Teen bullies 'drove doting mother to family murder'

Teen bullies 'drove mother to family murder'

By Stephen Adams
Last Updated: 1:05am GMT 29/10/2007

A doting mother killed herself and her severely disabled teenage
daughter after they were tormented by bullying youths who targeted
their home, neighbours said.

Fiona Pilkington, 38, drove herself and daughter Francesca, 19, to a
secluded lay-by on Tuesday night, where she doused the car in petrol
before locking the doors on them both and lighting a match.

Their bodies were so badly burnt they could only be identified with
DNA. Francesca - known as Frankie - had been severally mentally and
physically disabled since birth, neighbours said.

She and brother Anthony, 17, who has learning difficulties, were
looked after full-time by Fiona and their grandmother Pam Cassell.

But the family was mercilessly targeted by youths in Barwell,
Leicestershire, who persistently abused them and threw stones and eggs
at their semi-detached home.

In a statement, Francesca's Grandmother, who does not wish to be
named, said: "As a family we are completely devastated by our loss. We
are struggling to come to terms with what has happened and would like
to be left alone to grieve in private for Fiona and Frankie."

Friend Ann Jones told how Fiona had dedicated her life to looking
after Frankie. Mrs Jones said: "They would still be alive today if the
police had done their job properly.

"Fiona got so much abuse from some of the kids around here. She had a
lot of problems with them. They would throw stones at her windows,
bang on the door, shout and call them names."

She added "she was one of the best. She was always laughing and
joking. I saw her on Tuesday night and she seemed fine. But having to
look after Frankie all the time was very difficult.

"Frankie was a handful, she could really fly off the handle and she
used to cry terribly over nothing. She was a good girl, it was just
her mental disability that made her act like that sometimes. I will
miss them both very much. Anthony will be devastated."

Mrs Jones revealed how Fiona had taken Frankie out at 10.30pm on
Tuesday night, telling boyfriend Brian Astill she was going around to
her mothers.

Neighbour Mary Cooper, 77, said the decision to end their lives would
have been down to Fiona alone. "Frankie could not have made that
decision. She was so helpless. She could not do anything for herself".

Another neighbour, who did not want to be named, said a number of boys
in Barwell Village had made the family's life difficult for years. She
said "they picked on them, I guess because of the kids. It would
start, then stop for a while, then start up again."

Brian Astill, in his 50s, who said he had known Fiona for eight years,
said he blamed the children who had victimised the family.

Detective Superintendent Chris Thomas said: "Following the results of
yesterday's scene examination and the post mortems we are satisfied
that we do not need to look for anyone else in connection with the
deaths.

"Our beliefs that this incident was a tragic case of murder and
suicide have been borne out by the initial results but the ultimate
decision clearly remains a matter for the Coroner.

"The loss of loved ones in these circumstances is extremely
distressing and our thoughts are with Fiona and Francesca's family at
this time."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/10/26/nburn126.xml

date: Sun, 13 Jan 2008 08:55:45 -0800 (PST) author: dfgd