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Mother of murdered woman Rebecca Godden urges suspect to come clean
Mother of murdered Rebecca Godden urges suspect to come clean
(35 minutes later)
The mother of a woman found buried in a shallow grave has pleaded with the man who led police to her daughter's remains to "come clean".
The mother of a woman found buried in a shallow grave has pleaded with the man who led police to her daughter's remains to "come clean", after an inquest recorded a narrative verdict.
Karen Edwards urged taxi driver Christopher Halliwell to confess to killing Rebecca Godden.
Karen Edwards urged taxi driver Christopher Halliwell to confess to killing Rebecca Godden. Halliwell, 49, is serving a life sentence after admitting murdering the Swindon office worker Sian O'Callaghan, 22.
Halliwell, 49, is serving life imprisonment after admitting murdering Swindon office worker Sian O'Callaghan, 22.
Edwards said: "I feel that as her mum I will get to the root of this even if it's with the last breath in my body I will get a conviction of some description.
Edwards said: "I feel that as her mum I will get to the root of this even if it's with the last breath in my body I will get a conviction of some description.
"And I'd also like to appeal to Christopher Halliwell. This is your chance now, come clean, please, please, what have you got to lose?
"And I'd also like to appeal to Christopher Halliwell. This is your chance now, come clean, please, please, what have you got to lose? My personal opinion I don't think he's ever going to come out, so why not put everyone out of their misery?"
"My personal opinion I don't think he's ever going to come out, so why not put everyone out of their misery?"
She said the murder investigation remained open. "The police are working very, very hard behind the scenes and I would like to think that I am working with them. I want Becky's murderer found and I want a conviction."
Edwards made the appeal to the father-of-three after an inquest into her daughter's death in Oxford recorded a narrative verdict.
The inquest at County Hall in Oxford heard that when Godden's skeletal remains were recovered from a shallow grave in Gloucestershire in March 2011, nine years after her disappearance, her skull, upper limbs and feet were missing.
Edwards said: "What I would like to do today is appeal to anybody out there who knows anything at all – any tiny, tiny, little bit of evidence – anything that may help to convict Becky's murderer.
"Any tiny little thing and I would be eternally grateful … just please get in touch with the police.
"This is still very much an open murder investigation. The police are working very, very hard behind the scenes and I would like to think that I am working with them.
"I want Becky's murderer found and I want a conviction."
Fighting back tears, Edwards, who was comforted by her husband Charlie and family, said: "She's my daughter and I am not going to give up until I get that conviction. I won't rest."
The inquest heard that when Godden's skeletal body was recovered from the shallow grave her skull, upper limbs and feet were missing.
The coroner heard evidence from experts that it was not possible to say with certainty how this happened, although disturbance by a plough or animals or removal by the perpetrator could not be excluded.
The coroner heard evidence from experts that it was not possible to say with certainty how this happened, although disturbance by a plough or animals or removal by the perpetrator could not be excluded.
"We'll never know." Edwards said.
"We'll never know." Edwards said. "Was it mechanical, was it animal was it something else? There's only one person who knows the answer to that and we all know who that his and I would really love someone to come to the police with some evidence, no matter how little."
"Was it mechanical, was it animal was it something else?
"There's only one person who knows the answer to that and we all know who that his and I would really love someone to come to the police with some evidence, no matter how little.
"Sometimes that little tiny piece of evidence is that last piece of the jigsaw puzzle that can bring everything together.
"So yes, the fight still goes on. We still have lots to fight for. This is not the end and this is very much the beginning.
"I am glad today is over as I have been dreading today but it's now over with and we move on."
The inquest heard that the last positive sighting of Godden, then aged 20, was by a police officer on 27 December 2002 in Swindon.
The inquest heard that the last positive sighting of Godden, then aged 20, was by a police officer on 27 December 2002 in Swindon.
Her family did not know where she was and thought she was living in the Bristol area.
Her family had not known where she was and thought she was living in the Bristol area. It was not until police knocked on their door on what would have been her 29th birthday – 4 April 2011 – that they discovered she was dead.
It was not until police knocked on their door on what would have been her 29th birthday - April 4 2011 - that they discovered the horrific truth.
Godden had broken off contact with her family after saying she could not put her mother through the pain of watching her succumb to drugs. Her family had previously paid for private rehabilitation treatment in an effort to help her get clean.
She had broken off contact with her family after saying she could not put her mother through the pain of watching her succumb to drugs.
Detectives were led to the field in Eastleach, Gloucestershire, by Halliwell after he confessed to killing Godden and O'Callaghan.
Her family had previously paid for private rehabilitation treatment in an effort to help her "get clean".
But a high court judge ruled that the admissions Halliwell made during a three-hour period on the day of his arrest were inadmissible because Detective Superintendent Steve Fulcher, who was leading the search for O'Callaghan, breached guidelines by failing to caution the suspect and denying him a solicitor.
Detectives had been led to the field in Eastleach, Gloucestershire, by Halliwell in March 2011.
Wiltshire police had no other evidence to link Halliwell to Godden's murder, and the charge was withdrawn. Halliwell was jailed for life in October last year after pleading guilty at Bristol crown court to O'Callaghan's murder.
He had confessed to killing Godden and O'Callaghan, taking Detective Superintendent Steve Fulcher to where he hid their bodies.
O'Callaghan disappeared after leaving Swindon's Suju nightclub in the early hours of 19 March 2011 after a night out with friends. Police believe Halliwell took her to the Savernake Forest where he murdered her.
But Fulcher's failure to follow the rules meant the murder charge in Godden's case had to be dropped.
It emerged after the inquest on Tuesday that Fulcher had returned to work after being suspended by Wiltshire police because of allegations of inappropriate contact with the media. The force refused to reveal when he returned to work or what post he currently held.
A high court judge ruled that the admissions father-of-three Halliwell made during a three-hour period on the day of his arrest were inadmissible because Fulcher breached guidelines governing the interviewing of suspects.
He is not involved in the current investigation into Godden's death, headed by Detective Inspector Matt Davey. Fulcher remains the subject of an investigation by the Independent Police Complaints Commission following two separate referrals by his force.
The detective, who was leading the hunt for O'Callaghan, failed to caution Halliwell and denied him a solicitor.
The Oxfordshire coroner, Darren Salter, said he had a limited remit regarding the circumstances of Godden's death.
The ruling by Mrs Justice Cox meant that Wiltshire police had no other evidence against Halliwell to link him to Godden's murder and the charge was withdrawn.
"Rule 36.2 of the Coroner's Act says that the coroner shall not express an opinion on any other matter other than who, how when and how the death occurred," Salter said. "Rule 42 says no verdict shall appear to determine criminal liability on part of a named person.
Halliwell was jailed for life in October last year after pleading guilty at Bristol crown court to O'Callaghan's murder.
"Specifically in relation to this case there is a police investigation into the death of Becky and it is still ongoing and it has not concluded. I am not going to prejudice any future criminal prosecution by naming in this court any suspect previously connected to the case.
O'Callaghan disappeared after leaving Swindon's Suju nightclub in the early hours of 19 March 2011 after a night out with friends.
"For the same reason I am not going to deal specifically with the circumstances whereby the location of Becky's remains became known to the police. It is sufficient for me to say that the police received information leading them to the location."
Police believe Halliwell took the young woman to the Savernake Forest, where he murdered her.
The inquest heard evidence that the remains of Godden were found in a shallow grave and that she was identified by DNA evidence. A postmortem examination was unable to give a cause of death beyond "unascertained".
It emerged after the inquest on Tuesday that Fulcher has since returned to work after being suspended by Wiltshire police because of allegations of "inappropriate contact with the media".
Detective Sergeant Peter Ritson said police were working on the basis that Godden died in either December 2002 or early 2003.
The force refused to reveal when the experienced detective returned to work or what post he currently holds.
Salter recorded a narrative verdict. He said: "On the available evidence it is very likely her death was unnatural and violent and due to the unlawful actions of a third party at an unknown location at the end of December 2002 or the beginning of 2003."
However, he is not involved in the current investigation into Godden's death headed by Detective Inspector Matt Davey.
A Wiltshire police spokesman said: "The investigation into the murder of Becky Godden remains open. We would appeal to the public to contact us with any information relating to Becky's disappearance in early 2003. All information will be treated in the strictest confidence.
Fulcher remains the subject of an investigation by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) following two separate referrals by his force.
Oxfordshire coroner Darren Salter said he had a "limited remit" regarding the circumstances of Godden's death.
"Rule 36.2 of the Coroner's Act says that the coroner shall not express an opinion on any other matter other than who, how when and how the death occurred," Salter said.
"Rule 42 says no verdict shall appear to determine criminal liability on part of a named person.
"Specifically in relation to this case there is a police investigation into the death of Becky and it is still ongoing and it has not concluded.
"I am not going to prejudice any future criminal prosecution by naming in this court any suspect previously connected to the case.
"For the same reason I am not going to deal specifically with the circumstances whereby the location of Becky's remains became known to the police.
"It is sufficient for me to say that the police received information leading them to the location."
The inquest heard evidence that the remains of Godden were found in a shallow grave and that she was identified by DNA evidence.
A postmortem examination was unable to give a cause of death beyond "unascertained".
The hearing also heard that the police investigation remains open and officers are determined to bring Godden's murderer to justice.
Detective sergeant Peter Ritson said police were working on the basis that Godden died in either December 2002 or early 2003. He added that there was no known location for her death.
Salter recorded a narrative verdict.
He said: "On the available evidence it is very likely her death was unnatural and violent and due to the unlawful actions of a third party at an unknown location at the end of December 2002 or the beginning of 2003."
Edwards, who was supported by her husband Charlie and family, described the hour-long hearing as "awful".
"It was quite awful listening to all those details, it was like sitting in court again, listening to all those details about Sian," she said.
"We do know that Becky ended her life with a violent death and again that was awful to hear all of that.
"A lot of it I did miss because I was so taken back by it all."
Edwards also welcomed the return to work of Fulcher, saying she was "elated".
"No more than he deserves to be quite honest with you. I am over the moon. Congratulations Steve, I am really pleased," she said.
Godden's father, John Godden, said afterwards: "There is still hope.
"I have got some answers and some I haven't got. Some answers I am happy with and others I am not.
"We're devastated. We have got absolute nothing. It won't change until we get justice for Becky, when we get the perpetrator for this evil and heinous crime against my daughter.
"She was a tough little girl. She never bowed down for anyone. She had a wonderful personality. She used to be the life and soul."
Mr Godden, who was wearing a white T-shirt with the words "Justice for Becky" said he was confident the police would bring her killer to justice.
"I've got this good feeling," he said.
"We've pinned our hopes on this new team of police."
Fighting back tears, he added: "This is for Becky, not me. I haven't slept for two years.
"All we want is justice. It's not me, it's for Becky Godden. That's all we want. Surely that's not a lot to ask?"
A Wiltshire police spokesman said: "The investigation into the murder of Becky Godden remains open.
"We would appeal to the public to contact us with any information relating to Becky's disappearance in early 2003. All information will be treated in the strictest confidence.
"Our thoughts are with Becky's family and it is our intention to do everything we can to ensure Becky's family get the closure they deserve by bringing Becky's killer to justice."
"Our thoughts are with Becky's family and it is our intention to do everything we can to ensure Becky's family get the closure they deserve by bringing Becky's killer to justice."
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guardian.co.uk today is our daily snapshot of the top news stories, sent to your inbox at 8am
