Robertsbridge murder: Village thrust into media spotlight

ALREADY reeling from the news of Julian Gardner’s murder, Robertsbridge residents have also had to deal with the national media descending on the small village this week.

The lay-by off the A21 near the crime scene was packed with satellite vans while local homes and businesses were inundated with journalists after the dreadful news broke on Monday morning.

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Helicopters flew overhead taking aerial shots of Bush Barn Farm, the BBC, Sky News and ITV had reporters on the scene for days and each development was pored over in detail.

Some residents were fed up with the intrusion, and The Seven Stars pub in the High Street even put up a “No Reporters” sign to deter journalists looking for new details about Mr Gardner.

A woman living near the murder scene said lots of reporters had knocked on her door and the phone had been ringing “non-stop.”

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Cllr Sue Prochak, a friend of the Gardner family, said: “People are beginning to feel pressured and the press have made it worse.

“The community is trying to come to terms with what has happened and all this attention has made people feel more exposed.

“People just aren’t used to having reporters here all the time. I don’t think it helps at all.

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“But this is a very vibrant village with a lot of community activities and that will help people.

“The police have been fantastic as well, both in terms of communication and reassuring people.

“Obviously there are lots of rumours floating about and the local officers are doing what they can to assuage that.”

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Her views were echoed by Chief Inspector Heather Keating, District Commander for Rother.

She said: “The feeling we are getting back from the local community is that they want to be left alone. They are grieving and are very concerned by the national coverage.”

By Wednesday the national media had mostly left the village, but with the complex investigation ongoing it seems likely that the village will spend some more time in the national spotlight over the coming months.