A day seems not inexplicable to me and perhaps it is significant that their first suspect was arrested only 2 hours later.

My point is that with 13 days they still don't know the cause of death. I find that strange.

 

[Ian H]

Well I cannot speak for the other poster, but, I think it strange because:

Her Gardener found her, presumably he knew who his employer was, so, although may not have had "official" identification, they would have known who the victim was.

Even allowing for the "remoteness" of the location, I find it hard to believe that the Police could not move more quickly for what, it must have been rather obvious was a brutal death.

To me, the initial Police statements if anything "played it down", it must have been obvious this was a brutal killing

You may think differently, so be it.

From my limited forensic experience, if a wound is a bloody mess, it can be difficult to ascertain cause or even severity. Hitting your head on the edge of a table as you fall can give a spectacularly gory effect.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

My point is that with 13 days they still don't know the cause of death. I find that strange.

I heard she'd been hit 28 times, but there are several different versions.

Why the smokescreen?

 

[briantrumpet]

I heard she'd been hit 28 times, but there are several different versions.

Why the smokescreen?

If they haven't done a post-mortem, I assume they can't rule out that she died from another cause but was then beaten brutally once dead.

 

[First Aspect]

My point is that with 13 days they still don't know the cause of death. I find that strange.

Not having any special medical knowledge it's hard to tell. But it's going to be something like the distinction between manslaughter and murder isn't it?

 

[midlandsgrimpeur]

If they haven't done a post-mortem, I assume they can't rule out that she died from another cause but was then beaten brutally once dead.

A PM has taken place but specific cause of death yet to be established (although a provisional cause of blunt force injury has now been established). A now departed family friend was a pathologist so I know it is not uncommon for pathologists to be cautious until an exact cause has been established. I suspect, as you suggest, there are complications due to the nature of how many times she was hit. It is possible she could have been hit and had a heart attack and died or some other cause related to the attack.

 

[Pross]

Well I cannot speak for the other poster, but, I think it strange because:

Her Gardener found her, presumably he knew who his employer was, so, although may not have had "official" identification, they would have known who the victim was.

Even allowing for the "remoteness" of the location, I find it hard to believe that the Police could not move more quickly for what, it must have been rather obvious was a brutal death.

To me, the initial Police statements if anything "played it down", it must have been obvious this was a brutal killing

You may think differently, so be it.

They probably didn’t want a media circus at their crime scene. Their job is to carry out a thorough investigation not give information to the public and they often hold off as long as they can get away with unless they feel information from the public is useful. They were also no doubt aware of the conclusions that many would jump to if they made it public knowledge a prominent right-wing politician had been murdered.

The only thing unusual is that they managed to keep it quiet so long without leaks.