Man arrested on suspicion of murder in Gillingham

A man remains in custody on suspicion of murder after his wife was found dead at their Gillingham home last night.

Police were called to Richmond Road just before 5pm yesterday afternoon after they had been alerted of an assault on the junction of Saunders Street at the end of the road.

A man, in his 30s, was arrested on suspicion of murdering the 39-year-old victim.

Witnesses reported nine police cars, a van, and an ambulance were in attendance at the scene and stayed late into the night.

A neighbour, who did not wish to be named, said: “I was walking my dog late afternoon and I saw nine police cars”.

“At first, I was told there was an assault but when I saw the police tape go around the house, I knew it was more than an assault.

“Somebody told me the woman had been stabbed.

“I’m quite a big bloke but it does make you feel vulnerable”.

The man has lived on the road for six years and has seen numerous crimes happen over this period of time.

The community has been left shaken as a murder scene lays on their doorstep.

18-year-old Cameron Nix lives opposite the house and spoke to the police and detectives last night.

He said: “Police came and knocked on the door and then detectives did after.

“They wanted to know if we had a camera that faced the house. Forensics left between 10 and 11pm and the police have been outside ever since”.

A postwoman, who did not wish to be named, said that the couple had only lived at the house for around a year.

She said: “I didn’t see them much.

“I spoke to the man a few times and he was nice to talk to. I didn’t really speak to the woman”.

Second and third-year university students are often placed on Richmond Road for accommodation and were appalled to find out about yesterday’s incident.

One student returned home early evening to see the corner house cordoned off.

Filipe Barbosa said: “I was out all day and I just came home to see forensics and police. That was around 7.30pm.

“You don’t expect it”.

Another student, Anna Smith, who moved to Gillingham from London, said: “You hear about it but you don’t expect it to happen so close to you.

“We have quite a lot of trouble back home so I didn’t expect things to be much different but it’s still a shock”.

Last night’s death is the latest of serious incidents to happen in the area. This is the third murder to have taken place in Gillingham in recent years. Following the stabbing of Kyle Yule, 17, in October 2017, on East Street, it was only last month when 20-year-old Anthony Eastwood was stabbed to death in Fox Street. All streets are only several miles apart.

A police vehicle remains at the scene of the crime as the investigation continues.