Family trio arrested over murders

Two brothers and their sister were arrested yesterday in connection with the double murder of two men who were found dead at a flat.

Their mother – who died in mysterious circumstances last month – was the partner of one of the victims.

It is understood the suspects are Kenny Howson, 25, Lee Howson, 18, and Krystal Howson, 23, who were all arrested in Burnley, Lancashire, early yesterday.

A 30-year-old man from the town was also detained on suspicion of murder, police said, while a fifth suspect, a 22-year-old man from Burnley, was arrested yesterday.

The bodies of James Atkinson and Neil Gilmore were discovered when police were called to Mr Gilmore’s ground-floor flat in Waddington Avenue on Tuesday afternoon.

The mother of the three siblings, Pam Brown, lived with Mr Atkinson in nearby Burnshaw Avenue before her death on September 7. The three suspects are children from a previous marriage.

A separate investigation is under way into the death of 43-year-old Mrs Brown. An inquest into her death was opened and adjourned last month as histology and toxicology tests were ordered.

She died in Blackburn Royal Hospital just three days after the death of her father, Trevor Brown, 68, a lecturer at Burnley College, who had been ill for some time.

Mr Atkinson had moved in with his friend, Mr Gilmore, following an arson attack at his home last month, less than a fortnight after the death of Mrs Brown. One of the possible murder motives that detectives were probing was that the killings were a revenge attack.

Mr Gilmore, known as “Gilly”, was said by neighbours on the sprawling council estate to have had problems with alcohol.

Nursery nurse Debbie Chadburn, who lives opposite Mr Gilmore’s flat, said he had been there “for a good few years”.

She added: “He was the kind of guy who kept himself to himself but was very loud when he had taken a drink, which he did often – every day.

“He was in his 50s and disabled, walking with a stick, and he had no use in his left side.

“He had lots of visitors at the flat. He had friends who came around and looked after him when he was in no fit state to look after himself.”

Mr Gilmore’s next-door neighbour, landscaping student Martin Meeks, 21, said: “I was out at college this afternoon when the bodies were found.

“I really don’t know much about him but I never heard any rows or anything in the past.”

Det Supt Neil Hunter, who is leading the inquiry for the force major investigation team, said: “These were two violent attacks on both males who suffered head injuries.

“Our next step is to confirm the identity of the victims and establish what motive or grudge there would be to kill them. We can say we believe they died recently.”

He added that he was keeping an open mind as to why the men – both believed to be in their 50s – were murdered.

“There was certainly no forced entry. We cannot rule out that they were in there legitimately because they knew the people and the owner of the property and something has occurred and they have fallen out while in there,” said Det Supt Hunter.

A cordon remained in place at the scene while crime scene investigators and forensic scientists carried out their work.

One of the bodies was removed and taken to the mortuary. The other remained inside the property.

Det Supt Hunter said: “I am keen to hear from people who knew Mr Atkinson and may have been in contact with him over the past few days.”