Stafford Garner death: Family makes plea to Thurnscoe community

Spencer Garner, Stephanie Jones, Shaw Garner, Gail Hatton and Cassandra Houghton and Det Insp Rob Platts appealed to anyone in the Thurnscoe community with information to come forward

The grieving family of a "kind and loving" man found with fatal head injuries in his flat have appealed to the community about his death.

Stafford Garner, 46, was found at his home in Thurnscoe on 2 April, and died in hospital three days later.

Five men arrested on suspicion of murder have been released on bail.

Mr Garner's mother said the family was "torn apart" by her son's death and they all need to know what happened so they can move on.

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Det Insp Rob Platts, of South Yorkshire Police, said Mr Garner was found with serious head injuries when paramedics were called to his flat on Monsal Street at 4.40pm on 2 April.

The father-of-three was "fit and well" on Tuesday 31 March, Det Insp Platt said, and police believe he was attacked that day.

Stafford Garner suffered a head injury on 2 April and died in hospital three days later

Mr Platts said many people were at home in lockdown at the time, but said: "I believe there are a number of people from the Thurnscoe area who know exactly what has happened to Stafford."

Mr Garner's mother, Gail Hatton, said the family hoped speaking out would mean someone in the community would come forward with information.

She said: "Please, please come forward if you have any information about Stafford's death. Our family has been torn apart since losing him. He was such a kind, loving son and brother and now we just want to know what happened to him, so we can try to move forward with our lives."

In a statement, his siblings added: "We miss our brother every day. It doesn't seem real that our family is going through this.

"We know that speaking out might be difficult, but please just think about our family. You can do something good here and help us to move on from this most horrendous time in our lives."

The five men who were arrested on suspicion of murder have all been bailed