Mum-of-one, 29, appears in court charged with stabbing churchwarden, 88, to death in Co-op knife attack
A MUM-of-one has appeared in court charged with stabbing a churchwarden to death and attacking three shoppers at a Co-op.
Zara Anne Radcliffe, 29, is accused of killing grandfather John Rees, 88, at the supermarket in Penygraig, Rhondda.
Mr Rees was knifed as his wife waited in their car outside for him to return with their shopping.
Radcliffe is also accused of attempted murder of nurse Lisa Way, 53, shopper Andrew Price, 58, and another unnamed person at the convenience store.
Radcliffe, from Porth, Rhondda, appeared wearing a grey sweatshirt and trousers at Cardiff magistrates’ court.
She spoke quietly to confirm her name and address.
Radcliffe was unable to make a bail application so she was remanded in custody and the case was adjourned.
She will appear at Cardiff Crown Court on Monday May 11.
CO-OP ‘MURDER’
The defendant is mother to a young son and had recently been released from treatment at a psychiatric unit.
A romantic relationship with a man had ended last weekend and family say Radcliffe had made a complaint to police about it.
She complained that police “weren’t taking her seriously” about an alleged assault against her.
Church warden Mr Rees was described as “the very definition of a good man, extremely respected and liked in the community” by his family.
His wife Eunice, 87, was left in their car for 15 minutes until police found her. She has dementia and keeps asking: “Where’s John?”
He was a very dedicated and devoted man. That’s the sort of person John was.
Rev Peter Gale
Flowers were today put at All Saints church in nearby Trealaw where John was warden and wife Eunice was a member of the conregation.
Rev Peter Gale said: “He was a very dedicated and devoted man. That’s the sort of person John was.”
John would ring the chapel bell each Thursday in respect to NHS workers – and plans were made for it to be rung at 8pm on Thursday night in his memory.
Mr Rees, of nearby Trealaw, Tonypandy, died after being stabbed in the throat in the aisles on Tuesday afternoon.
Detective Chief Inspector Mark O’Shea of South Wales Police’s Major Crime Investigations Team said: “This is a very tragic incident and we are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the matter.
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“Our sympathies are with Mr Rees’ family at this very distressing time for them and they are being supported by specially trained officers.
“This incident has understandably caused a lot of shock in the local community and I want to reassure residents that a full investigation is underway.”
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