Woman in her 70s dies in car crash treated as murder
A woman in her 70s died in a car crash that police are treating as murder. Floral tributes have been left at her pet shop.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
A woman in her 70s has died in a car crash that police are treating as murder. The victim has been named as Barbara Mullaney, who ran a pet shop in Cricklade, Wiltshire. Floral tributes have been left outside the shop, which she had owned for more than three decades.
The crash happened near Royal Wootton Bassett last Tuesday. A 43-year-old man, Anthony Howells, appeared at Swindon Magistrates Court charged with murder, dangerous driving, driving with no insurance, failing to stop at a road traffic collision, and failing to provide a sample. He spoke only to confirm his name and address and is due to appear before Crown Court at a later date.
Wiltshire Police has referred itself to the Office for Police Conduct because of previous involvement with the suspect. Officers are asking anyone with dashcam footage or information to come forward.
Barbara Mullaney's partner, Patrick, described her as a very special woman and a pillar of the community. He said they had been together for more than 46 years and that he had received over a thousand messages from people touched by her story. He added: "She was the sort of person who would just enjoy helping people and I didn't realise until she died just how much she'd affected people."
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | BBC One | ITV |
|---|---|---|
| A woman in her 70s, Barbara Mullaney, died in a car crash that police are treating as murder, and floral tributes were left at her pet shop. | ||
| Floral tributes have been placed at the pet shop owned by the victim, Barbara Mullaney, and her partner described her as a pillar of the community. | ||
| Wiltshire Police has referred itself to the Office for Police Conduct due to previous involvement with the suspect. | · |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
The BBC report was very brief, focusing on the police statement that the crash is being treated as murder and the floral tributes at the pet shop. It did not include any details about the suspect, the court appearance, or the victim's family. The tone was straightforward and factual, with no additional context or human interest.
- “Wiltshire police say that a car crash that led to the death of a woman in her 70s is being treated as murder”
- “floral tributes have covered the front of the pet shop owned by Barbara Mullaney after she died in the collision on the beach”
ITV1 provided extensive coverage, including emotional tributes from the victim's partner, details of the court appearance, and the police referral to the IOPC. The report emphasised the victim's role in the community and the outpouring of grief. It also included a live reporter at the scene, adding a human-interest angle and a call for dashcam footage.
- “The partner of a pet shop owner in Cricklade killed in a crash in Wiltshire last week has described her as very special and a pillar of her community.”
- “Today, a man appeared in court charged with her murder following the crash near Royal Wootton Bassett last Tuesday.”
- “Wiltshire Police has now referred itself to the Office for Police Conduct due to previous involvement with the suspect.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.