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Man charged with murder after woman, 26, found dead in tent on church grounds

Colette Law’s body was discovered on July 17 in St Mary and St Nicholas Church in Spalding, Lincolnshire

Holly Evans
Monday 24 July 2023 04:59 EDT
Colette Law was found in a tent in a churchyard in Spalding
Colette Law was found in a tent in a churchyard in Spalding (PA)

A man has been charged with murdering a woman whose body was discovered in a churchyard.

Colette Law, 26, was discovered in a tent at St Mary and St Nicholas Church in Spalding, Lincolnshire, on July 17.

Paul Neilson, 30, of no fixed address, was arrested last week before being charged with her murder on July 23. He is due to appear at Lincoln Magistrates’ Court on Monday morning.

Speaking to The Scottish Sun, Ms Law’s devastated parents said they had been distraught when police officers arrived at their home to inform them their daughter was dead.

Have you been affected by this story? If so email holly.evans@independent.co.uk

Patricia Law, a retired care worker, said: "We didn’t feel anything. We just collapsed.

"You don’t want to bury your son or daughter. We are 60 odd. We don’t want to bury any of them. They should be burying us."

Originally from Greenock in Scotland, Ms Law had moved down to Spalding at the end of May.

Detective Inspector Richard Nethercott, who is leading the investigation, previously said: "We send our condolences to the family and friends of Colette, they are very much in our thoughts as we carry out our investigation.

"I know this tragic death will be unsettling.  We are working hard to investigate the full circumstances to understand how Colette has died."

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