Quarry deaths: Father and children formally identified

Ceri Fuller is not a villain, his father-in-law says

Four members of a Gloucestershire family found dead in a disused quarry have been formally identified.

A family member confirmed the identities of Ceri Fuller, 35, his son Samuel, 12, and daughters Rebecca Rose, eight, and Charlotte Mae, seven.

An inquest is expected to open next week and will then be adjourned while police complete their investigations.

The bodies were found at Poles Coppice, Pontesbury Hill, near Shrewsbury in Shropshire, on Monday.

A post-mortem examination revealed Mr Fuller, who was from Milkwall, Coleford, died "from multiple injuries consistent with falling from a height".

'Joy and laughter'

Post-mortem tests on the children showed all three died from stab injuries. A knife was recovered from the scene.

The children's grandfather, Ron Tocknell, has written an <link> <caption>open letter to a Gloucestershire newspaper</caption> <url href="http://www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk/Woodland-deaths-Grandfather-s-poignant-tribute/story-16567123-detail/story.html" platform="highweb"/> </link> saying he does not blame his son-in-law for their deaths.

Mr Tocknell, father of the children's mother Ruth, insisted Mr Fuller was a good father who raised them with "love and joy and laughter".

He said he would never know what drove his son-in-law to do what he did but said it was "not an act of malice or spite".

"Perhaps some of you feel anger toward him," he said in the letter to The Citizen newspaper.

"You know him only as the man who did this. I know him as the man who fell in love with my daughter.

Sam and Charlotte Fuller's bodies were found along with those of their sister Rebecca and father Ceri

"I know him as the man who worked tirelessly to support the family he worshipped.

"I know him as the man who, together with my daughter, raised my beautiful grandchildren in an environment of love and joy and laughter."

Mr Tocknell, who is from Lydney, Gloucestershire, said "the torment in Ceri's mind that drove him to such an act" might never be understood.

"I weep for my daughter's pain, I weep for the loss of my grandchildren and I weep for Ceri's pain and confusion in equal measures," the letter said.

"There are no villains in this dreadful episode. There are only victims.

"He will always remain a man I am proud to have called my son-in-law."