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Man jailed for hiding girlfriend's body in cupboard for more than a year Man jailed for hiding girlfriend's body in cupboard for more than a year
(about 1 hour later)
A man who hid the body of his dead girlfriend in the airing cupboard of their flat for more than a year has been jailed for four years and four months.A man who hid the body of his dead girlfriend in the airing cupboard of their flat for more than a year has been jailed for four years and four months.
Andrew Reade, 43, wrapped the body of Vicky Cherry, 44, in a duvet and plastic sheeting after her death in October 2015 then concealed it at their address in Bolton, Greater Manchester.Andrew Reade, 43, wrapped the body of Vicky Cherry, 44, in a duvet and plastic sheeting after her death in October 2015 then concealed it at their address in Bolton, Greater Manchester.
The existence of the corpse remained secret until police found it when they searched the first-floor flat in Toronto Street in January after her family filed a missing person report three months earlier. The existence of the corpse remained secret until police found it when they searched the first-floor flat in Toronto Street in January, three months after her family had filed a missing person report.
Cherry’s cause of death could not be ascertained because it had decomposed but a pathologist concluded she may have died as a result of strangulation as injuries to her neck were detected. Cherry’s cause of death could not be ascertained because it had decomposed, but a pathologist concluded she may have died as a result of strangulation as injuries to her neck were detected.
When arrested on suspicion of murder, Reade claimed he panicked after he woke to find his girlfriend dead after they had taken a cocktail of illicit drugs. When arrested on suspicion of murder, Reade claimed he had panicked after he woke to find his girlfriend dead after they had taken a cocktail of illicit drugs.
Sentencing him at Bolton crown court, Judge Timothy Clayson said the defendant could not be held responsible for the death but his behaviour that followed was “inexcusable”. Sentencing him at Bolton crown court, the judge Timothy Clayson said the defendant could not be held responsible for the death but his behaviour that followed was “inexcusable”.
Reade went on “a mission of deceit” as he told lie after lie to Cherry’s family and also to police officers who twice visited the flat in November 2016, he said. He told them Cherry had left him to live in Blackburn with another man, the court heard. The court heard that Reade went on “a mission of deceit” as he told lie after lie to Cherry’s family and to police officers who twice visited the flat in November 2016.
Reade gave different accounts to others in the weeks after Cherry’s death when he told a mutual friend she was in hospital and falsely claimed to a pharmacist that she had moved in with her mother and even secured a job at a care home. Reade claimed Cherry had left him to live in Blackburn with another man, the court heard.
The defendant also cashed in employment benefits totalling up to £1,000 sent to Cherry in the three months after her death. Reade gave different accounts to others in the weeks after Cherry’s death, telling a mutual friend she was in hospital and telling a pharmacist that she had moved in with her mother and secured a job at a care home.
The defendant cashed in employment benefits totalling up to £1,000 sent to Cherry in the three months after her death.
Clayson told Reade his conduct had prolonged her family’s ordeal. “Your behaviour towards the body of Vicky Cherry and her family was callous, calculated and above all selfish,” he said.Clayson told Reade his conduct had prolonged her family’s ordeal. “Your behaviour towards the body of Vicky Cherry and her family was callous, calculated and above all selfish,” he said.
Reade pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to preventing a lawful and decent burial and also doing acts intended to pervert the course of justice.Reade pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to preventing a lawful and decent burial and also doing acts intended to pervert the course of justice.
Michael Maher, prosecuting, said the pair had been in a relationship since 2014 and it was “palpably clear” that the mother-of-three, originally from Fulwood, Lancashire, had “wrestled demons” with a history of drug abuse, depression and epilepsy. Michael Maher, prosecuting, said Reade and Cherry had been in a relationship since 2014 and it was “palpably clear” that Cherry, a mother of three, originally from Fulwood, Lancashire, had “wrestled demons”. She had a history of drug abuse, depression and epilepsy.
She had been estranged from her family until the end of 2014 when contact was re-established and she kept in regular touch with her daughter Robyn, 25, until it came to an abrupt end in October 2015. She had been estranged from her family until the end of 2014 when contact was re-established, and she kept in regular touch with her daughter, 25, until her death.
Reade later texted Cherry’s daughter that she had moved out to Blackburn, which left her with “deep-seated anger” as it appeared she had acted without telling her, the court was told. Reade texted Cherry’s daughter that Cherry had moved to Blackburn, which left the daughter with “deep-seated anger” as it appeared her mother had acted without telling her, the court was told.
She said she was “livid” with her mother but eventually became suspicious as time went on. In a victim personal statement to the court, Cherry’s daughter said she and her mother had moved on from the past and she was looking forward to introducing her to her grandchildren. The daughter said she was “livid” with her mother but became suspicious as time went on. In a victim impact statement to the court, she said: “How can someone put you through 15 months of not knowing where she was? Lying to us and hiding her body from everyone. We may never know how she died. The way she was found we will never fully recover from the images and thoughts of how she was found.
She continued: “How can someone put you through 15 months of not knowing where she was? Lying to us and hiding her body from everyone. We may never know how she died. The way she was found we will never fully recover from the images and thoughts of how she was found.
“Reade has held her body in a cupboard with things on top of her like she was a piece of rubbish. I will never forgive Reade. Reade himself is the only person who truly knows what happened to my mother. We will be forever tormented by this.”“Reade has held her body in a cupboard with things on top of her like she was a piece of rubbish. I will never forgive Reade. Reade himself is the only person who truly knows what happened to my mother. We will be forever tormented by this.”
Nick Ross, defending, said his client, a long-standing user of class A drugs, had exercised “very poor judgment” after grief and panic had set in following Cherry’s death.Nick Ross, defending, said his client, a long-standing user of class A drugs, had exercised “very poor judgment” after grief and panic had set in following Cherry’s death.
He said: “He can only think that matters spiralled out of control as to how he should manage with the passing of Miss Cherry. He found himself on a treadmill he could not get off. He says his number one apology is the wish to apologise to the family. He very much wishes that he reported the death properly and in a timely fashion, and he wishes he could turn the clock back.”He said: “He can only think that matters spiralled out of control as to how he should manage with the passing of Miss Cherry. He found himself on a treadmill he could not get off. He says his number one apology is the wish to apologise to the family. He very much wishes that he reported the death properly and in a timely fashion, and he wishes he could turn the clock back.”
Judge Clayson rejected Reade’s claims in prison that he had tried to commit suicide as “an attempt by you to attract sympathy” and he also did not accept his feelings of remorse or that he would “deeply miss” Cherry were genuine. Clayson rejected Reade’s claims in prison that he had tried to kill himself as “an attempt by you to attract sympathy”, and he also did not accept his feelings of remorse or claims that he would “deeply miss” Cherry.
Following sentencing, Cherry’s family said: “We as a family are heartbroken. No matter what sentence Reade would have been given it will never bring Vicky back. He stopped us for 18 months being able to have her funeral from the day she died. Following sentencing, Cherry’s family said: “We as a family are heartbroken. No matter what sentence Reade would have been given, it will never bring Vicky back. He stopped us for 18 months being able to have her funeral from the day she died.
“No one was able to say goodbye to her properly as we couldn’t view her body and had to say goodbye to a coffin because she decomposed so much. They couldn’t even give us a lock of hair.”“No one was able to say goodbye to her properly as we couldn’t view her body and had to say goodbye to a coffin because she decomposed so much. They couldn’t even give us a lock of hair.”
DCI Terry Crompton of Greater Manchester police said: “Reade’s deliberately deceptive and misleading actions seriously obstructed the investigation into how Victoria died and cost us valuable opportunities to investigate. The strength and courage her family has shown throughout the investigation and the time in court is truly commendable.” DCI Terry Crompton, of Greater Manchester police, said: “Reade’s deliberately deceptive and misleading actions seriously obstructed the investigation into how Victoria died and cost us valuable opportunities to investigate. The strength and courage her family has shown throughout the investigation and the time in court is truly commendable.”