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Becky Godden farmland grave: Inquest resumes Becky Godden farmland grave: Narrative verdict recorded
(about 5 hours later)
Evidence about the death of a woman whose body was found on Cotswolds farmland is to be heard at an inquest. A woman whose body was found on Cotswolds farmland probably died "an unnatural and violent death" an inquest has heard.
Becky Godden from Swindon was last seen in the town in December 2002 aged 20. Her family believed she was living in the Bristol area after that. Becky Godden, from Swindon, was last seen in the town in December 2002 aged 20. Her family believed she was living in the Bristol area after that.
But in 2011 her grave was found by police who were led there by killer Christopher Halliwell, who is now in jail for murdering another woman. The inquest at Oxford Coroner's Court was told the medical cause of death was unascertained but probably caused unlawfully by a third party.
The resumed inquest is taking place at Oxford Coroner's Court. A narrative verdict was recorded.
Miss Godden had lost contact with her family after becoming addicted to heroin and turning to prostitution. The inquest was told Miss Godden was buried in a shallow grave at Baxter's Farm, Fyfield, in Gloucestershire.
Charge dropped Broke contact
The last positive sighting of her in Swindon was by a police officer on 27 December 2002 in Manchester Road. It is believed she died sometime between the end of 2002 and the beginning of 2003, the court was told.
Nine years later, detectives were taken to a field at Eastleach, Gloucestershire, by taxi driver Halliwell, and found her body. Swindon taxi driver Christopher Halliwell, 49, led detectives to the field during the murder investigation of Sian O'Callaghan in 2011.
Halliwell had confessed to killing Miss Godden and 22-year-old office worker Sian O'Callaghan. Miss Godden's remains, which had been there for several years, were incomplete with the skull, arms and feet not present.
But a senior Wiltshire officer's failure to follow the rules meant the murder charge in Miss Godden's case had to be dropped. She had turned to prostitution after becoming addicted to heroin and broke contact with her family after saying she could not put her mother, Karen Edwards, through the pain of watching her succumb to drugs.
A High Court judge ruled the admissions Halliwell made during a three-hour period on the day of his arrest were inadmissible. Her family had previously paid for private rehabilitation treatment in an effort to help her "get clean".
This decision was made on the grounds that Det Supt Steve Fulcher breached guidelines governing the interviewing of suspects. The last positive sighting of Miss Godden was by a police officer on 27 December 2002 in the Manchester Road area of Swindon.
He failed to caution Halliwell and denied him a solicitor. 'Guidelines breached'
The ruling meant that Wiltshire Police had no other evidence against Halliwell to link him to Miss Godden's murder and the charge was withdrawn. Halliwell was jailed for life for the murder of Miss O'Callaghan but a senior Wiltshire officer's failure to follow the rules meant the murder charge in Miss Godden's case had to be dropped.
Becky Godden's mother is campaigning for a review in arrest guidelines to make them more flexible. A High Court judge ruled the admissions father-of-three Halliwell made during a three-hour period on the day of his arrest were inadmissible because Det Supt Steve Fulcher breached guidelines governing the interviewing of suspects.
The detective, who was leading the hunt for Miss O'Callaghan, failed to caution Halliwell and denied him a solicitor.
The ruling by Mrs Justice Cox meant that Wiltshire Police had no other evidence against Halliwell to link him to Miss Godden's death and the murder charge was withdrawn.