Woman’s killer urged to hand himself in

The killer of a 77-year-old woman who was battered in her home has been urged to examine his conscience and surrender to police.

When police arrived at Judith Richardson’s home in Hexham, Northumberland, with her handbag that had been dumped 25 miles away in Newcastle, they believed they were dealing with a simple case of lost property or theft. Instead, they found her dead in the hallway of her terraced house in Wilfrid’s Road on the edge of the town centre.

Detectives have spent the weekend seeking out CCTV images from public and private cameras to find out how the handbag came to be in a bin in Clayton Street, Newcastle.

It was discovered on Friday afternoon and police arrived at Ms Richardson’s home at 6:45pm to make the grim find which sparked a murder hunt. Superintendent Frank Gallop, speaking outside Hexham police station, said: “I think the person responsible has to search their conscience.

“They have to think carefully about what they have done and the consequences of their actions.

“The death of a 77-year-old woman has had a devastating impact not only on the community but on her family. I would ask them to come forward and hand themselves in.”

Police have urged the public for information about anything suspicious on public transport between Hexham and New- castle, as well as questioning taxi drivers about possible fares between the two.

Ms Richardson’s family released a statement which said: “This has been a devastating loss and we are all in a state of shock. Judith was a wonderful person.”