Man's death 'an admission of guilt'

Angela Holgate and her mother Alice Huyton were strangled at Mrs Holgate's home in Southport, Merseyside (Merseyside Police/PA)

Barry Morrow, 52, was charged with the murders of his landlady and her mother (Merseyside Police/PA)

Published: 9:07am, 10th February 2012
Updated: 7:15pm, 10th February 2012

Relatives of two women thought to have been murdered by a lodger have described his suspected suicide in prison as "an admission of guilt".

Barry Morrow, 52, was found hanged in his cell while awaiting trial over the deaths of Angela Holgate, 54, and Alice Huyton, 75, whose strangled bodies were found at Mrs Holgate's home in Southport, Merseyside, on December 3.

In a statement Mrs Huyton's sons John and Christopher said: "We are still grieving for the loss of Alice and Angela, two very special ladies who touched the lives of all who knew them.

"This news will not bring them back, but we feel this is an admission of guilt by Barry Morrow by taking his own life.

"It is the wrong type of justice we were looking for and it doesn't make us feel any better as his death has left a lot of unanswered questions. It is, however, another step towards closure for the family.

"Alice and Angela will always be missed and in our thoughts."

Morrow had been remanded in custody ahead of a plea hearing on March 19 at Liverpool Crown Court, with a scheduled trial date of May 7.

Police launched a Europe-wide hunt for him when he was spotted in France shortly after Avon saleswoman Mrs Holgate and her mother were found by a relative at the address in Fairhaven Road.

Morrow was seen in Calais after apparently catching a ferry across the Channel with Mrs Holgate's white Citroen car. He returned to the UK days later and was arrested. While at large he had contacted a local newspaper via Facebook to protest his innocence.

A Prison Service spokeswoman said: "HMP Manchester prisoner Barry Morrow was found hanging in his cell at 2.18pm on Thursday February 9. Staff attempted resuscitation and paramedics attended but he was pronounced dead at 2.46pm. As with all deaths in custody, the prisons and probation ombudsman will conduct an investigation."