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Man held over city flat murders | Man held over city flat murders |
(about 1 hour later) | |
A man has been arrested by police investigating the murders of a disabled woman and her carer at a flat in Southampton. | A man has been arrested by police investigating the murders of a disabled woman and her carer at a flat in Southampton. |
A 47-year-old man, who is from Southampton, was held in Swanage, Dorset, on Saturday morning. | A 47-year-old man, who is from Southampton, was held in Swanage, Dorset, on Saturday morning. |
He was being taken to a police station in Hampshire where he was due to be questioned about the murders of Sue Hale, 49, and carer Sarah Merritt, 39. | He was being taken to a police station in Hampshire where he was due to be questioned about the murders of Sue Hale, 49, and carer Sarah Merritt, 39. |
The bodies were found in a flat in Town Hill Park on Thursday. | The bodies were found in a flat in Town Hill Park on Thursday. |
Police revealed Mrs Merritt died from stab wounds. | |
Sarah was a kind and loving person whose loss has devastated our whole family Peter Merritt | |
A post-mortem examination on the body of Ms Hale is due to be carried out later. | |
Police are viewing CCTV footage taken from the block of 10 flats, which were evacuated as the investigation got under way. | |
Officers broke into the ground-floor flat on Thursday at 1720 GMT and found the bodies of the two women. | Officers broke into the ground-floor flat on Thursday at 1720 GMT and found the bodies of the two women. |
It is believed the alarm was raised by the care worker's council employer and her husband, who reported her missing. | |
The block of flats have been cordoned off and evacuated Ms Hale suffered from cerebellar ataxia, a rare degenerative brain disorder which caused her difficulties in walking and led to her using walking sticks and a mobility scooter to get around. | |
Mrs Merritt, who was married with two children, was her care worker who visited twice a week to help bathe Ms Hale. | |
In a statement the family of Ms Hale said: "We remember Sue as a happy, outgoing and bubbly person, who was loved dearly and will be missed greatly. | |
"Despite the challenges that her disability posed, she always faced them with humour and dignity. | |
"We are finding it very difficult to come to terms with her death and cannot understand why this had happened to such a vulnerable, loving person." | |
'Proud carer' | |
Mrs Merritt's husband, Peter, 41, of Oaktree Road, said: "Sarah was a kind and loving person whose loss has devastated our whole family. | |
"She was proud to be a carer and was happy to provide comfort and support for those she cared for. | |
"She was a loving mother to our two children and always strived to do the best for her family. As well as my wife she was my best friend." | |
Mrs Merritt was a care worker employed by agency Carewatch which was contracted by Southampton City Council, according to police. |