Husband, 62, denies murdering his 58-year-old wife, who campaigned for disability rights after adopting two disabled children

The husband of a disability rights campaigner, who was found dead in her home, has pleaded not guilty to murdering his wife, a court has heard.

Jackie Hoadley, 58, was found bludgeoned to death at the family home in Eastbourne, East Sussex, in July.

Her husband Ray, 62, was arrested an hour later at the residential care home where their two severely disabled children are cared for.

He pleaded not guilty to her murder at Lewes Crown Court on Friday and is set to go on trial in January.

Ray Hoadley (right, with wife and adopted children Matthew, 15, and Ellie, 8) has pleaded not guilty to the murder of his wife Jackie Hoadley, 58, Lewes Crown Court heard on Friday

Mrs Hoadley is a well-known disability rights campaigner who has raised petitions about the lack of available funding for basic needs.

The couple shared two adopted children, Matthew, 15, and Ellie, 8, who both have complex disabilities.

Hoadley, wearing a black sweatshirt and dark trousers, was read the murder charge and asked how he pleaded on Friday.

'Not guilty,' he said.

The body of his wife was discovered after police were scrambled to her home at around 2pm on Sunday July 5 after a visitor raised the alarm.

She was found lying unconscious inside the property with serious injuries but tragically could not be saved.

Her two disabled children were not injured in the incident and it is unclear if they were home at the time.

Just days before her death, Mrs Hoadley posted on her Facebook page: 'You are strong enough to handle whatever's coming, even if it doesn't feel like it right now.'

Stunned neighbours said they saw police cars and an ambulance at the house after the broad daylight tragedy.

Disability rights campaigner Jackie Hoadley was found bludgeoned to death at the family home in Eastbourne, East Sussex, in July

Mrs Hoadley launched a petition calling for free incontinence pads for disabled children, which has been signed by almost 100,000 people.

Last year, she spoke out saying that her two children were being denied basic human rights.

Writing on the petition page, she said: 'My name is Jackie. I'm a mother of two wonderful children - Mathew is 15 and Ellie is 8.

'The situation we're now in is humiliating for myself and for my children. I'm used to constantly fighting for their rights, but can't believe I'm now having to fight for this too.

'My children didn't ask to be born with disabilities. All I'm asking for is that they are treated with dignity and respect.'

The trial, which is estimated to last 10 days, is provisionally due to go ahead on January 4.

Comments

Inside Paedophile Island: Incredible pictures show Jeffrey Epstein cavorting with scantily clad young women where he provided gourmet food and beauty lotions and spent hours watching topless teens in Girls Gone Wild 'for inspiration'

Jeffrey Epstein spent an hour of his day watching explicit episodes of Girls Gone Wild while working out and cavorting with nubile young women at his private Caribbean island, as seen in these photos exclusively obtained by DailyMail.com. The perverted financier, who committed suicide at age 66 in August 2019, would ride his exercise bike as he watched the X-rated footage -featuring bare-breasted college girls - because it was 'inspiration' for him, a source who spent time on the island told DailyMail.com. Epstein, who reportedly demanded sex three times a day, was transfixed by the graphic videos that showed young women flashing their breasts to the camera in bars and nightclubs. New details of his sinister life have further been exposed in never-before-seen photographs of his private island Little St James, which was dubbed 'pedophile' and 'orgy' island by disgusted locals. Epstein appears in the series of images surrounded by nubile young women, including s...

The HS2 money pit: Ministers are told first stage of high-speed rail line may cost another £800m... six months after a budget increase saw total costs soar by £20.6bn to £43billion

Ministers have been told that Phase One of controversial rail line HS2 could cost £800million more than planned. It comes just six months after a budget increase saw total predicted costs for the first stage of the high-speed line soar by £20.6billion to £43billion. In a written statement to Parliament, HS2 Minister Andrew Stephenson said half of this figure is due to preparation of the route for construction involving 'more significant challenges than anticipated'. This includes the need to remove more asbestos than expected. Another 'significant cost pressure' worth £400 million has also been identified during the development of designs for Euston station. Mr Stephenson warned that further investigation is being carried out which 'could identify further pressure'. Ministers have been told that Phase One of controversial rail line HS2 could cost £800million more than planned. Pictured: HS2 Minister Andrew Stephenson The HS2 route would initially link London and...

Kourtney Kardashian cries

Kourtney Kardashian cries Scott really lets Kourtney know how he feels about her post-baby body on the Mar. 10 episode of ‘Kourtney & Kim Take Miami’ episode and he tells her he wishes she weighed 93 pounds! Kourtney Kardashian bursts into tears when her baby daddy Scott Disick tells her that “this is the biggest he’s ever seen her while not pregnant.” The Mar. 10 episode of Kourtney & Kim Take Miami really shows you Scott’s true colors and it ain’t pretty. Kourtney weighs herself in the bathroom and the scale reads 115 lbs. That’s amazing, especially considering she had just given birth to her second child, a little girl named Penelope! But Scott says that he remembers when he first met Kourtney and wishes she weighed 93 lbs. Wow, what a total jerk. Big sis Kim Kardashian is there to hear all of it and she is disgusted! Then later Kourtney and Scott discuss her weight some more and he tells her that he feels like she isn’t really trying to lose the weight. This causes K...

Newsif Blog

Search This Blog