Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Mum reveals her agony over four family tragedies
THE mum of an alleged Dundee murder victim today told of her “gut-wrenching” pain over four tragedies which have struck her loved ones.
Julie McCash and cousin David Sorrie died at the end of February at a family vigil being held for missing relative Ralphie Smith, who had disappeared from cliffs in Arbroath the previous day.
He is now feared dead but his body has yet to be recovered despite extensive searches.
Three days after Julie and David’s deaths, Helen’s sister Jeannie died at home aged 71 following a battle with cancer.
Funerals for all three were held in Dundee last week.
Speaking for the first time since those harrowing few days, Julie’s mum Helen told the Tele that the families were struggling to cope with everything they had been through.
She said: “For every member of the bereaved families, there’s a sense of disbelief, gut-wrenching, aching heart and thoughts burling round in their heads trying to make sense of what has happened.
“The heartache and agony of the families continues and the grieving is yet to begin.”
She added: “And for the family of young Ralphie Smith, things remain in limbo until his body is found and closure can be had.”
Helen said that events began to unfold when the news of Ralphie’s disappearance while on a family walk came to light and relatives got together in Mid Craigie.
She said: “The extended family including Julie and David, rallied round to support Ralphie’s mum Nicky Duffy after receiving the devastating news of the accident. “What happened next could not be made up or anticipated.
“The deaths of Julie and David has rocked the world of four generations of family and their extended family.”
Helen said that Julie was a loving daughter, mum, grandmother and a loyal friend to all.
She said: “Julie had a heart of gold, was fun-loving and was the life and soul of the party. She was a hairdresser by trade who had a bright future ahead of her.
“She had plans to move to France, saving hard to buy a little cottage and building a better life for her family. “
Helen said that the whole family were also grief stricken by David’s untimely death.
“David was the king of pranksters,” she said. “He got great pleasure out of playing tricks on others. His character was his fortune.
“He too had a bright future with his own window cleaning business and his driving force in life was to make it a success to provide for his three children.”
Robert Stratton, 42, of Drumlanrig Drive, has been charged and appeared in court over Julie and David’s deaths.
He is accused of assaulting and murdering Julie by striking her with a knife at a property on the street.
He is also charged with assaulting and murdering David by striking him on the body with two knives.
He is further charged with assaulting and attempting to murder Wendy McKinney by attempting to strike her with a knife.
And he is also charged with assaulting his partner Lee Kinney on various occasions.