Mother who was left for dead after brutal 2001 attack issues fresh plea for answers

A mother who was brutally beaten at her former home and left for dead back in 2001 has issued an appeal for information about the attack.

Clare Carmichael was in hospital for six months after sustaining severe head injuries in Kinton, near Leintwardine, Herefordshire, on the morning of 28 September 2001.

The then 36-year-old, who had dropped off her two young sons at school, suffered what police described at the time as “horrific” injuries after calling at the house she had recently moved out of.

Detectives have said Carmichael noticed that items had been moved around at the rural property, and she was attacked after making a telephone call to a family member to share her concerns.

Police were contacted at around 9.45am because Ms Carmichael did not answer her phone and officers found her unresponsive on the upstairs landing, having suffered significant injuries in a prolonged attack.

In an appeal issued through West Mercia Police on Monday, Ms Carmichael said: “I still live with the impact of the injuries I suffered on that day. The life I wanted to live was taken away from me.”

She continued: “I struggle to walk and can’t use my right arm; this affects most daily tasks I do. The attack took away much of my independence, I have not been able to drive again.

“I struggle with speaking and finding the right words when I’m talking, this frustrates me as I really enjoy talking to people and being social. My life has not been what it should have been.

“I wanted to be involved in every aspect of my children’s upbringing. I loved being an active mum with my two boys, but I wasn’t physically able to do this afterwards.

“So much changed for me on that day, the life I wanted to live was taken away from me.”

Appealing to the public to provide information about the person responsible for the attack, she said: “If I was able to talk to the person who did this, I would just want 10 minutes to ask why?

“Why did you do this to me? I would simply like the answer to that one question.”

She added: “I would also like to say thank you so much to all the people who have been so kind and who have helped me over the last 25 years, particularly all of the staff at the West Midlands Rehabilitation Centre in Birmingham and to my family and friends, especially my mum who has always helped me and looked after me.”

West Mercia Police’s Statutory and Major Crime Review Team are reviewing the original probe, known as Operation Krypton, by focusing on advances in forensic technology and revisiting witnesses. They have also renewed their appeal for anyone with information to come forward.

Detective Sergeant Amy Kitosi-Isanga said: “Twenty-five years have now passed since the attack on Clare but our commitment to securing justice for her remains as strong as ever.

“We know that someone, somewhere, has information about what happened that morning. It may be something that seemed insignificant at the time, or information that a person has been reluctant to share.

“Over the years, circumstances change and loyalties change. We would urge anyone who knows anything about this incident to come forward and speak with us.

“Even the smallest detail could prove crucial.”

The attack was treated as attempted murder and received widespread media coverage at the time, including a reconstruction on the BBC’s Crimewatch programme.

A year after being attacked, Ms Carmichael made a direct appeal to her assailant to give himself up, saying: “I am petite. You could have knocked me over and gone.

“I would ask my attacker to get the courage to pick up the phone and tell the police.”