Tonight we said goodbye to Sue Grundy, my neighbour who was savagely murdered a couple of months ago (see previous posts). Here is a summary of a report at the time in the Bradford Telegraph & Argus:"The step-daughter of a Bradford woman found viciously murdered today spoke of her shock and anger at the senseless killing. Susan Grundy, 56, a retired Bradford College lecturer, was found beaten to death near her home in Bridlington early on Tuesday.
Her injuries were so severe that her devastated step-daughter could not recognise her.
Rebecca Grundy, 37, of Great Horton, was asked by police to identify the warm-hearted woman she had known for 23 years.
"I couldn't identify her because she was unrecognisable. She had suffered head injuries," said Rebecca.
Humberside Police launched a murder inquiry following the grim discovery of Mrs Grundy's body at 7.55am.
They received a 999 emergency call from a member of the public who saw the body near wheelie bins.
A post mortem examination showed that Mrs Grundy died following a violent assault.
Mrs Grundy retired to Bridlington with her husband, Rebecca's dad David, four years ago.
She worked for West Yorkshire Ambulance Service until she was forced to retire because of a back problem.
She and Mr Grundy lived in Thoresby Grove, Great Horton, until they moved to the seaside town for "a better life".
Mr Grundy, a former art teacher, died of cancer in 2005 aged 63."
....and another article from the same time in Yorkshire Today:
DETECTIVES investigating the murder of a woman viciously attacked just yards from her front door have released disturbing CCTV images of their chief suspect. Police are urgently trying to trace a man in a light-coloured top who turned and followed Susan Grundy after passing her in a Bridlington street as she made her way home after a night out with friends.What a terrible shame that the "better life" she and Josh (as her late husband was known) came here for didn't happen. I knew Josh, and apart from having mastered his final recordings in my studio I also had the privilege of having him get up and play guitar on a few songs with a band I was playing a gig with, just a few months before his death. He was a brilliant musician and a lovely guy.
The man is seen walking along Holyrood Avenue and turning left into Landsdowne Road, where Mrs Grundy is walking towards him. When they pass each other he turns and begins to follow her, quickening his pace. Police believe the man would have caught up with Mrs Grundy in Travis Street, a few hundred yards from where she was found dead on Tuesday morning.
"It appears this man saw her in the last moments of her life so we are obviously very keen to speak to him," a Humberside Police spokeswoman said.
Sue's funeral was a couple of weeks ago, but tonight some of her closest friends organised a charity evening to remember her and raise some money for charity. After scattering her ashes into the sea over the harbour wall (Vicki assured me that they DID check which way the wind was blowing first!) the party started at the local British Legion club, who kindly gave use of their function room. Vicki had spent 2 weeks going around just about every business in town blagging raffle prizes to give away and managed to get over 80 prizes. The compere from the legion did a comedy turn which, although a bit filthy for my tastes was nevertheless very funny in places. The raffle prizes were all given out, then a band that I used to play in, called Odds 'n Ends, played out the evening with some fine rock 'n roll music. I even danced - a sight about as rare as England winning a soccer match! Altogether a really good night, and a nice way to remember a good woman who I didn't know very well, but who was always kind and friendly to me on the rare occasions our paths crossed. God bless her, and may she rest in peace.
Postscript:
A couple of weeks ago I spotted the 14-yr-old daughter of friends of mine walking home on her own at 10:30 at night down a quiet street. Naturally I stopped and gave her a lift, but it stunned me to think just how quickly people forget even the most shocking news, and how people always assume it couldn't happen to them. Well it does happen to ordinary people - this happened only yards from my home. If my kids read this any time - please please be careful; not paranoid but just careful, and don't ever walk the streets on your own late at night - it's just not safe.
2 comments:
A senseless death all for alcohol!
When things like this happen I really hope there is a next life so the little shit can get his final reward.
If only you knew how many times I have wished that I had gone out when I heard the shouting - if I had then Sue might still be alive and the cowardly scumbag would have got his reward in this life (even though I have renounced violence I am sure I would have made an exception in his case!) Let's just hope he gets put away for a very long time.
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