Murdered West Sussex Gazette man's tribute

But Rosemary Webb now has a permanent reminder of her son Julian as she looks out towards the sea at her home in Hayling Island.

Julian, who worked in sales for the West Sussex Gazette, was murdered by his wife Dena Thompson who laced his dinner with strong anti-depressants at their home in Yapton, in 1994.

Thompson – dubbed the Black Widow – is serving life for his murder.

To mark two decades since his death, Mrs Webb has donated her son’s treasured boat to the Hayling Coastal Conservation Group who have restored it and filled it with flowers and placed it on the roundabout close to the Inn on the Beach on Hayling Seafront.

It was unveiled on Saturday along with a plaque to Julian and will serve as a memorial to him.

Mrs Webb said: ‘We saw the appeal that they wanted to have something for this roundabout and I thought Julian’s boat would be perfect for it.

‘He used to love it here and this is where he used to take the boat out from.

‘It’s connected to something he loved so it’s a lovely way to remember him.

‘I’m very thankful to the conservation group for their work and to the Inn on the Beach for their help.’

Julian died the day after his 31st birthday.

Thompson was a conwoman who preyed on people she met through lonely hearts ads.

Following Julian’s murder, she married for a third time and was tried for the attempted murder of her third husband.

Although she was cleared, police officers delved further into Julian’s death and she was subsequently found guilty of his murder.

Thompson was jailed for life in 2003.