Lorna Rose

Lorna Rose was attacked at her home in Thistle Green, Swavesey, on 3 September 1995, and later died in hospital on 16 December 1995.

She died from bronchial pneumonia caused by severe head injuries.

She had been battered unconcious in the attack and later taken to Addenbrookes Hospital. She came out of her coma six weeks later and named her daughter as her assailant, saying:

Her 48-year-old daughter was charged with her murder, but the charges were later dropped..

At the inquest, her daughter said:

When her daughter appeared in court on Thursday 22 February 1996 on a charge of murder, she was also charged with four counts of forgery involving Barclays Bank cheques to the value of £3,800.

Her daughter had lived in The Headlands, Fenstanton, and during the investigation a small lake there was searched twice for clues.

The murder charge was tgrown out by the Stipendiary magistrate in October 1996, but she had still faced six forgery charges.

Following the dismissal of the charge, the police said that they were to continue thair investigation with renewed vigour, saying:

Lorna Rose was last heard alive the day before the attack in 2 September 1995 at about 5pm by her sister.

She had lived in a warden-controoled housing scheme, having lived there for 7 years.

A man and a woman were arrested on 14 October 1995 in relation to the attack and questioned for 24 hours, but released without charge.

It was noted that the police had spoken to two people in the village, and that they were satisfied that the prescene of a motorbike in the area of her home was unconnected with her murder. 

A Parish Council chairman said:

The police appealed for information about  a young man that was seen running down School Lane between 6.45pm and 7pm on the night of the murder.

The police also appealed for information about someone heard running down the Hight Street at around 1am on the Monday, 4 September, to come forward.

Her sister had livedd in Devon. It was heard that they had a ritual during which they would call each other each night, letting the phone ring three time, and hang up, but that on the night of the 3 September 1995, Lorna Rose's sister failed to call back.

This led the police to believe that she had been attacked between 5pm and 9pm on the Sunday evening.