The family of Lucy Hargreaves has spoken out for the first time in over two decades following her brutal murder. The mother-of-three was shot in her Liverpool home in August 2005, and despite multiple arrests, no one has ever been convicted.
The Night of the Murder
On August 3, 2005, Lucy was asleep on her sofa when three intruders broke into her home in Walton. They shot her with a sawn-off shotgun, then doused her duvet in petrol and set the house on fire. Her partner, Gary Campbell, who was sleeping upstairs with their two-year-old daughter, escaped through a second-floor window. He attempted to rescue Lucy but was unable to save her.
The Trial and Acquittal
Tony Downes and Kirk Bradley were tried for Lucy's murder at Liverpool Crown Court in 2007. However, the judge ruled there was insufficient evidence, and they were acquitted halfway through the trial. In total, 21 people have been arrested in connection with the case, but no one has faced conviction.
TV judge Rob Rinder, who was part of the defence team during the trial, has revisited the case in a new documentary series, The Crime I Can't Forget. In the show, he speaks with a relative of Lucy's who wished to remain anonymous.
Family's Pain and Anger
Lucy's relative described the ongoing pain: "She's not coming back and we have to deal with that every day." Recalling the moment they learned of her death, they said: "I got the phone call and obviously you're all fell to pieces. Well, you're just in disbelief and you've got to tell the rest of your family. We're sitting around, and you know, older nan was crying... Pain. I remember pain."
The family attended the trial hoping for justice, but their hopes were dashed. The relative said: "It was painful and traumatic, but we knew we had to be there." However, they were advised not to attend court on the day of the acquittal. While Rob Rinder and the defence team believed justice was served, the Hargreaves family felt "quite angry."
Quest for Justice
The documentary explores whether legal developments could offer new avenues to examine evidence in Lucy's case. Her family wants "people put on trial who contributed to Lucy's death" and urges anyone with information to come forward.
Episode One of Rob Rinder: The Crime I Can't Forget is streaming now on Crime + Investigation, with the second episode airing on June 15.
