The haunting letter of Yorkshire murder victim Clare Wood

Clare Wood had been harassed, sexually assaulted and had death threats before she was brutally murdered by her ex partner George Appleton in February 2009.

Her hidden fear was finally uncovered in a haunting letter she had written but never sent to her murderer.

The letter, found in the back pages of an otherwise empty notebook, was found by her father Michael Brown when he was collecting her belongings.

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Mr Brown, of South Elmsall, West Yorkshire, showed the letter to The Yorkshire Post during an interview with Crime Correspondent Lucy Leeson.

A letter Clare Wood wrote to her ex partner and murderer George Middleton.A letter Clare Wood wrote to her ex partner and murderer George Middleton.
A letter Clare Wood wrote to her ex partner and murderer George Middleton.

The letter, which starts of addressed to 'Dear George', Clare said: "There is no easy way to say this, but I don't want to be with you, too much has happened.

"I am so unhappy, i am at the stage where I don't even like you touching me and that feeling is never going to go

"You still scare me, and I can't be with someone I am frightened of."

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The 36-year-old then pleads for Appleton, who committed suicide after he murdered Clare, to leave her alone.

Murder victim Clare Wood.Murder victim Clare Wood.
Murder victim Clare Wood.

The letter reads: "Don't contact me. That's the way it needs to be. i need to get on with my life. If you have any feeling for me you will let me do this.

"Don't use this as an excuse to go off the rails. Bare in mind you were lucky enough not to go to prison again and I did give you a chance and I had to do this by letter because you just won't listen to me at all. I have told you before how I feel and you have chosen to ignore it hoping it will go away, it hasn't.

"Each day I feel worse.

"I have to consider my daughter, also and after all you've done I can't have you back. It's not fair on her and she knows I would never be happy with you. She can never trust you either.

She finishes the letter by saying: "Take care, I mean it. Clare."