A tiny island off the coast of the UK has been rocked by its first suspected murder in nearly a century. Police in Alderney – part of the Bailiwick of Guernsey – have launched an investigation into the death of Hannah Benfield (nee Cox) after her body was found in the sea at the base of cliffs on the western end of Alderney early on Monday (September 28).
Emergency Response and Discovery
Officers say they were contacted after 11pm on Sunday (September 27) and emergency services, including an RNLI lifeboat, were sent to the cliffs around Alderney – known as The Guns. At 4.28am on Monday, Channel Islands Air Search reported a sighting of a person in the water. After a joint rescue operation, the woman was confirmed dead.
A 44-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder, the first arrest of its kind since World War II. He was initially receiving treatment in hospital in Alderney and is now being held in police custody. Specialist family liaison officers are now working with Hannah’s family, who agreed to release her identity and her photograph.
Community Impact
Alderney has a population of just 2,167. A spokesperson from Guernsey Police said: ‘Alderney is a small, close-knit community, and the impact of an incident of this nature on a community like that cannot be overstated.’
Alderney vicar, Mother Samantha Martell, told the BBC that Hannah’s death has ‘shaken’ the island. She said: ‘What the community needs to do now is really come together, to look after one another. Something like this, you read about it, and it’s always what happens to other people, but we are now other people. It’s an absolute tragedy… but I think it will make us stronger as a community and draw us all together.’
Police Appeal
A spokesperson for Guernsey Police said: ‘The family has […] asked that people respect their privacy as they take time to come to terms with what has happened. Guernsey Police would again like to express its condolences to the family and to anyone else affected by this incident.’
Guernsey Police are not looking for any other suspects and do not believe there is an ongoing risk to the wider community in Alderney. Detectives are looking to see any dashcam footage from vehicles travelling along Rue De Longis in Alderney, or other parts of the west of the island, from between 7.30pm and 11pm on Sunday 27 September. Police are requesting any relevant information to be reported to them on 01481 222222.
