This information is made public under North East Somerset Police Service’s new community initiative: Justice Is a Shared Story – Let’s Write It Together
Read the B&NES Beacon article about it here!
Department:
Exceptional Cases
CRIME:
MURDER
Case Officer:
Detective Inspector
Permission:
Public view
CASE IDENTIFIER: 42/7A/LIBRARY AKA:
Profile
Name: Mrs Chorlton
Mobile Library Stop: Midsomer Norton
Age: (Police Note: refused to answer, said it’s a very rude question)
Job: Little old lady
Hobbies: Bakers Dozen baking group (Committee Chair); Church Flower Arrangers (Committee Chair); Knit & Natter knitting group (Committee Chair); Gun Club (life member)
Reading: Made Men & Mistakes: Inside the Mafia Playbook by Vinny “The Pen” Scrivi
Reason on Mobile: To pick up some reserved books, browse for more, have a chat.
Suspect Statement
Extract from Suspect Police Statement
Transcript:
It’s very sad isn’t it. He was such a nice boy, that Librarian. He’s been bringing me my books for almost a year now and he’s always so polite and kind. It’s nice for me to get out and have a chat, you see, what with me being so old and frail and not being of any threat to anyone.
I often took him and that nice driver a cake, you know. They deserved that. I always said he’d come good, after that fuss with Silas Small. I saw Silas a week or so ago and I told him then, I said, one of those boys you said was making crop circles on your fields a few years back, well he’s come good and he’s working on the Mobile Library. Of course, Silas has had his ‘experience’ with the little green men since then! And when he was on the Mobile he was even helping the boy open his thermos of tea, I was watching them over the driver’s shoulder. Both of them trying to unscrew the top.
Silas kept trying even when Ash had gone to shelve some books but he couldn’t get it open. They should have let me have a go. Such a nice boy, that Librarian. It’s a shame he’s dead.
Evidence #1
Extract from Minutes of Bakers Dozen Committee
Transcript:
3.1
Mr Wallace raised the upcoming annual confirmation of Committee Members and proposed Mrs Berry as Chair, which was seconded by Mrs Hussein. Mrs Lovett proposed Mrs Chorlton retain the post, which she has held for over 20 years, which was seconded by Mr Sweene.
3.2
This is the first time Mrs Chorlton has been opposed since she took office and nobody can remember how the voting works. The Committee and both candidates will meet again in 1 week to agree the process. Mrs Chorlton offered to make her famous ginger cake to aid those discussions.
Evidence #2
Extract from Parish Newsletter #1561
Transcript:
The garden of Mrs Chorlton is a cornucopia of verdant wonders, spilling with lush foliage and sweet scents that drift on the breeze.
Nestled amongst the roses and sweetpeas I spied hemlock and digitalis, deadly nightshade, poison ivy, and even some early fly agaric toadstools in a shady corner.
Only a very accomplished gardener would be bold enough to bring such toxic plants in with her runner beans, but Mrs Chorlton is an accomplished gardener indeed!
Witness Statement
Extract of Witness Statement from the Mobile Library Driver, Sal
Transcript:
Mrs Chorlton, she’s a lovely lady. We’re always pleased to see her. She does like to chat mind! I always go in to see her, catch up on the gossip. There’s nobody she doesn’t know round here. She makes the best cakes. Her ginger cake – I’ve never had a better one.
She had two cake tins in her basket when she was waiting for us – I spotted it when we pulled up. She’d already given one to Ash when I got round there though, made him promise to eat it all! I told her I was having some too and we all laughed! I followed her out when she left, to get a bit of fresh air, and I saw her stop just down the road and start looking at the other cake tin she still had. She looked very confused and a bit worried, kept looking back at the Mobile, until she saw me watching, then she waved and scurried off. I didn’t think no more of it at the time.
