Child killer has ‘heart of gold’

As a young mum Dunford was well know in the close knit community of Camber – a church-goer and involved in the local playgroup, described as having “a heart of gold”, someone who was against punishing children.

But others in the community who knew her described her as childlike.

Dunford was born in Hastings, attended Silverdale Primary School and left secondary school at the age of 16.

She worked for a while in a series of care homes in the Hastings area before meeting husband to be Wayne at a computer course at Hastings College.

Shirley Bannister, from Camber Caterpillars playgroup, described Lucy as “A happy girl. She was always well turned out and appropriately dressed for the weather.” She said she had “no cause for concern” over Lucy’s well-being,

Former Camber Vicar Lucy Murdoch said: “I was impressed with the care of the children. They seemed to be a family who did things together.”

She said she had never seen Lesley behave aggressively toward her children and that she seemed “sensible” with them. She did say though that Lesley could be child-like.

Amanda English, a former work colleague of Wayne’s, said: “Lesley has always been kind, caring and considerate. I would never have a problem in leaving my children with her.

“She has a heart of gold and strongly disagrees with punishing children.”

Wayne’s previous boss Helen Gibbons described Dunford as “happy, bubbly, a little childlike,” adding: “If she thinks something she will say it. I have never seen Lesley be aggressive to anyone in any way.”

On the Sunday before Lucy died the family sat down to a roast dinner and raised a glass to Wayne who was due to start his first job the following day after 19 months of being unemployed.

See Friday’s Rye Observer for full story.