The children of murdered Pauline Quinn have described how their mother ‘lived life to the full’ before her killer “tore their family apart.”
The family of Pauline Quinn, aged 72, will never come to terms with the “full horror” they have suffered due to the “senseless” actions of Laurence Bierton.
Bierton, aged 63, attacked the mother-of-three in her Worksop bungalow on 9 November 2021.
He had previously served nearly 25 years in prison for killing two elderly women in 1995 and was released in 2020 where he moved to the Worksop area.
On the day in question, he murdered his neighbour Pauline in her own home and then stole her car.
Pauline’s son, Tom Quinn, and daughters Janice Quinn and Lisa Rummery have released a joint statement on behalf of the family after Bierton was sentenced to life in prison on Wednesday 20 December.
They said: “Pauline Quinn was a beloved mother, sister, and grandmother whose life was horrifically cut short by her brutal and senseless murder.
“We, her family, are tortured by the circumstances of her death. In what should have been the safety of her own home, our mother suffered a vicious and sustained attack.
“Her age and frailty meant she had no chance of defending herself. Seeing the details of the injuries she suffered was extremely distressing.
“Hearing a recording of her being beaten to death was hugely traumatising. It brought home the full horror of the attack and her utter helplessness before her assailant. The nature of our mother’s death has inflicted enormous and lasting damage on our whole family.
“We would prefer to remember our mother as the happy and caring person she was. Despite her frailty, she was determined to live life to the full.
“She always enjoyed spending time with her family and friends. She loved her bungalow and liked to potter around her garden. Driving her car gave her a strong sense of independence.
“And of course, there was Charlie, her dog, who gave her such energy and motivation. It is difficult to accept that she has gone. We grieve her loss and miss her deeply.
“The two years it took for our mother’s case to come to court proved to be very difficult. But throughout this period, the police maintained regular contact with our family.
“The support they provided was of enormous help to us. We would like to thank the police, both for this support, and for their careful and rigorous criminal investigation.
“We would also like to thank our legal team for the professional way in which they handled the case. Their efforts secured the conviction we were seeking.
“We would like to thank the jury for seeing through Bierton’s defence and returning a guilty verdict.
“One of the hardest aspects of this case has been the fact that the man who killed our mother was a convicted double murderer who had served a life sentence and was on licence.
“On his release, instead of seeking to make something of his second chance in life, he resorted to killing our mother.
“It was our mother’s terrible misfortune that Bierton was rehoused next door to her. Like his first two victims, she too was a vulnerable elderly woman. And like them, she too was murdered in the most brutal and pitiless way.”
The family have now asked for privacy at this incredibly difficult time.
• Whole life sentence for Worksop murderer who bludgeoned elderly neighbour to death
