Robertsbridge murder: Father killed on his own driveway as he tried to stop thieves

Julian Gardner, 52, was found dead when his business partner arrived for work on Monday morning and may have been there for several hours before he was discovered.

Mr Gardner, who has a two-year-old son, was a popular figure in the community, which has been left shocked by the murder.

Police were called to Bush Barn Farm, on the A21 just north of Robertsbridge, at 8.10am on Monday morning.

His colleague had turned up for work at the vehicle repair shop Mr Gardner operated from his outbuildings. Forensic teams have spent days scouring the area for clues and on Tuesday Detective Chief Inspector Adam Hibbert from the Sussex Police Major Crime Branch said the death of Mr Gardner had become a murder investigation.

He said: “We are treating this as a murder inquiry and believe that this was a burglary that went wrong, with tragic consequences. Julian Gardner possibly disturbed an unknown number of people forcing outbuildings where he ran an agricultural and car repair business. The farm is extensive and a methodical forensic examination will take some days. I anticipate a protracted investigation, which will be intelligence-led.”

The victim lived alone at the farm, although his 90-year-old mother Molly has a house next door. He was a well-known figure in the bonfire society, and his colleagues will wear black ribbons as a mark of respect when they take part in the Hastings procession on Saturday.

Details about the burglary are still scarce but only last week Sussex Police issued a warning about farms being targeted by a gang of car thieves in nearby Staplecross. Officers said it was “too early to say” whether there was any link to the murder and warned against speculation.

DCI Hibbert said: “We are investigating the discovery of a couple of cars - a Landrover and a Jeep - that we found abandoned a few miles from the site yesterday but any possible connection to this incident is still being assessed. Part of our investigation will be to establish what may have been stolen from the premises.”

And he appealed for anyone who may have seen anything suspicious in the area on Sunday night or early Monday morning to get in touch with the police.

“This is a tragic incident and my thoughts are with Julian’s family. We do not know who is responsible. We rely on the public to come forward.”

Anyone with information can call Sussex Police on 0845 6070999 quoting Operation Bradford, or contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.