This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/jul/30/jailed-detective-murder-hanged-cell
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Detective who murdered his partner is found hanged in cell | Detective who murdered his partner is found hanged in cell |
| (30 days later) | |
| A former detective who was jailed for life for murdering his partner, a fellow officer, whose body was found in a shallow woodland grave, has been found hanged in his cell at Lewes prison in East Sussex. Peter Foster, 36, a former detective constable, was told he must serve at least 17 years at Lewes crown court last month after admitting murder. | A former detective who was jailed for life for murdering his partner, a fellow officer, whose body was found in a shallow woodland grave, has been found hanged in his cell at Lewes prison in East Sussex. Peter Foster, 36, a former detective constable, was told he must serve at least 17 years at Lewes crown court last month after admitting murder. |
| Foster stabbed Detective Constable Heather Cooper, 33, before dumping her body in Blackdown Woods, near Lurgashall, West Sussex, in October last year. A Prison Service spokeswoman said Foster had been found hanging at 3am on Monday. "Prison staff tried to resuscitate him and paramedics were called but he was pronounced dead at 3.25am." It is understood he was under suicide-prevention measures at the jail. | Foster stabbed Detective Constable Heather Cooper, 33, before dumping her body in Blackdown Woods, near Lurgashall, West Sussex, in October last year. A Prison Service spokeswoman said Foster had been found hanging at 3am on Monday. "Prison staff tried to resuscitate him and paramedics were called but he was pronounced dead at 3.25am." It is understood he was under suicide-prevention measures at the jail. |
| Cooper was killed at the couple's home in Haslemere, Surrey, while on maternity leave with her second child, born weeks before her death. | Cooper was killed at the couple's home in Haslemere, Surrey, while on maternity leave with her second child, born weeks before her death. |
| The court heard that Foster claimed she had attacked him and he initially acted in self-defence, but then his actions turned to aggression. | The court heard that Foster claimed she had attacked him and he initially acted in self-defence, but then his actions turned to aggression. |
| The hearing was told he hit her over the head 10 times with a baseball bat before stabbing her in the throat. Sentencing Foster, Judge Richard Brown described him as an "extremely dangerous individual" whom it might never be safe to release.He said: "This was a wicked, savage and senseless attack on a young mother in her own home. | The hearing was told he hit her over the head 10 times with a baseball bat before stabbing her in the throat. Sentencing Foster, Judge Richard Brown described him as an "extremely dangerous individual" whom it might never be safe to release.He said: "This was a wicked, savage and senseless attack on a young mother in her own home. |
| "Not only have you taken her life, you have also deprived Joshua and Isabel of a loving mother and, no doubt, devastated her family and friends." | "Not only have you taken her life, you have also deprived Joshua and Isabel of a loving mother and, no doubt, devastated her family and friends." |
| The judge added that aggravating factors were that the attack was carried out in front of the couple's children, that the defendant was trained in martial arts, and the ferocity of the attack, which involved two weapons. | The judge added that aggravating factors were that the attack was carried out in front of the couple's children, that the defendant was trained in martial arts, and the ferocity of the attack, which involved two weapons. |
| He told him: "Whether or not you will ever be released will be a matter for them. | He told him: "Whether or not you will ever be released will be a matter for them. |
| "Many matters may point to you being an extremely dangerous individual. | "Many matters may point to you being an extremely dangerous individual. |
| "However, that's a matter for the Parole Board, not me." | "However, that's a matter for the Parole Board, not me." |
| Benjamin Aina QC, prosecuting, told the court Foster carried out the attack in front of the couple's two children, Joshua, now three, and Isabel, who was three months old at the time. | Benjamin Aina QC, prosecuting, told the court Foster carried out the attack in front of the couple's two children, Joshua, now three, and Isabel, who was three months old at the time. |
| Foster took time to clean up the crime scene and took Cooper's body to the woodland, where he covered it with bracken, Aina said. | Foster took time to clean up the crime scene and took Cooper's body to the woodland, where he covered it with bracken, Aina said. |
| He also told his cousin, David Foster, some of the details about what happened, leading him to alert the police. | He also told his cousin, David Foster, some of the details about what happened, leading him to alert the police. |
| The court heard that Foster then led officers to where he had hidden the body after telling them they should arrest him for murder. | The court heard that Foster then led officers to where he had hidden the body after telling them they should arrest him for murder. |
| Philippa McAtasney QC, defending, said last month that Foster, who had been married previously, had made a "serious" attempt to commit suicide while on remand and was staying on a mental health wing of the prison. | Philippa McAtasney QC, defending, said last month that Foster, who had been married previously, had made a "serious" attempt to commit suicide while on remand and was staying on a mental health wing of the prison. |
| She said Foster, who worked as a plumber after leaving the police, had over-reacted after Cooper attacked him. | She said Foster, who worked as a plumber after leaving the police, had over-reacted after Cooper attacked him. |
| In a victim impact statement read to the court, Cooper's parents, James and Caroline Cooper, said the murder had an unimaginable impact on the two children who witnessed it. | In a victim impact statement read to the court, Cooper's parents, James and Caroline Cooper, said the murder had an unimaginable impact on the two children who witnessed it. |
| "Through her death, Heather lost her children for 50 years of her life. Joshua and Isabel have been given a life sentence by the loss of their devoted mother. | "Through her death, Heather lost her children for 50 years of her life. Joshua and Isabel have been given a life sentence by the loss of their devoted mother. |
| "Heather would have been devastated to know she would not be able to bring up her children and Isabel would never know her mummy and Joshua would suffer grief at such a young age." | "Heather would have been devastated to know she would not be able to bring up her children and Isabel would never know her mummy and Joshua would suffer grief at such a young age." |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. | |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. Enter your email address to subscribe. |