Jail for babyfaced Rastrick killers who slit victim's throat

Mar 16 2010 Huddersfield Daily Examiner

Teens admit killing of grandfather John Greer

TWO teenagers have admitted killing grandfather John Greer.

Reece Gledhill, 18, of no fixed abode, admitted murdering Brighouse-born Mr Greer, 60, in September, after changing his plea yesterday.

And Clare Hardy, 19, of Close Lea Way, Rastrick, admitted manslaughter on the grounds of provocation.

Father-of-five Mr Greer, of Arncliffe Crescent, Rastrick, was found dead at his flat on September 5 last year.

He had been strangled and his throat cut.

Gledhill and Hardy, who will be sentenced tomorrow, have been told to expect long jail terms.

Mr Greer, who lived alone on Arncliffe Crescent, had been battling lung cancer.

The dead man worked as a gritter and roadsweeper for Calderdale Council before he became ill.

Mr Greer, known as ‘Brusher’, had also worked on building sites.

It is thought Mr Greer had been married before.

A friend, Neil Richer, speaking at the time of the killing, described Mr Greer as “friendly guy” who “kept himself to himself”.

Mr Richer, 44, said: “I’ve known him for about 10 years. He was poorly with lung cancer. I think he was retired.

“He was friendly guy. I used to pop up and see him. I didn’t think he’d hurt a fly. Since he moved here I got to know him. I’d go down to the pub with him.”

Outlining the case yesterday, Hardy’s counsel Simon Bourne-Arton QC said his client had complained of being sexually assaulted by Mr Greer – a friend of her mother – when she was aged ‘12 or 13’.