Husband, 37, charged with battering ‘brilliant’ teacher wife, 32, and hero OAP to death in village bloodbath
A HUSBAND has been charged with murdering his primary school teacher wife and a hero OAP in a Christmas bloodbath.
Amy Appleton, 32, and Sandy Seagrave, 76, were beaten to death a £370,000 semi-detached home in Crawley Down last month.
Daniel Appleton, 37, has today been charged with two counts of murder and will appear at Crawley Magistrates’ Court on Monday.
He had been receiving treatment in hospital after allegedly slashing his own front.
Amy worked as a Year 5 teacher at Copthorne Church of England Junior School, close to where she lived in Crawley Down in West Sussex.
'Good Samaritan' Sandy was beaten to death with her walking stick as she tried to save Amy from being attacked on December 22.
DOUBLE TRAGEDY
A horrified neighbour told the Sun Online at the time: "The elderly woman was walking past and a man killed her with her walking stick.
"She was just walking past at the time and saw what was happening and tried to intervene."
Young children inside the property at the time were escorted out by police with their view of the bodies blocked by officers holding up a towel.
Another villager said: "There was shouting and swearing. He said, 'I'm going to kill you'."
TRIBUTES
Tributes flooded in for both women after the horror - with Amy's family describing her as the most “beautiful, caring daughter, sister and friend”.
They added: “She was such a strong, positive person who always smiled. She was a rock for her family, a rock for her friends and most of all a rock for herself.
"Amy led the life she was destined to fill, following her passions. Her school will be missing an incredible, dedicated teacher, she gave 110 per cent to her pupils. Her light will always shine in our lives but a hole has been left with broken hearts.
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“The whole family would like to send heartfelt thanks for all kind messages and thoughtful tributes. Keep shining our girl, you will forever be in our hearts.”
Sandy's heartbroken family paid tribute to the “one of a kind, eccentric character who was stubbornly independent, feisty, brave and not afraid of anything"/
They added: "She was devoted to children and especially animals, including a wild fox who we are continuing to feed now that she has gone.”
