An inquest has opened and adjourned into the death of a grandmother killed by convicted double murderer Lawrence Bierton in Worksop. Bierton was allowed out on licence after killing two pensioners in Rotherham - only to kill his elderly neighbour in Nottinghamshire the following year.
Bierton, then 61 and of Rayton Spur, Worksop, pleaded guilty at Nottingham Crown Court on Friday, April 1, to the murder of 72-year-old grandma Pauline Quinn after he killed her in Rayton Spur on Tuesday, November 9, 2021, and he is awaiting sentencing on December 16 this year.
The inquest process formerly started on Wednesday (November 16) with area coroner for Nottinghamshire Laurinda Bower holding a very brief public hearing to record the details surrounding mum-of-three Mrs Quinn's death. Attending over a link to the Council House in Nottingham were members of the pensioner's bereaved family.
READ MORE: Double killer was on licence when he killed his pensioner neighbour in Nottinghamshire
Using Mrs Quinn's full name of Pauline Helen Quinn, Miss Bower told the family the hearing would take 60 seconds to do and required her to put on record certain matters to say the inquest is opening. A audio recording device kept a copy of the details, and is available to interested parties, she explained to the family.
Mrs Quinn was born on January 17, 1949, and sadly died on November 9, 2021, aged 72, at an address in Rayton Spur. She was identified by family members. Her provisional case of death was noted as "head injury".
"I have now opened an inquest touching on her death," added Miss Bower. She adjourned for the completion of the criminal proceedings.
She understood Bierton had pleaded guilty to a homicide offence and stands to be sentenced on December 16. And the coroner expects to review sentencing reports, a serious offending review and review by Nottinghamshire Police, in order to resume the inquest into the death.
She extended her condolences to the family and assured them, "as soon as we know anything, we will let you know".
The background to the killing is shocking in the sense that Bierton was released on May 11, 2020, after serving part of a life sentence for killing pensioners Aileen Dudhill, who was at the time 79, and 72-year-old Elsie Gregory in Herringthorpe Valley Road, Rotherham, on June 25, 1995, Nottinghamshire Live reported.
Bierton, appearing on a link from HMP Manchester at Nottingham Crown Court on April 1 this year, pleaded guilty to Mrs Quinn's murder and theft of her car keys on November 9. Judge Gregory Dickinson QC, then the Recorder of Nottingham, asked a probation officer on the link: "Am I correct to assume he was living at the address either with direction or permission of those responsible for supervising his life licence?"
The probation officer said she understood probation were aware of his address. The judge had said an inquest will look at other wider issues. And he had added: "It seems highly likely or inevitable the sentencing judge will want to know more about it.
He ordered a report to explain how it was the defendant came to be living next door to Mrs Quinn and a report to deal generally with Bierton's performance and compliance with the conditions of his parole licence. That will come from an offender management unit.
In a previous statement, Pauline’s family said: "The whole family is totally in shock. Pauline was so full of joy and we just can't believe what has happened."
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