Category: Thame news

DAVID Cameron was in Thame yesterday, with the Conservative party’s new candidate to replace Boris Johnson.
With John Howell, he had earlier visited a post office in Stanton St John which is due to close at the end of the month. They then came to the campaign office here in Thame, followed by a short walk to meet some voters before returning to London.

A 49-year-old man charged with the murder of Deborah Smith in Wheatley on bank holiday Monday (26/5) has been named.
He is Russell Yeates, of Bell Lane, Wheatley, the husaband of the the victim.

He is due to appear before Oxford Magistrates? Court today (2/6).

BEE GEE, Robin Gibb, who lives in Thame, has been speaking about his special relationship with Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who, he said, approached him directly to support a new campaign aimed at fathers separated from their children.
Robin has spoken about the sense of grief he felt at being kept away from his two young children from an earlier marriage, by the courts. He describes what he called, “moments of pure misery” when he he felt he would go mad.

Robin, who shares his Thame home with his wife Dwina, has since been re-united with Spencer and Miller, after 18 years, and says that he is busy making up lost time.

Photo: Robin and Dwina Gibb

A 49-year-old man who was arrested on suspicion of murder in connection with the death of Deborah Smith in Wheatley on Monday (26/5) has today (30/5) been released from hospital.
The man remains in custody and is due to be questioned about the incident over the weekend.
The man is understood to be the victim’s husband of one year, Russell Yeates.

THE following tribute has come today from the family of Deborah Smith, who was murdered in Wheatley on Bank Holiday Monday;
“Deborah was a lovely, bubbly, fun person, who was a wonderful daughter, mother, sister, auntie and friend.
“As a family we are absolutely heartbroken by the loss of Deborah. Our lives will never be the same.
“We love and miss her. A most precious sister, daughter and mother, has been taken from us.
From,
Mum and dad, Mavis and Gerald and brother, Gary Wiffen. “

Photo: Deborah Smith

THE leader of the Conservative group at South Oxfordshire District Council has been tipped to stand in place of Boris Johnson at a by-election in his Henley constituency, called after he was elected as Mayor of London.
Read the full story.

Photo: Anne Ducker, Leader of the Conservative group and former Council Leader at South Oxfordshire District Council

A 49 year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder, in connection with the death yesterday of a woman from Wheatley, found with her throat cut on Bank Holiday Monday.
Police remain at the bedside of 49 year-old Russell Yeates, who was also discovered at the scene of the incident in Bell Lane, Wheatley, with a wound to his neck.

He has now recovered consciousness and his condition is said to be stable and not life-threatening.

THE Police have launched a murder investigation after the death of a woman in Wheatley yesterday (26/5).
Officers were called to Bell Lane at around 4.15pm following reports of an altercation between a man and a woman.

Officers entered an address where they discovered a woman with serious injuries. A man was also injured. Both were taken to the JR2 Hospital where the 47-year-old woman was pronounced dead on arrival.

The man, aged in his forties, remains at the JR2 Hospital in a stable condition.

Det Insp Colin Seaton, leading the investigation, said: ?I would like to reassure the community of Wheatley that we are treating this as an isolated incident.
?We are still in the very early stages of the investigation and would ask anyone with information that could assist our inquiry to contact police immediately.?

The woman has not yet been formally identified.

A post-mortem is expected to take place today (27/5).

Anyone with information about the incident is urged to contact Det Insp Seaton via Thames Valley Police Enquiry Centre on 0845 8 505 505. If you don?t want to speak to police and don?t want to leave your name contact the Crimestoppers charity on 0800 555 111.

A BRITISH serviceman killed in an explosion in southern Afghanistan on Sunday, came from the Thame area.
He was Royal Marine, Dale Gostick, aged 22, from Great Haseley, near Thame. Dale died when his vehicle was caught in a blast north of Sangin, Helmand Province.

As a member of Three Troop, Armoured Support Company, Royal Marines, Dale was driving a Viking armoured vehicle when it hit a suspected mine. Medics attempted to revive him but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Another two Royal Marines are still receiving treatment after being injured in the incident at the Sangin crossing of the Helmand River.

The troops were returning to base after operations supporting soldiers from the 2nd Battalion of the Parachute Regiment around Musa Qaleh.

Marine Gostick, known affectionately by his friends as “master chief general of the universe”, was remembered for his sense of humour and relaxed attitude to life.

His family paid tribute to a “huge character” who made time for everyone, adding: “His passing has left an irreplaceable hole in so many people’s lives.” They said he was “dearly loved and deeply missed” by his girlfriend Beccy.

Marine Gostick joined the Royal Marines in late 2004 and passed the gruelling 32-week training course before becoming a member of Plymouth-based 42 Commando.

In 2006 he completed a Viking operators course and served in Afghanistan with the Royal Marines’ Armoured Support Company as part of Three Commando Brigade. He arrived in Afghanistan for his second deployment in December 2007.