‘Whoever did this has no morals, no conscience at all’
IT was the crime that left a family heartbroken, and a community shocked and devastated.
A defenceless grandmother battered in her home by a hooded thug in a vicious burglary – leading to her death just weeks later.
And the culprit is still at large as detectives launch a fresh appeal on the fourth anniversary of her death.
A £50,000 reward is still being offered for anyone who comes forward with information that leads to the conviction of the culprit, with detectives launching an emotional appeal for people to come forward and ‘provide Eileen’s family with the answers they desperately need.’
Eileen Blane, 87, a mum of three, grandmother of three, and who has three greatgrandchildren, was attacked by an intruder who burst into her home on Castleton Avenue, Stretford, Trafford, at around 2.30pm on Friday, February 3, 2017.
Eileen had seen a window cleaner in the street and given him a friendly wave.
When there was a knock at her back door, she believed it to be him and answered – but it wasn’t.
Instead, the man at the door forced his way in and Eileen’s horrific ordeal began. He hit her on the head several times before throwing her to the floor and snatching the wedding ring from her finger. The ring was a treasured item to her, given to her when she married her husband David, who died in 2003. It has never been found.
The intruder left with her ring and just £30 in cash.
Police and paramedics were called and Eileen was taken to hospital.
She suffered broken ribs, a fractured vertebrae and a number of other internal injuries. She was discharged by medics eight weeks later.
However, she was sadly found dead at home by her son, David, on Saturday, April 1, 2017 – the day after she was discharged.
Eileen’s son, John, has spoken of the family’s ongoing heartache over her death. “In the early days, you kept looking at people thinking ‘is it him?, is it him?’ because you kept wondering, do we know this person, and was he familiar with our family and our movements? As time goes that changes to you just wanting the police to catch them.
“I don’t think whoever did this has a conscience, they must have no morals.”
Detective Chief Inspector Ben Cottam, of GMP’s Major Incident Team, said: “This crime shocked and devastated the local community and no one should ever face such brutality in their own home.
“We are almost certain there are members of the public who have vital information and I strongly urge you to do the right thing.”
● Call police on 0161 856 9283.
In the early days you kept looking at people thinking ‘is it him?’ Eileen’s son, John