Man killed woman then looked up partner, jury told
A homeless man accused of murdering a grandmother looked up her partner on social media after her death, a court heard.
Roy Barclay, 56, allegedly killed Anita Rose, 57, as she walked her dog near a sewage works in Brantham, Suffolk, on 24 July 2024.
Three weeks later, Mr Barclay made two searches on Facebook for Ms Rose's partner, Richard Jones, Ipswich Crown Court heard.
Mr Barclay, of no fixed address, denies murder.
He was arrested in October 2024 and had his phone seized by Suffolk Police, the court heard.
Jurors on Friday were talked through data the force obtained. It included searches made online and websites that were browsed.
Facebook searches for Richard Jones - the long-term partner of Ms Rose - were made on separate occasions, the prosecution said.
They said the first was on 13 August and the second on 17 September.
The jury was also shown several news articles, including 12 from the BBC, that Mr Barclay was said to have viewed between August and October.
He has been accused of using his walking boots to deliver "numerous kicks, stamps and blows" in a fatal attack on Ms Rose.
It has been alleged that Mr Barclay was "on the run" trying to avoid being "recalled back to prison" when he was said to have killed Ms Rose.
Christopher Paxton KC, prosecuting, also revealed details of a Facebook post Mr Barclay was said to have liked on 15 September.
It quoted author George Orwell and read: "War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength.
"If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human's face - forever."
Mr Paxton previously said Mr Barclay had an "extraordinary interest in the media broadcasts" surrounding Ms Rose's death.
The trial continues.
Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Murder accused was in area of attack, court hears
Dog walker found unresponsive, murder trial told
Partner of dog walker tells trial of final call
HM Courts & Tribunals Service
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
an hour ago
Family, friends, leaders pay final respects to slain Minnesota legislator and husband
Tens of thousands of mourners packed a Minneapolis basilica Saturday to pay their final respects to Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark who were killed in their home two weeks ago in an alleged politically motivated shooting. A who's who of leaders from around the country, including former President Joe Biden and former Vice President Kamala Harris, attended the Catholic Mass where many of the couple's friends, colleagues and family reflected on their years of service and friendship. The couple and their dog Gilbert were shot in their home during the early morning hours of June 14, by a gunman who investigators say was targeting Democratic lawmakers. The suspect had shot and injured state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, a few hours earlier at their home. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz led the eulogies and honored Melissa Hortman for her years of work in the state House, callng her, "the most consequential speaker in Minnesota history." "I know millions of Minnesotans have lived their lives better because of Melissa and Mark," he said. Melissa Hortman was elected to state office in 2004 and rose through the ranks, becoming minority leader in 2017 and then speaker of the House two years later. "She saw the humanity in every single person she worked with," Walz said. "Her mission was to get as much good done for as many people as possible." Hortman and her husband were married for 31 years. Mark Hortman worked as a program manager for nVent Electric, a company that specialized in electronics, particularly green electronics, according to his Facebook and LinkedIn pages. The couple had two children, Sophie and Colin. Walz talked about the couple's warmth and dedication to their children and dog. "You are amazing reflections of Mark and Melissa," he said to their children. A day before the funeral, the Hortmans lay in state as thousands of Minnesotans visited to pay their respects. Melissa Hortman is the first woman in Minnesota history to lie in state, according to the state House of Representatives. Next to the Hortmans was their dog Gilbert, who was wounded in the attack and later had to be euthanized, officials said. Vance Boelter was arrested a day after the murder and charged in their deaths along with the shootings of Hoffman and his wife earlier in the night. The Hoffmans survived the shooting and are recuperating. The suspect allegedly showed up to the legislators' homes, impersonating a police officer and wearing a realistic-looking latex mask to carry out his "political assassinations," prosecutors said. Investigators recovered a list of about 45 elected officials in notebooks in his car, according to prosecutors. Walz on Saturday noted growing political violence and tension in the country and said this moment was " when each of us can examine the way we work together, the way we talk about each other, the way we fight for the things we care about." "But let's not do it because of the way Mark and Melissa died. Let's do it because of the way they lived, and the way they led," he said.
New York Post
4 hours ago
- New York Post
Funeral held for Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and husband after fatal home shooting
Slain Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, were laid to rest Saturday — weeks after they were killed in what authorities allege was a politically motivated shooting spree. The private ceremony took place at the Basilica of Saint Mary in Minneapolis and drew hundreds of mourners, including former President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, Gov. Tim Walz and dozens of state lawmakers. More than 1,900 people tuned in to the livestream. 'Melissa Hortman will be remembered as the most consequential Speaker in Minnesota history,' Walz said during his eulogy. 'Millions of Minnesotans get to live their lives better because she and Mark chose public service and politics.' 4 Hortman, 54, and her husband were gunned down June 10 inside their Brooklyn Park home by Vance Boelter, who allegedly targeted the Hortmans as part of a planned series of attacks on Democratic officials, prosecutors said. Melissa Hortman/Facebook Hortman, 54, and her husband were gunned down June 10 inside their Brooklyn Park home by Vance Boelter, who was a political appointee of Walz, and allegedly targeted the Hortmans as part of a planned series of attacks on Democratic officials, prosecutors said. The couple's golden retriever, Gilbert, was also shot and later euthanized. The couple's closed caskets sat side by side at the front of the church, draped in blankets. Every pew was filled. Soft music played as family, friends and colleagues prayed and wiped away tears. The service began around 11:30 a.m. and included scripture readings, prayers and emotional tributes to the couple's public service and devotion to their family. 4 The private ceremony took place at the Basilica of Saint Mary in Minneapolis and drew hundreds of mourners, including former President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, Gov. Tim Walz and dozens of state lawmakers. AP During the blessing, the priest called Minnesota 'a ground zero place for political violence and extremism,' referencing both the killing of George Floyd and the recent attacks on state officials. 'This can be a ground zero for restoration and justice and healing, but we must work together,' he said. Roughly 90 minutes before the double murder, Boelter allegedly opened fire on state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, at their Champlin home just miles away. Both survived despite sustaining multiple gunshot wounds. 4 The couple's closed caskets sat side by side at the front of the church, draped in blankets. Every pew was filled. Soft music played as family, friends and colleagues prayed and wiped away tears. via REUTERS Boelter, 57, was arrested after a 36-hour manhunt — the largest in state history — and appeared in federal court Friday on two counts of murder, two counts of stalking and two weapons charges. Prosecutors say he could face the death penalty. A separate state trial could result in life without parole. He remains in federal custody. His wife, Jenny, issued a statement Thursday offering condolences to the victims' families and calling the killings 'a betrayal of everything we hold true.' 4 During the blessing, the priest called Minnesota 'a ground zero place for political violence and extremism,' referencing both the killing of George Floyd and the recent attacks on state officials. via REUTERS Hortman was first elected to the Minnesota House in 2004 and served as Speaker for three terms. Her district included Brooklyn Park, Coon Rapids and Champlin. She is among the highest-ranking elected officials to be killed in recent years — part of a troubling rise in political violence nationwide. The couple is survived by two adult children, Sophie, 28 and Colin, 30.
Chicago Tribune
8 hours ago
- Chicago Tribune
Chesterton officials call for investigation, resignation of Porter County 911 director
Chesterton's Town Council and Chesterton Police Chief Tim Richardson are calling for the immediate resignation of Porter County E-911 Director Debbie Gunn, accusing her of false statements regarding the performance of the Chesterton/Porter joint dispatch center during the June 18 officer-involved shooting. In addition, the town of Chesterton says they will send letters to the Porter County Council, County Commissioners and the Indiana Public Access Counselor that will request an investigation into Gunn's 'potential disclosure of privileged information' connected with specific evidence in the officer-involved shooting case. Incoming Porter Police Chief Dan Dickey on Friday issued a statement supporting Chesterton's call for Gunn's resignation, noting that her 'decision to publicly share detailed information during an active investigation was not only factually inaccurate but also inappropriately timed.' Porter County Commissioners President Jim Biggs said calls for Gunn to step down are ridiculous. 'This woman is, in my opinion, the best director that we have had in decades,' he said. 'She has given her life to making that dispatch center better.' The controversy that pits the towns of Chesterton and Porter against Gunn and Biggs, R-North, whose district includes the towns, is over how long it took an ambulance to be dispatched to the scene of the shootout on Gateway Boulevard in front of the Hilton Garden Inn the morning of June 18. Gunn maintains that the very existence of the 911 center is the issue. 'It's about the inefficient communication from a disparate center,' she said by phone Friday afternoon. 'The true issue is the inefficiencies of a separate dispatch center.' Two Chesterton police officers were dispatched June 18 to check on a 'suspicious' man on the hotel grounds. The officers' interaction with Joseph P. Gerber quickly escalated into an exchange of gunfire on Gateway Boulevard. Gerber, 45, of Winamac, fatally shot himself after being hit several times and a Chesterton police officer was shot. The Chesterton police officer is at home recovering. Gunn contends it took nearly five minutes for the Chesterton Police dispatcher to request an ambulance. Biggs, a short time after the shooting, cited the delay as evidence that it was time for Chesterton and Porter to disband and join the county's E911 consortium and that a local income tax needs to be raised to help pay for it. In a lengthy post on the town's Facebook page issued Thursday night, the town of Chesterton presented a detailed rebuttal. It is the second statement by the Town Council, which on June 23 heavily criticized statements from Biggs and Gunn that first appeared in the Post-Tribune. Chesterton officials stated they were releasing the statement Thursday because they wanted to quell any 'false panic' that Gunn and Biggs may have caused about the performance of the joint dispatch center. They defended the response to the June 18 incident as being 'first class.' Chief Richardson said Friday: 'We don't see any delayed response anywhere.' After the reaction from the Town Council to the Post-Tribune's June 22 story criticizing response times, Gunn and Biggs have stuck to their original remarks. 'As such, they are seemingly attempting to create undue panic among the citizens of Duneland with their baseless claims,' the statement said. Biggs has received considerable backlash with accusations he politicized the shooting or, at the very least, showed a lack of decorum in using it to push for the towns of Chesterton and Porter to join the county's E911 consortium on the very day of the tragedy. Some responding to the town's release on Facebook have even called for Biggs to resign. He, too, is unapologetic, releasing his own lengthy post on Facebook and scheduling a news conference for 10 a.m. Tuesday in the commissioners chambers at the county administration building to go over the timeline from the day of the shooting with documentation from Gunn's office. 'I haven't been inaccurate. I haven't done any political posturing. It's an issue that has been brewing for years. I have received several complaints over the years,' he said of the current set-up in which PC E911 dispatches fire and EMS for Chesterton and Porter, but directs police calls back to the two towns, which run dispatch out of Porter. Police Chief Richardson said with Thursday's statement, the town 'wanted to take the emotion out of it and present our case with facts and evidence.' The Post-Tribune filed an Access to Public Records Act request with Chesterton for copies of the 911 calls related to the shooting, which was denied because 'they are investigatory records of a law enforcement agency.' The town presented the following timeline and evidence: At 8:03:50 a.m., the Chesterton Police officer reports from Gateway Boulevard: 'Shots fired, I'm hit.' The Chesterton Police dispatcher, who was balancing other calls, contacts Porter County Central Communications at 8:04:48 and the dispatcher is on the line for 46 seconds, which refutes Gunn's claims that five minutes passed before police requested an ambulance. Gunn said, 'They did call 58 seconds after' an officer announced on his radio that shots were fired and he was hit, but that call came in on the administrative line. 'And 911 calls always take precedence,' Gunn said, explaining the center was swamped with them while the incident was unfolding. 'Even there, even in that argument from them, that's 58 extra seconds.' The dispatcher learns that while she was on hold, according to the town's narrative, another Porter County Communications dispatcher had radioed the ambulance station for Northwest Health at East Porter Avenue and Indiana 49. A license plate reader camera records the departure from that station at 8:08:17. Chesterton Police Sgt. Jamie Copollo, who heard the 'shots fired' call, passed East Porter Avenue and Ind. 49 at 8:05:46. She arrived at Gateway Boulevard at 8:07:30, closely followed by Porter Police Sgt. Thomas Blythe and Officer Matthew Reynolds, who heard the same distress call. Copollo radioed at 8:08:13 to dispatch that fire and EMS could enter the scene because it was deemed safe. Porter Police officers Blythe and Reynolds were already administering first aid to the downed officer. The first ambulance arrived at 8:09:03, followed closely by the second ambulance. 'This evidence unequivocally disproves another baseless claim made by Director Gunn, namely that CPD dispatch caused valuable minutes lost in ambulance response time to the shooting scene. In fact, she attempted to claim five valuable minutes lost by the CPD dispatcher's not requesting an ambulance for those five (5) minutes, according to the Sunday (June 22) Post-Tribune article,' the statement said. Additionally, officers told Chesterton Police staff that the Porter County Communications Center never advised any of them that there was an active shooter or officer down. A Valparaiso Police officer, who was patrolling near Chesterton at the time, was never informed about what was happening. 'Valuable law enforcement response time was lost by PCCC's not broadcasting this information,' the statement said. At the end of the Facebook post, Chesterton again asks for Gunn's resignation. 'Presented with this overwhelming amount of factual evidence, and given that this is not Director Gunn's first attempt to create false public panic among our Duneland residents and Town Council members, as it pertains to the joint Chesterton/Porter dispatch center, Chief Richardson and the entire Chesterton Town Council are calling for Director Gunn's immediate resignation from her position.' The official town Facebook post also personally criticized Biggs for 'running to the press within an hour or so after the shooting' with his narrative. 'His conduct was disrespectful to every brave first responder who was actively working this critical incident into the early afternoon hours,' the statement said. Porter County Board of Commissioners Vice President Ed Morales, R-South, agrees with Biggs that it is absurd for either Biggs or Gunn to step down. 'For what?' he said by text Friday. 'For pointing out a flawed process? Commissioner Biggs represents the north district and has every right to express his concerns for the public safety of the residents and the first responders who have to risk their lives in these unfortunate situations.' Commissioner Barb Regnitz, R-Center, says she doesn't know enough about the details to know who's right and who's wrong. 'We don't know if somebody's being political or somebody's being passionate,' she said. 'Their facts are probably both valid.' What she does know is that the debate playing out on social media and in the newspapers is making her uncomfortable. 'I'm concerned irreparable damage can be caused,' she said. 'My preference in conflict resolution is to meet in person, and in some cases, you might need a mediator.' And, in the end, she doesn't think the county should force the issue. 'I don't want to get into their business and tell them what to do,' she said. Chesterton Town Councilwoman Jennifer Fisher, R-5th District, stated that this incident was a time for the community to come together. 'Anyone who would choose to kick them while they have an officer down based on false and misleading allegations has gravely underestimated the strength and integrity of our community,' Fisher said in a statement Friday. Chief Richardson said Friday that he has yet to hear from Biggs or Gunn since the June 18 incident. If there were concerns about response to the situation, Richardson said there should have been a meeting to debrief those involved and discuss what could be done better in the future. 'They chose not to go that route,' Richardson said, noting that Biggs and Gunn went to the media. Richardson said he's still open to meeting with Biggs and the E-911 dispatch personnel. 'Whenever they're ready, we're ready,' Richardson said.
