Widow murdered on African holiday

Jul 4 2008 by Neil Mckay, The Journal

A MAN has been arrested in connection with the death of a 64-year-old County Durham grandmother who was brutally murdered while on holiday in Tunisia.

Police arrested the Tunisian man after Pauline Richardson, from Bishop Auckland, was found dead on Tuesday in Port Elkantaoui.

Mrs Richardson, a widow, was a regular visitor to the North African country and had been on holiday with friends.

A spokesman for Durham Police said: “A stunned family were trying to come to terms today with the violent death of a loved one in Tunisia.

“Durham Constabulary are liaising with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and providing support for her family.”

He said he could not say how Mrs Richardson was killed, but described the death as “violent.”

Mrs Richardson’s daughter, Beverley Sains, of Furness Close, Bishop Auckland, yesterday paid tribute to her “lovely, outgoing” mother.

She said: “She was a lovely person, bubbly, friendly, caring to everyone, just so full of life. We are at a complete loss as to why this should have happened.”

Mrs Sains said her mother liked to take her grandchildren Richard, 22, and Natalie, 10, on holiday.

She added: “She loved the warm weather because it helped her arthritis.

“She loved to shop and she loved holidays.

“A couple of years ago she struck up a friendship with two women and, as a group, they began visiting Tunisia. She went to a wedding out there a year or so ago.

“She just loved to travel and wherever she went she made friends.

“She had a lovely, outgoing personality. She just wanted to enjoy life to the full and enjoy her family.

“The news of her death has come as a dreadful shock.”

Mrs Sains said the “first inkling” that something was wrong came on Monday, when one of her mother’s holiday companions rang to say she was missing.

“To be told that she has been killed is so hard to accept. It has left us all totally numb,” Mrs Sains added.

A spokesman for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office said: “We can confirm that the body of a British national was found on July 1 in Tunisia. The next of kin have been informed and we have offered consular assistance.” He said he could not comment on the arrest.