Man charged with murder of woman after alleged assault in cemetery | UK News

A 71-year-old woman who was found dead in a cemetery after being attacked has been named.

Ann Blackwood was pronounced dead at Crofton Cemetery in Stubbington, Hampshire, on Monday.

Martin Suter, of Portsmouth Road, Lee-on-the-Solent, has been charged with Ms Blackwood’s murder and will appear at Portsmouth Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, July 27.

A Hampshire police spokesman said: ‘A 66-year-old man has been charged with murder by detectives investigating the death of a 71-year-old woman at Crofton Cemetery in Stubbington on Monday 24 July.

‘We were called to Lychgate Green at 3.47pm after the woman, who we can now name as Ann Blackwood from Lee-On-The-Solent, had been assaulted in the cemetery.

‘She was treated initially by police officers and our colleagues from South Central Ambulance Service, but was pronounced dead a short time later.

‘Following a thorough investigation, Martin Suter of Portsmouth Road in Lee-on-the-Solent has been charged with murder.

‘He has been remanded to appear at Portsmouth Magistrates Court on Thursday 27 July.’

Those living nearby were shaken and baffled by the incident.

An elderly grandmother, who was childminding her two grandsons at the time, said: ‘I saw there was an ambulance and emergency services there… and they were performing CPR on a woman.’

A female Stubbington resident in her 60s said: ‘We live in such a peaceful area with many young families and retirees.

‘You never expect something so horrific to happen so close to home especially in such a friendly community.’

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.