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| Murder detective urges calm A detective has urged people not to take the law into their own hands after an 80-year-old woman was found strangled in her own home. Detective Superintendent Dave Watson said one man had already been attacked in Grimethorpe, near Barnsley, South Yorkshire, following the attack on great, great grandmother Vera Cooper. Her body was discovered on Thursday by a relative in the kitchen of her bungalow in the village. A murder investigation was not launched until Monday when family members realised that items were missing from Mrs Cooper's home and a second post-mortem was held. Mr Watson said: "The feelings in Grimethorpe are running extremely high. "I know a lot of people down there. It's a very close-knit village and consequently when somebody dies within the village they relate to that. "But what I ask is that the feelings can't be dealt with by the people from the Grimethorpe area. They can't take the law into their own hands. "There was a serious assault [on Monday night] as a direct result of the unfortunate death of Mrs Cooper." Mrs Cooper's death was not initially treated as suspicious but a second post-mortem examination later found she had been strangled. Mrs Cooper's granddaughter, Zoe Price, 24, made a tearful appeal for help on Monday. She said: "Someone out there must know something. No matter how little, we're all begging for your help. This information could be vital. "Anyone who knows my nana and mother knows how loving and loved a person she was. "Our family and friends can't come to terms with this tragedy". Mr Watson said there was no sign of a forced entry at Mrs Cooper's home but two doors were found to be insecure. He confirmed that hundreds of pounds were missing from the home, along with prescription drugs and a security camera from the outside of the building. The detective said he was looking at a number of possibilities including the theories that Mrs Cooper either knew her attacker or that he was a so-called bogus caller. He said he was also looking at reports of people acting suspiciously in the area but added that this was not unusual. Mr Watson added: "She just lived for her family. "It is tragic that she had to die in this way. "Somebody 80 years of age in an old person's complex is unfortunately extremely vulnerable these days." Mr Watson said the man who was attacked in Grimethorpe on Monday needed hospital treatment but was later released. He said the injured man was one of a number of people arrested over the weekend after property was discovered which was initially believed to belong to Mrs Cooper. Later investigations revealed the items did not come from Mrs Cooper's home. Asked if he was sure the attack on the man was related to the death of Mrs Cooper, Mr Watson replied: "I think it's connected and I think it's indicative of feelings that are running high." He added: "Somebody was badly assaulted resulting in hospital treatment. That can't go on." 30th January 2002 |
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