Last updated at 11:41, Friday, 22 March 2013

THE nieces of “Lady in the Lake” Carol Park say her killer’s inquest has reminded them of their painful loss and the callous way their aunt was murdered.

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Claire Gardener and Kay Washford spoke out after an inquest jury yesterday ruled Gordon Park had committed suicide in his prison cell.

The former Barrow school teacher, was found asphyxiated more than three years ago at HMP Garth in Leyland, Lancashire, where he was serving a life sentence for the murdering his wife.

The women’s father Ivor Price, of Walney, fought tirelessly to bring his sister’s killer to justice and before he died he saw Park jailed.

Both women grew up in Barrow before moving to Preston and are regular visitors to the town.

They have vowed to fight any further appeals launched by the Park family to clear his name.

Mrs Gardener, 44, and Mrs Washford, 50, said their sincere condolences went out to the Park family adding: “We cannot deny that they have lost a loved one.

“But this inquest has once again brought to light the loss that our family suffered by losing Aunty Carol in such a callous way and the pain and suffering our mum and dad endured throughout their lives.

“We still stand by the fact that the unanimous jury verdict in 2005 was the right one and find comfort that our parents saw justice before they lost their lives in 2007.

“In relation to the quashing of the conviction we will, in our parents honour, continue to fight any appeal that is brought so as to keep justice.

“We would like to thank the people of Barrow and our friends and family for their continued love and support. Our mum and dad would have been touched.”

Park bludgeoned the 30-year-old mother-of-three to death with an ice axe in July 1976 and dumped her in Coniston Water.

Her body had come to rest on an underwater ledge and was found by amateur divers 21 years later.

Park was jailed in 2005 bringing to an end to one of Britain’s most notorious unsolved murders.

Park was jailed for life to serve a minimum of 15 years but has always maintained his innocence.

In November 2008, the Court of Appeal rejected an application by Park for leave to appeal against his conviction by calling fresh expert testimony on the geological evidence heard at his trial.

His supporters have been battling to refer the case to the Criminal Cases Review Commission, which investigates possible miscarriages of justice.

Park was put on suicide watch at HMP Garth when it was said he was “very shocked” to lose his appeal.

A few months earlier he was placed on the same regime when it was discovered he had read the official report into the prison suicide of mass murderer Harold Shipman.

Jenny Park – Park’s third wife – said her husband was “devastated” when his regular pastoral visits from an Evangelical church elder were stopped the month before his body was found on the morning of his 66th birthday on January 25, 2010 – also three days before the fifth anniversary of his conviction.

Coroner Dr James Adeley considered whether the jury could be asked to determine if the stopping of the pastoral visit had contributed to his death.

But he ruled it was not appropriate because it was uncertain when Park was told about the visit ban and it was difficult to establish whether it had any effect.

First published at 11:26, Friday, 22 March 2013
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk