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| Mother of murdered Rebecca Godden urges suspect to come clean | Mother of murdered Rebecca Godden urges suspect to come clean |
| (4 months 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", after an inquest recorded a narrative verdict. | 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. Halliwell, 49, is serving a life sentence after admitting murdering the Swindon office worker Sian O'Callaghan, 22. | 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. |
| 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? My personal opinion I don't think he's ever going to come out, so why not put everyone out of their misery?" | "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?" |
| 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." | 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." |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. "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." | "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." |
| 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 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| Detectives were led to the field in Eastleach, Gloucestershire, by Halliwell after he confessed to killing Godden and O'Callaghan. | Detectives were led to the field in Eastleach, Gloucestershire, by Halliwell after he confessed to killing Godden and O'Callaghan. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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 Oxfordshire coroner, Darren Salter, said he had a limited remit regarding the circumstances of Godden's death. | The 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. | "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. | "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." | "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 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". |
| Detective Sergeant Peter Ritson said police were working on the basis that Godden died in either December 2002 or early 2003. | Detective Sergeant Peter Ritson said police were working on the basis that Godden died in either December 2002 or early 2003. |
| 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." | 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." |
| 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. | 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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