The Daily Telegraph

Mother named as supermarke­t murder victim

Shoppers and staff restrain suspect with cling film after brutal knife attack on ‘lovely, bubbly’ Aldi worker

- By Martin Evans CRIME CORRESPOND­ENT and Victoria Ward

A MAN has been charged with murder after a young mother was stabbed to death in front of shoppers while working in her local supermarke­t.

Neville Hord, 44, will appear before York magistrate­s’ court this morning charged with the murder of Jodie Willsher, 30, who was described as a “warm, beautiful and lovely person”.

Mrs Willsher, who was married with a five-year-old daughter, was attacked in the aisle of an Aldi supermarke­t in Skipton, North Yorks, on Thursday afternoon.

Shoppers who were stocking up for Christmas detained the suspect, tying him up until police arrived.

Mrs Willsher was rushed to hospital but was declared dead a short time later. Her husband Malcolm, 36, and their daughter, who had recently started at primary school, were being comforted by family and police liaison officers as forensics officers continued to examine the scene of the attack.

In an emotional tribute. Mr Willsher said: “She was lovely and warm and always had a smile on her face. She was amazing, beautiful and a lovely person. She was a doting mother and a loving wife.”

Nicole Dinsdale, her mother, was said to be “utterly destroyed” by the killing.

Witnesses described how the suspect was held by staff and fellow shoppers after being bound in cling film.

Last night police appealed for a key witness, who was thought to be the first person to intervene, to come for- ward. A police spokesman said: “The man, who is aged in his 60s but possibly older, was wearing a flat cap and a two-tone walking-type jacket. He was involved in a sustained struggle to restrain the offender. It is believed he

‘I started laying into him. I punched him in the face a few times. We got him on the floor and restrained him’

was shopping with a lady with short light-brown hair who was wearing a light-coloured, possibly grey, jacket. They appear to have left the store before the emergency services arrived.”

Wilf Beattie described how he had punched the man to the ground before restrainin­g him. The 68-year-old grandfathe­r said: “I just started laying into him, I punched him in the face a few times. We got him on the floor and restrained him. A member of staff came, got his head, and a fella and myself got a belt around his legs before a young member of staff came with a big roll of cling film and we wrapped it around his legs.”

Last night friends and family paid tribute, describing her as a “fun loving and caring person”.

Chris Swales, her cousin, said: “How can life be so cruel?… You weren’t just my Cousin Jodie, you were like the sister I never had and now I’m broken you’ve gone.”

One friend, who did not wish to be named, added: “Jodie was such a bright and bubbly personalit­y. Everybody loved her.

“Her and Mal were the perfect couple, so in love with each other, and just great people.”

A spokesman for North Yorkshire Police said: “A 44-year-old local man has been charged with murder. He has been remanded into custody and will appear at York magistrate­s’ court on Saturday December 23.”

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 ??  ?? Jodie Willsher, 30, was stabbed to death in front of shocked shoppers in an Aldi supermarke­t, right, in Skipton, North Yorks
Jodie Willsher, 30, was stabbed to death in front of shocked shoppers in an Aldi supermarke­t, right, in Skipton, North Yorks

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