Former Bexhill woman found strangled

On Monday her partner, unemployed gardener Timothy Bierton, 48, appeared before magistrates in Hastings accused of her murder.

He was remanded in custody to Lewes Crown Court next Thursday.

Julie Ann Wendel left Bexhill and moved to Netherfield just before Christmas.

She was discovered by police officers in the living room of her home around 10.30pm on Friday.

A forensics team worked through the night and all-day Saturday while police made door to door enquiries in Darvel Down.

A post-mortem revealed she had been strangled.

Miss Wendel's death has devastated her family.

This week her mother spoke of the moment every parent dreads police on the doorstep to tell her that her daughter was dead.

The mother of a seven-year-old boy, Julie had suffered from depression for most of her life.

At their Bexhill home this week, Julie's mother, Pauline, and her partner David, spoke of their love and admiration for the boy.

Pauline said: "We have told him what has happened to his mother because the police advised us that it was the best thing to do.

"He's been wonderful. He insisted on going to school yesterday. He's gone off on a school trip today.

"If it had not been for him I think I would be curled up in bed right now. He's been so brave, I have to do the same for his sake."

Julie was born in Sidley. She attended St Mary Magdalene's Roman Catholic School and St Richard's Catholic College.

Her mother said: "She had suffered from depression from her teens. She was diagnosed as a manic depressive about two years ago. That's the first time we had a proper diagnosis.

"She had planned to be a hairdresser and did start training. She had worked on and off, but not for a long time."

Police called at the couple's home shortly before 2am on Saturday to break the news of Julie's death.

David said: "Julie's brother Graham had been to see us. He's a keen cyclist. He had ridden from his home at Winchelsea on his bike.

"When we saw the police we thought Graham had had an accident."

Pauline said: "It seems they came at 1.50am in the morning, though I didn't notice the time.

"It is still difficult to take it in. I wake up and I think, 'It can't be true....'."

Pauline added: "They have sent us a special liaison officer. We can telephone him for help at any time."

David said: "The police have been very good. I cannot say how they could have handled it any better. We shall write to the Chief Constable when this is all over and express our gratitude over the way they have handled it.

"You hear criticism of the authorities all the time. You don't hear the good things.

"You don't get the impression that they are doing it because they have got to but because they are genuinely involved."

After a call from a neighbour who had not heard the news, Pauline said: "This situation is happening all the time.

"It's a nightmare. You wake up in the morning and think, 'This sort of thing doesn't happen'. "

David says of the last few years of coping with Julie and helping care for her son: "It's rather like dealing with an elderly relative with Alzheimer's. When they die there's a void but it's almost a relief.

"We could never go far in case there was a problem.

"Our life revolved around her and the boy."

The boy's father died of a heart attack in 1999.

David said: "The boy has been so good. He just seems to think that's what happens to mothers and fathers."

Pauline said: "As a manic depressive she had a hard life.

"The only thing I can say is that she is now at peace."

Detective Chief Inspector John Levett, in charge of the investigation, told the Observer: "It's a particularly tragic incident and very sad for the family."

Miss Wendel was unemployed and had moved to Netherfield with Bierton.

Neighbours say she complained of loneliness and depression.