Murder victim was a ‘loving grandmother’ (From The Oxford Times)

Murder victim was a ‘loving grandmother’

10:30am Monday 21st May 2012 in Oxford By Ben Wilkinson, Crime Reporter. Call me on (01865) 425427

THE neighbour of an Oxford grandmother whose body was found at a Horspath caravan park spoke of her shock last night.

Jenny Hume, 55, of Hamel Walk in Oxford, was killed by a head wound and also suffered stab wounds.

Her body was found in a caravan at the Prospect Park site in Horspath at about 2am on Friday.

Stewart Dale, 27, was charged on Saturday with murdering her and will appear at Oxford Magistrates’ Court today.

Last night Sheila Ford, 43, who lived next door to the victim, said: “She was such a lovable person. This is such a shock to me.

“She was very friendly and she absolutely idolised her young grandson. He will miss her terribly.”

She said Ms Hume had lived alone in the housing association flat for nearly four years.

Mum-of-two Mrs Ford visited the Church of St Thomas yesterday and said a prayer and lit a candle for her friend.

She said: “She didn’t really speak to anyone else here and we used to sit outside and have a cup of tea.

“She had a heart of gold. She would have given you her last penny. I got on with her and she got on with me. We always had a laugh.”

She added: “It just seems weird I’m not going to see her anymore. And she was only 55 – that’s quite young.

“You don’t think it would happen so close to home.”

The cleaner said she understood Ms Hume was taking a training course at Oxford Brookes University.

But she said she had no idea how Ms Hume, who she said had four brothers, ended up in Horspath.

Police found her dead at the static caravan at about 2am on Friday after a concerned neighbour alerted them.

They said a post mortem examination showed that she suffered stab wounds but was killed by blunt trauma to the head.

In a short statement her family said: “Jenny Hume, aged 55, was a divorcee and lived in Oxford.

“She was a mother of three and a devoted grandmother of three.

“Her main interests were looking after her grandchildren and in her spare time she also enjoyed horse riding.”

One of Dale’s neighbours at Prospect Park, Eddie Bulgin, 56, said residents could not believe the news.

He said: “Everybody is deeply shocked by it. I have been walking around in a daze.

“This was a lovely site up until this point. It’s beautiful.”

Another neighbour, who asked not to be named, added: “It is surreal. None of us can believe it has happened.”