MURDERED AS HER KID SLEPT UPSTAIRS
Beaten to death because she wanted to leave Killer dumped her body then took kids to the zoo Raising her children, we’ll do Natalie proud
As my sister Natalie showed off her killer heels, I laughed. ‘Not another pair,’ I teased.
‘Between us, we’ve got enough shoes to stock Clarks,’ she quipped.
But a love of shoes wasn’t all I shared with Natalie, then 27, and our other sister Kerry, then 34.
Even though we had families of our own, we always made time for each other.
Me and my husband Stephen, 52, had four children – Lauren, 17, Morgan, 14, Charles, 4, and Isabelle, 2.
And Natalie had three kids of her own – one from a previous relationship, and two with her partner Paul Hemming.
But, while Stephen and I were happy, the same didn’t apply to Nat and Paul. They were constantly breaking up and getting back together.
During one row, Paul threw a mobile phone at Nat. But, to my dismay, she stayed with him.
Paul even bought her an engagement ring. And, though they never actually married, Natalie changed her last name to his.
During one of their split-ups in November 2013, I tried to convince her she deserved better. But my words fell on deaf ears. By March 2014, they were back together again. And, for a while, things seemed OK.
Finally, in April last year, Nat, then 30, told me she and Paul were over for good.
‘I’m serious this time,’ she said.
Where is she?
Hearing the certainty in Nat’s voice, I’d a sneaking suspicion she’d met someone else.
She told me the split was amicable, that she was planning to get her own place.
But, a week on, our mum Margaret phoned me.
‘I’ve not heard from Natalie in days,’ she told me. ‘She’s not answering her phone.’
‘She’s probably busy with the kids,’ I reasoned.
But Mum said she had a bad feeling about it.
‘I went over, and Paul was at home, which is odd because he’d usually be at work,’ she said. ‘He told me Natalie had gone away with friends.’
Alarm bells started
Nat and Paul were constantly breaking up...
ringing. Natalie wasn’t the type to go off without telling any of us. And there was no way she’d leave her kids…
‘Phone the police,’ I told Mum. My baby sister was missing, and I had a terrible feeling that Paul had something to do with it.
Trying to explain
Sure enough, the next day, Paul was arrested. Natalie’s poor kids, then aged 12, 6, and 4, were so confused when we took them to stay with Nanny.
‘Mummy’s missing, and Daddy’s helping the police find her,’ we explained.
Days crept by until, on 22 May, we got the news we’d been dreading…
A woman’s body had been found in woodland 30 miles away, in Hertfordshire. It was Natalie. My heart broke. And telling her kids was awful.
‘Mummy’s not coming home,’ I had to tell them. The poor loves were in bits. In July, we held Natalie’s funeral, asking everyone to wear their best party shoes.
‘Nat would’ve loved this,’ Kerry smiled sadly.
Finally, in November last year, Paul Hemming, 43, appeared at Luton Crown Court. He denied murder, but admitted manslaughter. I listened in horror...
On 1 May – two days before Mum reported her missing – Hemming, angry that Nat had met someone else, had battered her to death at home, and wrapped her body in a blanket.
Chillingly, their 6-year-old had crept out of bed and seen his mum on the floor but, thinking she was asleep, he’d gone back to bed.
Hemming had then driven Natalie’s body 30 miles to a secluded wood, and dumped her. After, he’d taken the kids to the zoo.
I felt physically sick. Hemming claimed he’d never meant to kill Natalie.
He told the court he’d thrown a heavy ornament at her to stop her leaving. Lies.
But the jury saw through him. He was found guilty of murder, and handed a life sentence with a minimum tariff of 20 years. He was also convicted of intending to prevent a coroner from holding an inquest, and preventing the burial of a body, and was given a five-year concurrent sentence.
We had justice for Natalie. But nothing will bring her back.
Now, I’m looking after two of her children, and Kerry is caring for the other. They miss their mum terribly, but we keep her memory alive.
The youngest two ask about their dad, too. He’s still their father, so I’m careful not to share my true feelings.
The kids are my main concern, and I’ve got to do what’s best for them.
Kerry and I have certainly got some incredible shoes to fill...
I hope we do Natalie proud.
At her funeral, we all wore our best party shoes