Tears as Yolande's killer is brought to justice
Published 20 Jul 2012 18:16
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THE brother of Yolande Waddington wept tonight as he read a statement on behalf of his family declaring that justice had at last been served for his sister's "horrific death."
Giles Waddington's voice broke as he spoke outside Reading Crown Court shortly after David Burgess was convicted by a majority verdict of 11 to one.
He said: "We are grateful that justice has now been completed after more than 45 years.
"Yolande's murder had a traumatic and irreversible effect on our family life and has cast a long shadow over nearly five decades."
Mr Waddington, 54, said: "Our mother and father were deprived of experiencing the hopes and aspirations of their only daughter's development. They have been robbed of their daughter's life events such as her wedding, her children and the comfort she would have given them in their later years.
"The recent re-investigation and the trial have reawakened very painful and vivid memories of Yolande's horrific death, which we have learnt to live with over time."
His 17-year-old sister was last seen alive at the Six Bells pub in Beenham at around 10pm on Friday, October 28, 1966. Her naked body was found two days later in a ditch at the other end of the West Berkshire village. She had been stabbed and strangled.
Earlier, gasps of relief erupted from the public gallery when the verdict arrived just after 4pm following five days of deliberations.
Burgess, dressed in a grey fleece and jeans, stared straight ahead as the verdict was delivered, showing no emotion.
Principal investigator Peter Beirne also gave a statement outside court, reading: "David Burgess has never accepted his guilt despite confessing to the crime to prison officers on three separate occasions.
"He has never fully explained how or why he killed Yolande.
"I hope today's conviction will bring some comfort to the Waddington family after all these years. Although they have the knowledge that the person who carried out this despicable crime has been brought to justice, they have still lost a much-loved daughter and sister."
Burgess, who is already serving two life sentences for the murders of nine-year-olds Jeanette Wigmore and Jacqueline Williams six months after he murdered Yolande, will be sentenced on Monday.
This article appeared in Local Berkshire 20 Jul 12
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Jul 20, 20:09
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dickemery
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Jul 21, 09:49
Report commentwhat a extrodinary and insensitive statement explains yourself justiceforall ?
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