Service remembers murder victims

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Families from across the country, who have lost a loved one through murder or manslaughter, came together to unite in their grief at a service on Tyneside.

The special service was held in Gateshead and organised by the North of England Victims Association (Neva).

Relatives brought framed pictures of loved ones to the annual service, at Gateshead's St Joseph's Church.

Among those in attendance was Ann Ming, who successfully campaigned for a change to the double jeopardy law.

Mrs Ming's 22-year-old daughter Julie Hogg, from Teesside was killed in 1989, by a man who was acquitted of her murder. He subsequently admitted the crime and she campaigned so he could be tried again.

Beautiful service

The association was set-up by David Hines, from South Tyneside, whose daughter Marie was murdered by her partner in 1992.

Also at the service was Margaret Smith, whose teenage son Mark was stabbed to death in Newcastle last year.

Mr Hines said: "Victims often don't have rights to even see solicitors. But we try to help them with problems in those first years."

Mrs Smith said: "I still get up in the morning expecting Mark to be there, then I realise I'll never see him again.

"It's like being hit with a baseball bat every morning.

"This is the first time I have been to this service and it was beautiful."