Questions remain over death of ‘gentle giant’ (From Warrington Guardian)
Text us your news! Start your message Warrington News and send any photos or videos to 80360
Memorial match marks one-year anniversary of death of angler Harry Morris
7:30am Thursday 21st June 2012 in News
Harry’s son Jordan
A year ago, the lives of Harry Morris’ family were ripped apart after the popular angler was drowned at Sankey Valley Park during a fishing competition.
Twelve months on Harry’s widow Jacqui, aged 45, and his eight children are still looking for answers after his killer Anthony Ogburn, aged 40, was sent to a mental health hospital.
Friends and family marked the anniversary of ‘gentle giant’ Harry’s death with a memorial fishing match on Saturday and had so many people entering they had to turn several of them away.
The family have been told by victim support that Ogburn, who admitted manslaughter last December, is responding to treatment but they feel justice has not been done.
Widow Jacqui, who would have been celebrating their 14th wedding anniversary in two weeks’ time, said: “It was me who got the sentence.
“He (Ogburn) is getting all that help whereas I have had to struggle all the way through and have to bring up our son, (Jordan, aged 13, who has learning difficulties) who has been robbed of his dad.
“One of the hardest things was walking into the shed and seeing all his fishing tackle laid out just as he had left it.
“I am so grateful I have got such a big, supportive family – without them I would not have got through the first couple of weeks.”
The 57-year-old granddad-of-nine was pushed into the canal by Ogburn and held under the water until he drowned on June 18 last year.
A murder charge was dropped after doctors agreed Ogburn was suffering from a psychotic disorder at the time.
The family understand a panel will now assess whether he can be released every 12 months. The first will be in the next few months.
Jacqui, who described Harry as ‘loving, caring and would bend over backwards to help anybody’, added: “One of these days he’s going to get out and I’m going to be looking over my shoulder and wondering if I walked past him in the street.”
