Three arrested in murder probe

Three men have now been arrested in connection with the murder of a pensioner who was killed in his own home.

Roy Blackman was found bludgeoned to death in his Headcorn Road bungalow, in Biddenden, last Monday morning.

The 73-year-old bird breeder and mechanic appeared to be the victim of a violent burglary, with a large safe missing from the property.

Police confirmed that, due to the nature of his injuries, they believe several people were involved. Officers swooped on the abandoned Valedene Industrial Park and adjoining traveller site in Headcorn Road, Sutton Valence – six miles from Mr Blackman’s home – last Thursday.

The raid followed the arrest of a 49-year-old Maidstone man the previous night. He has been bailed until Thursday, April 28.

Yesterday (Thursday) – 10 days after Mr Blackman’s beaten body was discovered – dozens of police and forensics officers descended on the tiny village of Golford, a mile-and-a-half from Cranbrook.

Two 36-year-old men, both from the Cranbrook area, were arrested on suspicion of mur- der. As the Kent Messenger was going to press they remained in police custody.

Seven police cars, two vans and a forensic vehicle remained at the site in Tenterden Road, at the junction with Chapel Lane and Golford Road, for much of the day. Officers were seen removing various items.

A villager, who did not wish to be named, said they had never seen so many police before, adding: “The area is down a country lane and it’s difficult to tell what’s going on.”

An inquest into the death of the father of three, who was a widower, was opened last Thursday.

It heard the cause of death was multiple blunt force injuries to the head, neck, chest and abdomen.