Parents of murdered Next boss appeal to Hunt for help
THE parents of a Next fashion store executive murdered by his estranged wife in China have urged the Foreign Secretary to help return their grandchildren to Britain.
Michael Simpson, the head of Next’s retail operations in China, was stabbed to death by his wife, Weiwei Fu, last year, leaving their children, Jack, seven, and Alice, six, in the custody of Fu’s parents in the town of Nanzhang. Mr Simpson’s parents, Ian and Linda, are now asking Jeremy Hunt to intervene in the custody battle.
Fu was jailed for life earlier this month after admitting to the murder, and Ian and Linda Simpson say Fu’s family are demanding £60,000 in return for the children.
The Foreign Office said it would write to the Chinese custody service and send staff to a local court hearing reviewing the question of custody next month, but the family have asked Mr Hunt to intervene directly.
Ian Simpson told the BBC: “We do want political support.
“Losing Michael put a hole in our family. If you take away the children as well you’ve basically blotted out the whole of that family.”