Dog walker ‘beaten to death by man living off-grid while being hunted by police’

Amother-of-six was killed by a fugitive who was living off-grid in the countryside, a court has heard.

Anita Rose, 57, took her dog, Bruce, for a walk near her home in Brantham, Suffolk, early on July 24 last year.

During that walk, Roy Barclay, 56, is alleged to have subjected her to a ‘vicious and brutal attack with numerous kicks, stamps and blows being delivered to her face, head and body’.

When she was found, her dog’s lead was wrapped tightly around her leg and she died four days later at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge.

Prosecutor Christopher Paxton told Ipswich Crown court that nobody saw what happened, but a pink jacket Anita had been wearing was found at a camp where Barclay had been living rough.

Mr Paxton said: ‘Roy Barclay had no fixed address and lived mostly in the countryside, wandering the fields and lanes, sleeping in various makeshift camps.

‘He lived off-grid because, for two years, Roy Barclay had been unlawfully at large.

‘He had been on the run trying to avoid the police and authorities to try and avoid being recalled back to prison.’

The jacket had Barclay’s semen on the neckline and he is believed to have kept it as a trophy.

Anita’s phone case was also found at the camp while her Samsung earbuds were discovered at another camp Barclay had used.

Mr Paxton said Barclay ‘carries dog biscuits with him and is a dog lover’.

He believes he tied the dog lead around Anita’s leg to stop Bruce from running off.

Jurors heard Barclay made various internet searches after the attack, including ‘how are outside objects swabbed for DNA’ and ‘can barbed wire be swabbed for DNA’.

The prosecutor described Barclay as ‘cunning and resourceful’.

The trial, which is due to last eight weeks, continues.

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