Anita Rose murder: Fugitive who murdered woman as she walked dog jailed for at least 25 years

Summary

A fugitive who murdered 57-year-old Anita Rose while she was walking her dog in Suffolk is jailed for at least 25 years
Roy Barclay, 56, had been on the run for two years to avoid being recalled to prison for a separate offence
The grandmother died in hospital after being found on a footpath in Brantham with serious injuries, akin to those seen in high-speed motor accidents
The judge earlier called Barclay "an unpredictable, dangerous man... prone to terrible outbursts of violence"
"[We] planned to grow old together", Ms Rose's partner told the court, while her daughter said "our world shattered" - Barclay showed no emotion, our reporter in court writes
The killer left a sizeable digital footprint while in hiding - using his bank card to order items and leaving hundreds of Google reviews

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Watch: Roy Barclay is arrested at the library

Live Reporting

Edited by Christiana Bishop, with Laura Foster and Alice Cunningham at Ipswich Crown Court

Roy Barclay begins life sentencepublished at 13:31 British Summer Time
George King
BBC News, Suffolk

We are now concluding our live coverage of the sentencing of Roy Barclay, who has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 25 years for the murder of Anita Rose.
Roy Barclay, 56, brutally attacked Ms Rose in July last year while she was walking her dog in Brantham, Suffolk.
The 57-year-old, who brought "love and happiness to all the people that she touched", died from her injuries a few days later at Addenbrooke’s Hospital.
During the sentencing of Barclay at Ipswich Crown Court earlier, Judge Martyn Levett described him as being an “unpredictable” and “dangerous” man.
In a statement, Ms Rose’s long-term partner Richard Jones, said "she always told me how happy she was to be with me".
"I spent 14 years with Anita. Our lives were perfect,” he added.
"All that was taken from me. Now I've nobody.”
How do people feel in Brantham a year on?published at 13:26 British Summer Time
Alice Cunningham
Reporting from Ipswich Crown Court

Image source, Alice Cunningham/BBC
Image caption,
Decoy Pond in Brantham is close to where Anita Rose was attacked
The day after Anita Rose died last year, I visited the village of Brantham.
I spoke with residents who expressed their fears that no suspect had been charged with her murder.
They described their "horror" of the incident, something many people said they would not have expected to have happened in a quiet and small area.
A year on, I recently went back to the village to see how people now felt.
Many people were still concerned with some even telling me they continued to avoid the around the area Ms Rose was attacked, despite Roy Barclay having been convicted.
Yet I took a walk myself around the area where Ms Rose was found, close to Decoy Pond, and saw many dog walkers out and about.
Review to assess police and probation servicepublished at 13:15 British Summer Time
Laura Foster
Senior Reporter at Ipswich Crown Court

Roy Barclay had been on the run from the authorities for more than two years when he murdered Anita Rose in July 2024.
Barclay had been jailed in 2015 for the violent, unprovoked assault on an elderly man in an Essex seaside town, and was released on parole in 2020.
When he breached the terms of his licence, he became a fugitive from the law.
A review is now being carried out to asses whether the police, the prison service and the probation service did all they reasonably could to prevent Barclay from killing Anita Rose.
It will also look at what learnings there might be for the future.
Suffolk Police has not said when the review will be complete but the force wanted it to "be expedited as soon as possible so we can provide clear and definitive answers for Anita's family".
Barclay kept Anita Rose's belongings 'as trophies'published at 13:09 British Summer Time
Laura Foster
Senior reporter at Ipswich Crown Court

Roy Barclay kept some of Anita Rose's belongings as trophies after he attacked her.
This included her phone, her jacket and headphones which he kept at his camps underneath the Orwell Bridge and in Brantham.
A few days after the murder, he dumped her phone in Ipswich city centre to throw the police off his trail.
Image source, Suffolk Police
Image caption,
Barclay took Anita Rose's pink jacket, leaving her unconscious wearing just her bra and leggings
Image source, Suffolk Police
Image caption,
Barclay's DNA was found on Anita Rose's headphones and on her pink jacket
Image source, Suffolk Police
Image caption,
Anita Rose's phone case was one of the last items to be located
Pictures reveal state of Barclay's makeshift campspublished at 13:06 British Summer Time
Alice Cunningham
Reporting from Ipswich Crown Court

Image source, Suffolk Police
Image caption,
Barclay's makeshift camp in Brantham was hidden in undergrowth close to the railway line
During the murder trial, the jury heard how Roy Barclay had been living in makeshift camps while on the run from police.
One was about a mile away from where he attacked Anita Rose and the other underneath the Orwell Bridge in Ipswich.
Suffolk Police released pictures of his camps after today's sentencing that reveal the conditions he was living in.
Image source, Suffolk Police
Image caption,
The Brantham camp had some shelter close to the railway line
Image source, Suffolk Police
Image caption,
Barclay's camp under the Orwell Bridge was found in a small stretch of thick trees
CPS hopes sentence 'provides some measure of solace'published at 12:59 British Summer Time

Nicola Pope, from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), said she hoped the sentence would provide Anita Rose's family with "some measure of solace".
She describes the attack on Ms Rose as "savage" and "an act of terrifying senselessness".
“As we combed through the evidence collected by police it became apparent that at almost every turn Barclay made it his mission to deceive the investigation," she adds.
"He thought he was too cunning to be caught, but a unanimous guilty verdict proved otherwise.
“By carefully building a case with DNA recovered from Anita’s belonging and sightings on CCTV – combined with previous bad character evidence against Barclay – we were able to present a clear picture to the jury."
Hearing concludespublished at 12:54 British Summer Time
Alice Cunningham
Reporting from Ipswich Crown Court

Judge Martyn Levett concludes the hearing and everyone in the courtroom is now leaving.
Anita Rose's family nod approvinglypublished at 12:53 British Summer Time
Laura Foster
Senior reporter at Ipswich Crown Court

After the judge handed his sentence, I catch the eye of a couple of members of Anita Rose's family who are sitting in the public gallery.
They nodded at me and gave a slight smile.
A signal they approve of the lengthy sentence that has just been handed to Roy Barclay.
Judge thanks policepublished at 12:52 British Summer Time
Alice Cunningham
Reporting from Ipswich Crown Court

Judge Martyn Levett is now making some concluding remarks after Roy Barclay left the court.
He commends the police's family liaison officers for their work who he says played a "vital role" as well as Suffolk Police in their investigative work.
Barclay leaves court quicklypublished at 12:51 British Summer Time
Laura Foster
Senior reporter at Ipswich Crown court

After the judge passed his sentence, Roy Barclay stood up and quickly left the court.
He did not look at anyone in the courtroom as he did so.
Barclay sentenced for remaining at largepublished at 12:47 British Summer Time
Alice Cunningham
Reporting from Ipswich Crown Court

For Barclay's second offence of remaining at large after being recalled to prison he was sentenced to 12 months in prison, which he is told will run concurrently.
Barclay sentenced for minimum of 25 yearspublished at 12:43 British Summer Time
Breaking
Alice Cunningham
Reporting from Ipswich Crown Court

The judge sentences Roy Barclay to life in jail with a minimum term of 25 years to be served before he is considered for release on parole.
Judge is considering case detailspublished at 12:42 British Summer Time
Alice Cunningham
Reporting from Ipswich Crown Court

The judge will be passing sentence soon.
He is discussing the aggravating factors and the mitigating circumstances, these being the fact Roy Barclay's actions were not premeditated which the judge says he accepts.
'Life tragically cut short'published at 12:36 British Summer Time

"I cannot overlook the contents of the victim personal statements made by the family members," Judge Martyn Levett says.
"Anita's two daughters and four sons, have each contributed in a significant way in their statements to keep their mother's memory alive.
"I have read each of those and they are all very moving stories about the life of someone who had every expectation of living a full life, but was tragically cut short."
The judge commends the family and says he is considering their statements.
Judge pays tribute Anita Rose's familypublished at 12:36 British Summer Time
Laura Foster
Senior reporter at Ipswich Crown Court

Judge Martyn Levett has just paid tribute to the children and partner of Anita Rose who have been present throughout this trial.
After hearing their personal impact statements earlier, he said: "I noted how each of the bereaved speaks movingly and with dignity.
"The court pays tribute to them and their fortitude during the course of the trial and the hearing today."
Attack had impact on Branthampublished at 12:35 British Summer Time
Alice Cunningham
Reporting from Ipswich Crown Court

Judge Levett says Roy Barclay's attack led to Brantham becoming a "very quiet village" and left to an intrusion of many people's lives when 1,300 properties were approached by police officers.
Barclay 'upped sticks and left' halfway housepublished at 12:33 British Summer Time
Alice Cunningham
Reporting from Ipswich Crown Court

A key part of Roy Barclay's trial was that he was wanted on recall to prison at the time he attacked Anita Rose.
Judge Levett tells the court he was staying in a halfway house but on 12 May 2022 "upped sticks and left, never to return".
He failed to report his whereabouts to police or the probation services and there was no contact with him despite their attempts to reach him.
Barclay accessed the internet on public computers in libraries, however.
Phone call was last time partner heard from Anitapublished at 12:27 British Summer Time
Alice Cunningham
Reporting from Ipswich Crown Court

The judge is discussing the day Anita Rose was attacked.
Judge Levett says her partner, Richard Jones, phoned her in the morning which was the last time they ever spoke.
The judge says he has listened to the 999 call that was made by the people who found Ms Rose injured.
He says those two people deserved recognition for their efforts in helping her.
Barclay's background covered in 'mystery'published at 12:21 British Summer Time
Alice Cunningham
Reporting from Ipswich Crown Court

Judge Levett says Roy Barclay's past is covered in "mystery" and he has failed to provide any additional information when he was questioned by police or offer to give evidence in his trial.
Barclay will remain a dangerous man - judgepublished at 12:21 British Summer Time
Laura Foster
Senior reporter at Ipswich Crown Court

Judge Levett told Barclay that "you are still and will remain, for an unpredictable length of time, this dangerous person".