‘I miss my sister every single day’
Jo Beverley’s sister Natalie was just 32 when she was murdered by her ex-partner, Paul Hemming.
Jo, 43, lives in Wakefield with her husband Stephen, 54, and their four children. She is also raising Natalie’s eldest daughter Kirsty, 16. Jo tells Closer, “Those EastEnders scenes will be hard to watch, but I’m pleased that they’re covering such an important issue. Two women a week are killed by their partners – and so much more needs to be done to help victims.
“When Natalie met Paul, she was besotted, and I was thrilled to see her so happy. He was 11 years older and had a good job working for a carpet company.
“It was a few months before I met him, but although he was charming, I couldn’t help noticing how controlling he was. Paul expected Natalie to do whatever he wanted or he’d go into a mood. “But she insisted she was happy, and Natalie moved into Paul’s home in Hertfordshire with her daughter from a previous relationship, Kirsty, then three.
“She gave birth to their son in February
2010, followed by a daughter in December 2012. But despite their seemingly happy family, I still worried about her.
“We spoke daily, and one day, I learned Paul had thrown a phone at Natalie’s head just because her ex had wished her a happy birthday – and he’d refused to take her to hospital. I was horrified, but she said it was a one-off and didn’t want to take it any further.
“She was very careful about what she told people, so no one had the full picture of what was going on. With hindsight, I think she was trying to protect herself and the kids, because she knew if we made a fuss, his abuse would get worse.
HORRIBLE FEELING
“But by January 2016, Natalie realised that Paul’s abusive behaviour wasn’t going to change, and she confided in me that she was planning to leave him.
“She got a new job as a receptionist, made new friends and made plans to move out with the children.
“Then, in May 2016, I didn’t hear from her for a few days. When I contacted Paul, he said she’d ‘gone away’. I had a horrible feeling that something was
wrong, so we called the police. They searched Natalie’s house and interviewed her son, then just seven, who said he’d heard a loud bang the night Natalie was last seen and saw his mum lying on the floor. Paul was immediately arrested.
“I was beside myself with worry and tried to cling onto the hope that Natalie was OK, but the police were telling us that it was likely Natalie was dead.
“Paul’s car had been captured on roadside cameras driving around Hertfordshire shortly before midnight on the night she disappeared, but he answered ‘No comment’ when asked what he’d been doing.
“Finally, 19 days later, Natalie’s naked body was found in bushes in a park. We were devastated. And telling Natalie’s three children was agonising – they were heartbroken.
“In October 2016, Paul appeared at Luton Crown
Court. We found out he’d beaten Natalie to death in a jealous rage after learning she’d spent the night with a male colleague she was dating. He wrapped her body in a blanket and drove 30 miles to dump her in undergrowth while her children slept.
GUILTY
“Paul was found guilty and sentenced to 20 years in prison – but no punishment will ever bring my sister back.
“Now, I campaign for more support for surviving family members of domestic abuse victims, and I want to see more funding for services.
“When I asked Kirsty to imagine what lockdown would have been like with her mum and Paul, she said their life would have been hell. Her siblings live with other family members.
“After my sister’s death, I learned she had sought support from an independent domestic violence advisor and a local agency helping those suffering domestic abuse. However, a domestic homicide review found that local authorities failed to share information such as irregularities with the children’s schooling or Natalie stating she wanted to leave, and so missed opportunities to help her flee Paul safely. It showed there was still so much to learn about helping those with abusive partners.
“I hope this [ EastEnders] storyline highlights the need to have more support in place for victims – especially if they try to leave. I miss my sister every single day.”
By Alexandra Meyer