Tragic teacher may have known killer, fear kids

THE CHILDREN of murdered former Sutton teacher Betty Yates admitted their mother could have known her killer as police followed up seven new pieces of information following their emotional appeal for help this week.

Reported sightings and new leads are being assessed following Monday's joint appeal by David Yates and Hazel Costello.

It came just days after an appeal on Crimewatch generated "less than a handful of calls".

Detective Chief Inspector Neil Jamieson, of West Mercia Police, who is leading the murder investigation, said: "We don't yet know if these sightings are in any way connected or indeed relevant to our investigation.

"We need people to come forward so that they can be eliminated from our inquiries.

"It's pleasing that we are still receiving information and it is obvious that everyone has been shocked by the brutality of this murder and want to help."

One of those sightings relates to a silver Audi seen in suspicious circumstances at the Texaco garage in Kidderminster Road, Bewdley early one morning during the week when Mrs Yates was found murdered.

Police are keen to speak to the male driver of the car.

Detectives also want to trace the driver of a silver Audi estate which was seen driving from Dowles Road towards Button Oak, not far from Mrs Yates' remote riverside cottage, early in the evening of Monday, January 2, when police believe the former Foley First School teacher was murdered.

Her body was found at the foot of the stairs in her home two days later after she failed to show for an organised walk with friends the day before.

She had been beaten with her own walking stick before being stabbed in the neck.

Monday's appeal for help from her son and daughter came three days after Mrs Yates' funeral.

In a joint statement, the distraught siblings said: "We are completely bewildered as to who could carry out such a savage attack on our mother.

"That this should have happened in her home makes this even more difficult to bear.

"This has been such a hard time for us – to lose your mum is always dreadful, but to lose your mum like this when you worry constantly about how frightened she must have been or what she might have felt during such a vicious attack, is like a nightmare.

"At the moment we don't know if it was a burglary or there was another reason.

"It's possible our mum knew who killed her and this only makes things worse for us."

But the siblings, who revealed that a memorial service will be held later in the year following last week's intimate funeral service, said they had been struck by the outpouring of support from friends, family and former pupils, who have inundated a page set up on Facebook with messages – many of whom described the teacher as "a second mum".

Police are still looking to trace the anonymous authors of two typed letters sent to them and Mrs Yates' set of house keys which remain missing.

They are also hoping to hear from anyone who visited her cottage on or after December 28 – the day of her 77th birthday.

Det Ch Insp Jamieson said: "This is a massive inquiry and knowing who else has been at the cottage other than Mrs Yates, even if someone just popped in for a moment, could prevent officers wasting time and resources that could be focused on other parts of the investigation."

A £10,000 reward leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible is still on offer.