Man in court accused of murdering woman who was out walking her dog

A man has appeared in court charged with the murder of a woman who was found unconscious after taking her dog for a walk.

Mother-of-six Anita Rose left her house to take her springer spaniel Bruce for a walk at around 5am on July 24.

The 57-year-old was found unconscious with a serious head injury near Rectory Lane in Brantham, Suffolk, at around 6.25am, and died four days later.

On Monday, Suffolk Police arrested a man on suspicion of her murder and he was charged on Tuesday.

Roy Barclay appeared before Ipswich Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, wearing a dark blue jumper in the secure dock.

The 55-year-old spoke only to confirm his name, date of birth and that he is of no fixed address.

Charges, read to the defendant by the court clerk, allege that on July 24 of this year he murdered Ms Rose, and that “also an associated matter, having been recalled to prison on June 1, 2022 and notified of the recall you failed without reasonable excuse to attend for recall and were unlawfully at large”.

Barclay was not asked to enter a plea to either charge during the two-minute hearing.

He was remanded in custody and is due to appear before Ipswich Crown Court for a preliminary hearing later on Wednesday.

Presiding magistrate Anne Walker said he would also appear before Ipswich Crown Court for a plea hearing on November 20.

Suffolk Police said a male cyclist called an ambulance after he found Ms Rose lying unconscious on a track road near the sewage works and railway line off Rectory Lane.

Ms Rose was taken to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge, having sustained a serious head injury and facial injuries, where she died four days later on July 28.

The dog was not harmed in the incident.