The Clitheroe imes Thursday, May 4th, 2006 No. 6,249 news and views from the Centre of the Kingdom


First choice for propei in the Ribblc Valley


Hundreds of homes for sa shock at short jail term by Duncan Smith


“JUSTICE has not been done, not by a long shot.” So said the sister of Whalley man


Peter Ormiston, after the woman who stahhed him to death was sen­ tenced to just four-and-a-half years in jail Margaret Howard this week told


the Clitheroe Advertiser and Times of her family’s “absolute disgust” at the sentence passed by a court on the Isle of Man last Friday. Peter Roy Ormiston moved to


the island from the Ribble Valley around 2001 and made a good life there, with many friends. But a turbulent relationship with bank worker Ann Marie Gosling ended with her stabbing him to death in January 2004. He was just 49.


His family had waited two long


years to see justice done and trav­ elled to the Isle of Man expecting to see Gosling convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison. Instead, medical evidence sub­


mitted at the eleventh hour saw Gosling plead guilty to a lesser charge of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibili­ ty. On Friday she was sentenced to just four-and-a-half years in jail for killing Peter Ormiston - a sentence which could see her released early next year. Mrs Howard, who lives in


Altham, said this week: “We think it’s absolutely disgusting. As a fam­ ily we have lost a son, a brother, a brother-in-law and an uncle, but most importantly Peter’s two sons have lost their dad. We were hoping for at least 20 years, but this sen­


tence means she could be out in January.” Mrs Howard and her husband,


Graham, took Peter’s elderly and frail mother, Margaret Ormiston, of Langho, to the Isle of Man for what they thought would be a miu-- der trial. His father, Roy, died last September with family members convinced that the long wait for justice took a heavy toll on his already failing health. But Mrs Howard told how new


evidence emerged at the last minute, showing that Gosling had been described by her GP as severe­ ly depressed after she visited him twice, once in November 2003 and again just five days before the killing. In light of that evidence, the


prosecutor advised Mr Ormiston’s family that he could not pursue the


murder charge and had no option but to accept the lesser plea. Even then, his family believed her serious mental problems would see her “put away for a very long time” and were shocked at the length of her sentence. “Under Manx law, any sentence


over three years is reduced by a third,” said Mrs Howard. “That cuts her ^ntence to three years, so with the time she has already served she could he out in January. “We went there with our heads


held high and with every confi­ dence in the Isle of Man judiciary system, but justice has not been done, not by a long shot.” Mrs Howard added th a t the


pohee were equally shocked at the sentence and had lodged an appeal against it. She expects to hear the outcome in six to eight weeks.


Killing - a tragedy for all parties


WHEN Isle of Man police were called to a flat in Ramsey on Sunday, January 25th, 2004, they found Peter Roy Ormiston lying in the road


outside, dying from three stab wounds. Crown counsel Mr Stuart N eal told the


island’s Court of General Gaol Delivery that his death was “a tragedy for all parties”. The coiud; was assembled to pass sentence on


his killer, Ann Marie Gosling, who denied mur­ dering 49-year-old Mr Ormiston, but admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responability - a plea accepted by the Crown. Mr Neale described to the court Mr Ormis­


ton’s final hours before the stabbing. He told how Gosling, who routinely drank two bottles of wine a day and had been pre­


scribed medication for depression by her GP the previous November, had signed herself off sick from work on the Thursday before the Sunday attack. She had a series of escalating rows with her


partner, but with Mr Ormiston never raising his • coiilinuod on payc:


Thumbs up from skaters AT last skaters in the Ribble Valley have their own state of the art facility - and they are already queuing


up to use it. The new £ 2 0 0 ,0 0 0 skate park in the Castle


grounds was officially opened on Saturday and instantly declared a massive hit. Built and funded by the Lancaster Foundation, some 400 yoimgsters rolled on to the facihlity at the


weekend. • For story and picture special, tirni to page 28


CANOE CLUB WIEWIBERS TAKE TO THE WATER - PICTURE SPECIAL - PAGE 19


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