Death of woman in field still a mystery


POLICE launched a full-scale murder en- quiry after the body of a 54-year old Yald- ing woman was found in a field. But, despite an intensive investigation lasting many months and repeated foren- sic examinations, a year after her death, they still do not know how Cheryl Davy died.


Cheryl, who worked in the café at Brook-


side Garden Centre, East Peckham, was found dead in a field known as The Three Sons, near her home in Hampstead Lane, Yalding on April 30 last year. Her blue Renault Clio car was parked outside the locked field gate. Although Cheryl was a regular heavy drinker and was drunk the last time she was seen alive, she had not drunk a suffi- cient amount to cause her death, a Maid- stone inquest heard. Likewise, although traces of prescription


drugs and paracetamol were found in her body, they were within the normal limits and not enough to form a lethal cocktail, according to forensic pathologist Dr Olaf Beidrzycki. Widespread red marks on her thighs,


shins and feet could have been the effects of hypothermia – although there were no small black spots in her stomach, which would have been another classic sign of hypothermia, he said. Hypothermia could also cause seizures – but had this occurred, he would have ex-


pected Cheryl to lose control of her blad- der – which had not occurred either. Mid Kent and Medway coroner Patricia Harding said she had no choice but to record an open verdict, as there was no conclusive evidence as to how Mrs Davy had died. Although therewas no sign of third party involvement, it could not be ruled out. The inquest heard that Mrs Davy had


fallen from a horse about a month earlier, since when she had complained of severe headaches. However, there was no evi- dence to suggest she had suffered any head injuries or brain damage, although there were signs of deep-seated bruising to her back and neck. Mrs Davy’s husband Nick told the in-


quest he last saw his wife when she left for work on the morning of Saturday,April 28. She telephoned him at 10am in a state of distress, concerned about one of her horses. He later learned from her manager at The Mulberry Tree café that she had been sent home from work as she was drunk. He did not report his wife missing as she sometimes stayed out all night when she had been drinking, he told the inquest. She already had two convictions for drink-driving and he was concerned she would lose her licence for life if she was found drunk at the wheel. Mr Davy, an IT resource manager, said


his wife was friends with a woman at the gipsy site where her body was found and she sometimes stayed there. However, the inquest heard that the friend had moved away from the site the previous day – April 27 – but Mrs Davy was probably unaware of this. In the end, it wasMr Davy’s dentist who reported her missing after Mr Davy told her of his concerns during a routine appoint- ment on theMonday. On his way home from the dentist, Mr


Davy saw Cheryl’s car at the field and slowed down, but did not stop.He decided to go home to wait for her and finish his day’s work. Detective Sergeant Adam Marshall told


the inquest Mrs Davy’s body was found fully clothed, face down in the field. Both her shoes were off and found close


by, as was her handbag containing an un- opened bottle of white wine, money, debit card and receipts from local stores. Several more empty wine bottleswere found in the car.


The coroner praised the police for their


very detailed and thorough investigation but said, despite their best efforts and those of the pathologist, it had been impossible to ascertain the cause of death and the exact time of death. She told Mr Davy: “I am sorry we have


not been able to answer all the questions you may have had.”


Room to improve at school


EAST Farleigh Primary School has been told by Ofsted in- spectors it must improve, de- spite being graded “good” at its previous inspection. The small school in Vicarage


Con celebrates


Lane managed to hang onto the grade 2 rating in terms of pupils’ safety and behaviour but dropped to a grade 3 – re- quires improvement – in all other areas. Inspectors said pupils were


her centenary A LIFELONG Maidstone area res- ident who has wonderful memo- ries of local celebrations to mark the end of World War I is cele- brating her 100th birthday. Con Lewis,who lives in ThePri-


ory area of East Farleigh, will be remembered bymany Maidstone residents as a hairdresser at Prunellas, in Bank Street, Maid- stone, until she retired at 65. In her early years she lived at


the familyhome, GibraltarHouse, by theRiverMedway at Sandling. She recalls horse-driven barges carrying their cargoes along the banks. Con is still independent, with


the help of carers, and she enter- tained many members of her family and friends who gathered to celebrate her big birthday at the Good Intent,West Farleigh.


Plan to fell oak tree BECKY Smith has applied to remove a protected oak tree at East Lodge, Lenham Road, Kingswood.Maidstone Council will make the decision.


24 South


not making the progress they should be in reading and maths and more able pupils were not always given chal- lenging work. Teachers were told they did


not always make the best use of time and information to support learning and the monitoring of


A THIRD developer is hoping to build homes inMarden, this time on land north of How- land Road. Rydon Homes has written to Maidstone Council saying it proposes to submit a planning application for up to 60 homes between Howland Road and the railway line, just east of Maidstone Road. The com- pany has asked the council whether the proposed devel- opment requires an environ- mental impact assessment to be carried out. When writing to the council,


Rydon Homes said the land was “well contained” by exist- ing development, notwithin an


teaching was criticised. On the positive side, reading


and maths standards at the end of years 2 and 6 were above av- erage; pupils felt safe, enjoyed school, behaved well and showed respect to each other and to adults; and children were given good opportunities to take responsibility and de- velop socially, morally, cultur- ally and spiritually. The acting head teacher and governing body were praised for their efforts to improve the school and inspectors added: “Staff work together with a clear sense of direction and pur- pose and morale is high.” The school’s last full inspec-


tion, when it was awarded a good grade, took place in 2007.


Third plans for homes in village this


area of high flood risk and not within a conservation area. Earlier


Thatcher statue


turned down ENTREPRENEUR Fergus Wil- son, of Boughton Monchelsea, wants to see a statue erected to the memory of Britain’s first fe- male Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in Maidstone. But councillors have told him


while the idea might be laud- able, there is no cash in the kitty. They were also in agreement


that Maidstone’s policy was to commemorate those who had a connection with the town – the former premier’s only real link was a failed bid to be the town’s Conservative party candidate. Council leader Chris Garland


said public subscriptions wouldhavetopay forsucha memorial, not the public purse. LibDem leader Cllr Fran Wil-


year


Phase2Planning and Develop- ment Ltd submitted an outline planning application to build up to 150 dwellings on land to the east of Goudhurst Road, known as The Parsonage. At about the same time an emergency public meeting was called by Marden Parish Coun- cil to discuss plans by Redrow Homes to build more than 100 homes on the former Marden Apple Packers (MAP) site to the west of Goudhurst Road. Councillors andmembers of


the public opposed Redrow’s plans.


son said: “She was the first woman prime minister this country has seen. There are dif- ferent political views on whether she was a success or not, but she was a towering per- sonality and that should be re- membered. However,


the


correct place is in Westminster or her constituency.” Representing the independ-


ent members, Cllr Fay Gooch said: “Margaret Thatcher made her mark nationally, interna- tionally and worldwide but we would be hard pressed to jus- tify putting up a statue of her.” Prior to the meeting, mem-


bers of the council stood for a minute’s silence in memory of Baroness Thatcher – although several non-Thatcher fans chose to walk out.


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