YouTube video appeal to catch grandfather's killers

The grandchildren of a man murdered in South Gloucestershire six months ago made an appeal on YouTube to find his killer.

Barry Rubery, 68, was found dead at his home in Iron Acton on 29 April. He had been tied up and battered to death.

In the short film posted on the internet, his grandchildren tell how their lives are being "ripped apart" as the hunt for his killers continues.

They appeal for anyone with information to come forward.

'Broke down'

Mr Rubery was attacked after returning home to Crossing Cottage, in Latteridge Road, at 2245 BST on 28 April, after a night out with friends.

Police are no closer to discovering a motive for the killing. They believe Mr Rubery was murdered during a botched burglary, but say he was attacked so ferociously he may have been targeted.

Speaking about the reasons behind the video, Mr Rubery's grandson Jack Kelley, 23, said: "Every negative emotion you can think of, you're going through them and through them and through them and you don't know what to do.

"When the police came around and actually fully explained what actually happened, that's when it hit home and I broke down.

"As time has gone on it feels like the days are getting longer and longer and longer and every day you're expecting someone to ring up and say 'we've caught someone'. As time has gone on you just think that's not ever going to happen.

"Our lives are never going to be the same again but it's going to make them easier knowing someone's been brought to justice, someone has been put in prison for the thing they've done to us."

A £10,000 reward has been offered for any information leading to a conviction.

Grandson George Kelley, 21, added: "It was more than out of the blue because my gramps was the friendliest bloke you could ever meet.

"If you ask anyone who knows him they won't say a bad word about him. There's got to be people out there who know something and I don't understand why they're not coming forward.

"This has ripped my life apart. It will never, ever be the same again."

Detectives appealed for anyone with information about a dark-coloured Land Rover Defender or a large black pick-up truck, which were seen in the area around the time of Mr Rubery's death, to come forward.

Detective Chief Inspector Garry Reeves, of Avon and Somerset Police, said: "He was ferociously attacked. Has he been targeted for some reason? That we don't know. Has the property been targeted for a particular reason?

"If I find the answers to those questions that will take me a long way to finding out who's done it."

He said the killer or killers would have been blood stained and possibly injured, and that somebody somewhere must know who they are.

"The smallest piece of information might help me find the answers for the family and I can assure you it will be treated in confidence," he said.

A £10,000 reward has been offered for any information that leads to a conviction.