Latest news with #Nicky
Scottish Sun
2 days ago
- Health
- Scottish Sun
Nicky became an alcoholic after her husband fell ill & died… now a little-known 75p pill has stopped her craving a drink
GRIEVING mum and businesswoman Nicky Wake, 54, would start the day with a bottle of wine until she was told about a daily pill which could help her kick her deadly habit. MIRACLE CURE Nicky became an alcoholic after her husband fell ill & died… now a little-known 75p pill has stopped her craving a drink Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) WHEN her husband tragically died, Nicky Wake spiralled into a deep depression leaning on alcohol to make it through the day. To the outside world she appeared like any other grieving wife, but behind closed doors the 54-year-old from Manchester was hiding a dark secret. 7 Nicky Wake's drinking spiralled when her husband died Credit: Christian Gould Blossom Agency 7 Her husband Andy had a sudden heart attack in 2017, aged 54, which led to a brain injury Credit: supplied 7 Nicky, 54, reveals she drank daily to cope with the shock and was a functioning alcoholic Credit: supplied While Andy was cared for in a nursing home, Nicky was a functioning alcoholic, taking the couple's son to school, running her businesses - never missing a meeting. But even suffering a seizure wasn't enough to stop her boozing, and after doctors in A&E told her she needed to stop drinking, Nicky bought wine on her way home. Now, years after saying goodbye to Andy, Nicky tells Sun Health how her darkest days are behind her, thanks to a 'miracle' pill prescribed on the NHS. 'Grief drove me to drink' I walked past the nurses into intensive care, clutching my Diet Coke bottle. I was visiting my seriously ill husband in hospital, and as I reached his bed, where he lay unresponsive in a coma, I opened the lid of my drink and took a sip. But it wasn't Diet Coke after all. It was a vodka mixer - my crutch, after I learned Andy would never be the same again. From there, my drinking spiralled - but I wasn't always like this. I was a high-flying, successful businesswoman, an events planner and a designer of dating apps. Life was good; I married Andy in 2004, two years after we met, and we had our son, Finn, in 2007. I started drinking young, as many women did in the 'ladette' culture of the late 80s and 90s. But alcohol was never a problem for me; it was just fun. Are you a grey zone drinker? 6 questions determine if you have a problem with alcohol & what to do before it gets worse When Andy had a sudden heart attack in 2017, aged 54, it changed everything. It was so sudden, and he was my soulmate. The heart attack led to a brain injury, and he was kept alive in ICU, but there was really nothing anyone could do. The consultant took me aside and said gently, 'This will not have a happy ending', and it was then that my drinking increased. I was drinking daily to cope with the shock and grief. I had always been a heavy drinker up to this point, but never dependent. For three years, Andy was cared for in a nursing home, as he needed specialist care. Meanwhile, I was a functioning alcoholic. It meant I was still able to do everything expected of me, while on the bottle. I ploughed on, juggling running my businesses, getting my son to and from school and visiting Andy - always grabbing a bottle on the way home. I'd fly business class and drink, go to meetings and drink. It was acceptable. But I never ever missed a meeting or got my son to school late. No one knew. 7 Andy was cared for in a nursing home for three years Credit: supplied How does acamprosate work? ACAMPROSATE (brand name Campral) is used to help prevent a relapse in people who have successfully achieved abstinence from alcohol, the NHS states. It's usually used in combination with counselling to reduce alcohol craving. Acamprosate works by affecting levels of a chemical in the brain called gamma-amino-butyric acid (GABA). GABA is thought to be partly responsible for inducing a craving for alcohol. If you're prescribed acamprosate, the course usually starts as soon as you begin withdrawal from alcohol and can last for up to six months. 'Bad binge' Then, in 2020, after a three-year slow decline, Andy passed away at the age of 57. I had pre-grieved for three years as he slowly died, but losing him was still devastating, and I turned to the bottle even more. After getting my son to school, I'd start the day with a bottle of wine at breakfast, drink another bottle throughout the day, then a third bottle in the evening. By 2021, I noticed I could barely walk the length of my street without feeling unwell. But I ignored it. Then in 2023, after a particularly bad binge, I woke in immense pain and felt so, so unwell. I knew I had to stop drinking, but I couldn't get through the day without alcohol. I was already taking mirtazapine for depression, so I took two instead of one. Something happened - I thought I may have had a seizure - and I called a friend who took me to A&E. I was drinking daily to cope with the shock and grief - I had only been a heavy drinker up until this point At the hospital, doctors confirmed I'd had a seizure and blamed the mix of alcohol in my system and the double dose of a strong antidepressant. I was kept in for three days and told I needed to stop drinking. I agreed, but bought wine on the way home. Incredibly, during this time, I had a good relationship with my son. 7 Nicky checked herself into rehab where she did a 28-day detox, and was recommended acamprosate by a doctor to help her recovery Credit: Christian Gould Blossom Agency 7 She says as soon as she took the miracle pill, she didn't drink for weeks as it cut her cravings Credit: supplied But in November 2024, a day before my son's 17th birthday, something in me changed. There was no lightbulb moment or rock bottom. I just felt generally dreadful and thought if I picked up one more glass of booze, I'd be dead. I told my son I was checking myself into rehab. He hugged me and said, 'That would be the best birthday present ever'. Luckily, I had private healthcare, which covered my admission to The Priory, where I did a 28-day detox. It included yoga, meditation, and hours of counselling. It was hard. But I felt cared for and looked after. It was there that a doctor recommended acamprosate to help my recovery. Acamprosate is a medication for people with alcohol dependence that works by stabilising the brain chemistry, helping reduce cravings and maintain abstinence. A doctor recommended acamprosate to help my recovery. Acamprosate is a medication for people with alcohol dependence that works by stabilising the brain chemistry, helping reduce cravings and maintain abstinence I had no idea if it would work for me, but I decided to try, thinking I'd probably swing by a wine shop as I left The Priory. But I didn't. I went straight home. I didn't drink the next day or the next. Soon, weeks had passed. It was a miracle. People on weight loss jabs talk about losing this 'food noise' once they start the medication, the relief that they are no longer constantly thinking about their next bite to eat. And it was the same for me, only with alcohol. I started with four doses a day, tapering to two, and then coming off at eight months - and I'm still sober. The pills were prescribed in the Priory and by my GP once I left. It is recommended by NICE, the NHS drug regulator, but only prescribed after a person is successfully withdrawn from alcohol and on a programme. Sobriety meant that I was able to focus on the development and launch of an app called to help sober people date. So many dates are about drinking, it's hard to find a sober match. And amazingly, when I celebrated my 54th birthday recently, there was no wine, no champagne and no beer. I left the party sober and joyful. Acamprosate saved my life. Now, I plan to stay sober in Andy's honour and for our son. 7 Nicky credits acamprosate for saving her life and reveals she aims to stay sober in Andy's honour Credit: supplied
NZ Herald
6 days ago
- General
- NZ Herald
Rediscovering the joy of learning at 54
Striving from an academic perspective has been one of her life's goals. She doesn't just 'belong' in the academic environment; she excels in it. It's as natural as breathing to her. It is part of the fabric of who she is. It's really easy to compare yourself to your siblings. In my case, I always worried that I wasn't as clever as she was (and is). However, my appreciation of different types of intelligence is something that has grown with age (and wisdom). Having decided to pivot at the age of 54 and study to be a real estate agent, I've learned that my attitude towards learning is exactly the same now as it was when I was 18. With the decision made to be a real estate agent, I now need to learn and qualify so that I can start the final chapter of my working life. Again, doing the papers is the means to an end. What I didn't expect was that I would love the process of learning and I'm actually retaining the information. It's good at whatever age to be able to surprise yourself and I really have. In the past two weeks, I have also gone to a yoga class – who are you and what have you done with Nicky? There are similarities between the broadcasting and communications qualification that I achieved in the ′90s and becoming a qualified real estate agent now. The skills that I'm learning are tangible and will be implemented on a daily basis. It's the reason that I would sit in any maths class with fractions or the Pythagoras theory and mentally shut down. My brain wasn't wired like that and I didn't feel that I would ever use it in my daily life. My attitude to learning is that it has to have a practical application or I don't see any purpose for it. It doesn't mean that I'm as thick as two planks, it just means that I have my own style of learning. It has to be necessary to what I will be doing in my daily life. Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe is picking up what I'm putting down. 'In the end, we retain from our studies only that which we practically apply.' There's all sorts of clever. This wasn't a lesson that was imparted when I was at school. It was all about the mark you got. In case you're wondering, there are actually considered to be nine types of intelligence, according to Howard Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences: linguistic, logical-mathematical, spatial, bodily-kinaesthetic, musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal, naturalistic and existential. These represent different ways in which individuals process information and interact with the world. You don't have to be one or the other, either. Most people are a mixture of a few of these. I love success stories where people have left school because it wasn't for them, then found their bliss and lived happily ever after. I love it when people who have been told that they won't amount to much absolutely slay it and become leaders in industry, and I love it when people who were labelled a geek at school have triumphed in the world of IT when it had negative connotations at the time they were facing ridicule in the schoolyard. IQ versus EQ was something of a revelation as well. The thought that just because you get A's your whole life doesn't mean that you have common sense or that you have a natural affinity with other people. People all have an opinion of real estate agents and the industry itself. I asked if I could do my study in an agency so I could learn on the job as well as through my study and I'm loving that too. It has cemented that I have made 100% the right choice about my next career. It is an industry where your success is the sum of the parts. Your parts. Your past career choices, everything you have learned in life so far, the skills you have amassed and the lessons you have learned. At the end of the day, people buy from people, not necessarily an A-plus in a chemistry exam.
Extra.ie
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Extra.ie
Nicky Byrne needs VAR after Westlife lads try 'splitting the G'
Three of the members of Westlife almost came to blows (not really) after they tried their hand at 'Splitting the G.' For the uninitiated, fans of pints of plain have been trying to split the G — i.e. drink the first gulp of their pint in such a way that when it resettles, the G in the Guinness on the glass will be split in half. While there's not really a prize involved outside of bragging rights and another pint, there is a sweet science to it, and more and more people are hopping on the challenge — including Nicky Byrne, Shane Filan and Kian Egan of Westlife after they filmed themselves attempting to split the G after a gig last week. @westlife No messing around when Nicky's playing 😂 Reckon you could take us on? #Westlife #GuinnessChallenge #SplitTheG #BTS ♬ original sound – Westlife The lads showed up at Ed Sheeran's homecoming gig in Ipswich last week, and after headed to the pub backstage — with Nicky explaining that after such a mammoth gig, it was time for them to try and split the G. After explaining the rules for their international fans, the trio had their swigs, and while Kian and Shane were just above the line, Nicky appeared to have it won — although there was a challenge from his bandmates. Kian was insistent that Nicky was below the line, even going so far as to say he was 'perfect on one side but below on the other,' before Nicky joked that he needed to go to VAR; in this scenario being three lads at the table next to them. Three of the members of Westlife almost came to blows (not really) after they tried their hand at 'Splitting the G.' Pic: Westlife/TikTok The lads gave Nicky the VAR decision, with Shane congratulating him; but their fans were divided if Nicky properly did it. 'Shane [thinking] 'it's easier to let Nicky win, it's fine,'' one person joked, while another was sure he got it — commenting 'he definitely did it!' 'Defo Nicky split the G,' another commented, while another added 'Kian's in denial!' Nicky emerged victorious, but not after a VAR challenge by Kian and Shane. Pic: Westlife/TikTok The lads made a special guest appearance at Ed Sheeran's homecoming on Friday night, where the trio (minus Mark, who had a serious health battle last year) to perform Flying Without Wings — with Ed saying that he would pretend to be in Westlife when he was a kid. 'The reason I wrote Shape of You was that I wanted to go in the studio with one of the men that was behind Flying Without Wings [Steve Mac],' Ed wrote. 'One of my favourite songs of all time.' 'I used to pretend I was in @westlife when I was like 9. But tonight I got to actually be a member, playing with Steve and @beogamusic on stage for the homecoming shows at @ipswichtown. Just pure magic. Thank you for flying over lads, will never forget that moment x.'
Scottish Sun
16-07-2025
- Scottish Sun
Sick killer battered my brother to death with a hammer & set him on fire, but was STILL released from jail to kill again
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A COLD chill ran through Melanie Huxley's veins as she saw the message pop up on her phone - and realised her prophecy had come true. It said: "Brian Whitelock has been arrested for murder." 9 Melanie Huxley with her brothers Nicky (left) and Ryan, before Nicky was murdered by Brian Whitelock in October 2000 Credit: collect 9 Blood soaked Whitelock after he killed again. Melanie warned the Parole Board he would murder someone on his release from prison - she was proved tragically right Credit: WNS 9 Whitelock's neighbour, Wendy Buckney, was killed after taking pity on the murderer and employing him to do odd jobs around her house Credit: WNS The name triggered the most awful memories and immense anger, because Melanie knew another family would have to endure the trauma she and her loved ones had lived through. Melanie, 53, from Swansea, says: 'When I heard he had murdered again, I wasn't surprised at all, just devastated. 'I could not believe that another sister would live the same nightmare as me, thanks to this evil man – and why the Probation Service had not taken our repeated warnings about him more seriously.' Back in October 2000, Whitelock had murdered Melanie's brother Nicky Morgan, who was just 27 years old, in an unprovoked attack at Whitelock's home. It had been a horrific death, with Nicky battered with a hammer and all of his teeth knocked out. Whitelock - who had been drinking and taking diazepam - had then gone to a local garage, returning with a jerry can of petrol which he poured over Nicky and set alight. Glen, Whitelock's own brother, had been upstairs in the house and as the inferno swept through the house, died of smoke inhalation. Melanie says: "We weren't allowed to see Nicky because his body had been so badly burned, he was unrecognisable. Nicky had to be identified by his patriotic tattoos - a Welsh Dragon and a daffodil. Whitelock was arrested soon afterwards, and was convicted of Nicky's murder in July 2001, along with the manslaughter of his own brother Glen. Mum-of-two 'raped & murdered by coercive ex-fiance' at hotel after agreeing to celebrate his 60th birthday He was jailed for life with a minimum term of 18 years, but never took any responsibility for his crimes. Melanie adds: "The loss of Nicky had broken our mother, Gaynor. "She'd already lost two husbands, one to kidney disease, aged just 27. Her second husband had fallen off a roof and been killed when my younger sister, Gemma, was just eight months old. 'Losing Nicky was just too much. 'Mum had brought four children up pretty much on her own – me and Nicky, as well as Ryan, now 49, and Gemma, now 40. "We were such a close family, we just pulled together and got through each day one at a time. "But every birthday, Christmas or celebration, we all felt the pain of Nicky not being with us." 'We warned them' A new nightmare began for the family when double-killer Whitelock was freed on licence in January 2019, after an offender assessment review concluded that the likelihood of him committing another serious offence was low. But in December 2020, his licence was revoked after he assaulted a shop worker and committed criminal damage. Whitelock was sentenced to 12 weeks in prison, to run concurrently with his life sentence. Astonishingly, in less than a year, the Parole Board gave him another chance, releasing him on licence for a second time in October 2021. 9 Nicky Morgan's brutal killing crushed his mum, Gaynor, who had been widowed twice at a young age Credit: WNS 9 Whitelock also killed his own brother, Glen, who died from smoke inhalation when he set Nicky's body on fire inside the house Credit: WNS Mum-of-four and gran-of-seven Melanie says: "I begged the Parole Board not to release him, but they didn't listen to me. 'He had already broken conditions when placed in an open prison, but was caught drinking, not to mention the earlier altercation with a shop security guard. "My last words to the Parole Board were that I 100 per cent guarantee that he'll murder again and that we will be back here. 'Even his own nieces thought he was a danger. But how I wish we had been wrong.' We felt completely helpless. We repeatedly warned the Probation Service, but they did nothing Melanie Huxley Melanie's concerned family were assured that Whitelock had to follow strict conditions, including drug testing, and there were restrictions on where he could travel to. She says: "It wasn't long before we found out that he had been travelling to areas he was banned from and buying drugs. "He was seen roaming around our estate, intoxicated." When her family informed the Probation Service, they were told to call 999 if approached by Whitelock. She tells The Sun: "We felt completely helpless and totally disregarded. We repeatedly warned the Probation Service he was breaking all his conditions of bail, but they did nothing." Haunting words Then, on 23 August 2022, Melanie's worst fears became reality. Whitelock did kill again, butchering a kind and defenceless pensioner, Wendy Buckney, 71, who he'd moved opposite following his release from prison. The retired horse-riding instructor would employ him to do odd jobs in her house in Clydach, Swansea. 9 Whitelock was found outside Wendy's house, covered in blood and wearing only his pants, after the brutal attack Credit: WNS 9 Whitelock has been deemed "low risk" by the Parole Board before his release in January 2019 Credit: WNS When her sister, who knew Whitelock had been in prison but not what for, questioned whether it was sensible, Wendy told her that 'everyone deserves a second chance'. Whitelock, now 57, went on trial at Swansea Crown Court in November 2024 and Melanie's family attended. The details were harrowing, with Whitelock sexually assaulting Wendy and torturing her to death. He used a knife, a table leg and an MDF shelf in his sickening attack, beating and stabbing her. A postmortem examination found Wendy, who suffered from mobility issues in later life, had too many injuries for pathologists to count accurately and was covered in blood from head to toe. Flesh from her body was found on the walls and ceiling after the horror attack, while parts of the shelf were embedded in her shins. A 999 call from another neighbour to the scene reported that Whitelock was just in his pants and 'covered' in blood, adding: 'He said he's killed her.' Whitelock initially admitted he had not just murdered his victim but tortured her with various objects. On his arrest, which was caught on camera, he told police: 'It looks like I f**ing tortured her, I literally have. She was begging me to stop.' But in the days afterwards, he changed his story and said he'd found Wendy injured and gone to help her, claiming to have seen 'shadowy figures' outside her flat. Whitelock represented himself during the trial, admitting manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility, but denying murder. He told jurors he had no memory of the incident and was suffering from a brain injury at the time after he had slipped over while out fishing. The jury also heard that Whitelock may have been taking up to 30 street diazepam tablets and drinking a crate of lager a day, as well as smoking cannabis at the time of the murder. Neighbours had even called the police and ambulance services in the days prior due to his intoxicated state. Melanie says: "We ached for Wendy's family. Watching them go through what we had 24 years earlier." Back behind bars The jury at Swansea Crown Court saw through Whitelock's lies and took just six minutes to find him guilty of murder. After the verdict, they learned that he had killed before - not a fact they had been privy to. Det Chief Insp Matthew Davies, who led the investigation, described Whitelock as a 'monster' and said that the crime scene was one of the worst he had ever seen. Sentencing Whitelock in December 2024, Judge Mr Justice Griffiths called the murder a "frenzy of violence" and that he had known that his drug-taking sent him into rages, yet he had refused prescription alternatives offered. He said: "[Wendy] knew what you were doing to her. Her injuries included injuries to her hands while she tried to defend herself, but of course she was no match for you." "You described her as like a second mother to you. She deserved nothing but gratitude, but you brutally murdered her anyway, and you have never, ever suggested a motive." He also told Whitelock that Wendy, who had 16 devoted nieces and nephews, as well as two stepsons she remained close to after her divorce, had "a heart of gold - a person who would give you her last penny". In a victim impact statement, Wendy's sister Ann wrote: "He has not just taken one life. He has taken ours too." She also revealed that the scale of Wendy's injuries meant they were not able to visit the mortuary to say goodbye, just as Melanie's family had not. Applause broke out in the courtroom when a whole life sentence was handed down – the same as Lucy Letby, Mark Bridger and Wayne Couzens. 9 Melanie believes Wendy would still be alive today if the Parole Board had heeded her warning - and the Probation Service acted on breaches of licence Credit: Collect 9 Melanie and her family at her beloved late brother Nicky's grave on what would have been his 50th birthday Credit: Collect But it's little comfort to Melanie, who says: "Wendy should still be alive. We warned them time and time again, and they didn't listen to us. 'Somebody should be held accountable. If Whitlock had been put back in prison for breaching his conditions, Wendy would be alive. It's truly unforgivable." The Parole Board said its review of the case had been completed and would not be published, but that it took such cases "extremely seriously" and was "committed to learning lessons". The Ministry of Justice, which runs the Probation Service, said a "serious further offence" review was underway, the findings of which will be shared with Wendy's family. A spokesperson added: "This was an appalling crime and our thoughts remain with the family and friends of Wendy Buckney."
The Irish Sun
16-07-2025
- The Irish Sun
Sick killer battered my brother to death with a hammer & set him on fire, but was STILL released from jail to kill again
A COLD chill ran through Melanie Huxley's veins as she saw the message pop up on her phone - and realised her prophecy had come true. It said: "Brian Whitelock has been arrested for murder." 9 Melanie Huxley with her brothers Nicky (left) and Ryan, before Nicky was murdered by Brian Whitelock in October 2000 Credit: collect 9 Blood soaked Whitelock after he killed again. Melanie warned the Parole Board he would murder someone on his release from prison - she was proved tragically right Credit: WNS 9 Whitelock's neighbour, Wendy Buckney, was killed after taking pity on the murderer and employing him to do odd jobs around her house Credit: WNS The name triggered the most awful memories and immense anger, because Melanie knew another family would have to endure the trauma she and her loved ones had lived through. Melanie, 53, from Swansea, says: 'When I heard he had murdered again, I wasn't surprised at all, just devastated. 'I could not believe that another sister would live the same nightmare as me, thanks to this evil man – and why the Probation Service had not taken our repeated warnings about him more seriously.' Back in October 2000, Whitelock had murdered Melanie's brother Nicky Morgan, who was just 27 years old, in an unprovoked attack at Whitelock's home. It had been a horrific death, with Nicky battered with a hammer and all of his teeth knocked out. Whitelock - who had been drinking and taking diazepam - had then gone to a local garage, returning with a jerry can of petrol which he poured over Nicky and set alight. Glen, Whitelock's own brother, had been upstairs in the house and as the inferno swept through the house, died of smoke inhalation. Melanie says: "We weren't allowed to see Nicky because his body had been so badly burned, he was unrecognisable. Nicky had to be identified by his patriotic tattoos - a Welsh Dragon and a daffodil. Whitelock was arrested soon afterwards, and was convicted of Nicky's murder in July 2001, along with the manslaughter of his own brother Glen. Mum-of-two 'raped & murdered by coercive ex-fiance' at hotel after agreeing to celebrate his 60th birthday He was jailed for life with a minimum term of 18 years, but never took any responsibility for his crimes. Melanie adds: "The loss of Nicky had broken our mother, Gaynor. "She'd already lost two husbands, one to kidney disease, aged just 27. Her second husband had fallen off a roof and been killed when my younger sister, Gemma, was just eight months old. 'Losing Nicky was just too much. 'Mum had brought four children up pretty much on her own – me and Nicky, as well as Ryan, now 49, and Gemma, now 40. "We were such a close family, we just pulled together and got through each day one at a time. "But every birthday, Christmas or celebration, we all felt the pain of Nicky not being with us." 'We warned them' A new nightmare began for the family when double-killer Whitelock was freed on licence in January 2019, after an offender assessment review concluded that the likelihood of him committing another serious offence was low. But in December 2020, his licence was revoked after he assaulted a shop worker and committed criminal damage. Whitelock was sentenced to 12 weeks in prison, to run concurrently with his life sentence. Astonishingly, in less than a year, the Parole Board gave him another chance, releasing him on licence for a second time in October 2021. 9 Nicky Morgan's brutal killing crushed his mum, Gaynor, who had been widowed twice at a young age Credit: WNS 9 Whitelock also killed his own brother, Glen, who died from smoke inhalation when he set Nicky's body on fire inside the house Credit: WNS Mum-of-four and gran-of-seven Melanie says: "I begged the Parole Board not to release him, but they didn't listen to me. 'He had already broken conditions when placed in an open prison, but was caught drinking, not to mention the earlier altercation with a shop security guard. "My last words to the Parole Board were that I 100 per cent guarantee that he'll murder again and that we will be back here. 'Even his own nieces thought he was a danger. But how I wish we had been wrong.' We felt completely helpless. We repeatedly warned the Probation Service, but they did nothing Melanie Huxley Melanie's concerned family were assured that Whitelock had to follow strict conditions, including drug testing, and there were restrictions on where he could travel to. She says: "It wasn't long before we found out that he had been travelling to areas he was banned from and buying drugs. "He was seen roaming around our estate, intoxicated." When her family informed the Probation Service, they were told to call 999 if approached by Whitelock. She tells The Sun: "We felt completely helpless and totally disregarded. We repeatedly warned the Probation Service he was breaking all his conditions of bail, but they did nothing." Haunting words Then, on 23 August 2022, Melanie's worst fears became reality. Whitelock did kill again, The retired horse-riding instructor would employ him to do odd jobs in her house in Clydach, Swansea. 9 Whitelock was found outside Wendy's house, covered in blood and wearing only his pants, after the brutal attack Credit: WNS 9 Whitelock has been deemed "low risk" by the Parole Board before his release in January 2019 Credit: WNS When her sister, who knew Whitelock had been in prison but not what for, questioned whether it was sensible, Wendy told her that 'everyone deserves a second chance'. Whitelock, now 57, went on trial at Swansea Crown Court in November 2024 and Melanie's family attended. The details were harrowing, with Whitelock sexually assaulting Wendy and torturing her to death. He used a knife, a table leg and an MDF shelf in his sickening attack, beating and stabbing her. A postmortem examination found Wendy, who suffered from mobility issues in later life, had too many injuries for pathologists to count accurately and was covered in blood from head to toe. Flesh from her body was found on the walls and ceiling after the horror attack, while parts of the shelf were embedded in her shins. A 999 call from another neighbour to the scene reported that Whitelock was just in his pants and 'covered' in blood, adding: 'He said he's killed her.' Whitelock initially admitted he had not just murdered his victim but tortured her with various objects. On his arrest, But in the days afterwards, he changed his story and said he'd found Wendy injured and gone to help her, claiming to have seen 'shadowy figures' outside her flat. Whitelock represented himself during the trial, admitting manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility, but denying murder. He told jurors he had no memory of the incident and was suffering from a brain injury at the time after he had slipped over while out fishing. The jury also heard that Whitelock may have been taking up to 30 street diazepam tablets and drinking a crate of lager a day, as well as smoking cannabis at the time of the murder. Neighbours had even called the police and ambulance services in the days prior due to his intoxicated state. Melanie says: "We ached for Wendy's family. Watching them go through what we had 24 years earlier." Back behind bars The jury at Swansea Crown Court saw through Whitelock's lies and took just six minutes to find him guilty of murder. After the verdict, they learned that he had killed before - not a fact they had been privy to. Det Chief Insp Matthew Davies, who led the investigation, described Whitelock as a 'monster' and said that the crime scene was one of the worst he had ever seen. Sentencing Whitelock in December 2024, Judge Mr Justice Griffiths called the murder a "frenzy of violence" and that he had known that his drug-taking sent him into rages, yet he had refused prescription alternatives offered. He said: "[Wendy] knew what you were doing to her. Her injuries included injuries to her hands while she tried to defend herself, but of course she was no match for you." "You described her as like a second mother to you. She deserved nothing but gratitude, but you brutally murdered her anyway, and you have never, ever suggested a motive." He also told Whitelock that Wendy, who had 16 devoted nieces and nephews, as well as two stepsons she remained close to after her divorce, had "a heart of gold - a person who would give you her last penny". In a victim impact statement, Wendy's sister Ann wrote: "He has not just taken one life. He has taken ours too." She also revealed that the scale of Wendy's injuries meant they were not able to visit the mortuary to say goodbye, just as Melanie's family had not. Applause broke out in the courtroom when a whole life sentence was handed down – the same as 9 Melanie believes Wendy would still be alive today if the Parole Board had heeded her warning - and the Probation Service acted on breaches of licence Credit: Collect 9 Melanie and her family at her beloved late brother Nicky's grave on what would have been his 50th birthday Credit: Collect But it's little comfort to Melanie, who says: "Wendy should still be alive. We warned them time and time again, and they didn't listen to us. 'Somebody should be held accountable. If Whitlock had been put back in prison for breaching his conditions, Wendy would be alive. It's truly unforgivable." The Parole Board said its review of the case had been completed and would not be published, but that it took such cases "extremely seriously" and was "committed to learning lessons". The A spokesperson added: "This was an appalling crime and our thoughts remain with the family and friends of Wendy Buckney."
