Huddersfield woman vows to fight Julie Kenyon’s murder conviction

May 15 2010 Huddersfield Daily Examiner

Mum vows to fight sister’s murder conviction

A HUDDERSFIELD grandmother has vowed to battle on to clear her sister’s name – even after a court ruling.

Shirley Green made the promise after a High Court appeal by Julie Kenyon was rejected.

Kenyon, now 53, was jailed in 2003 for murdering her grandmother, Irene Waters, seven years earlier at a flat they shared in Halifax.

Kenyon’s appeal against her conviction was turned down by the Court of Appeal, in London, earlier this week.

In a secret tape recording made in 2001, Kenyon confesses to smothering 89-year-old Mrs Waters with a pillow because her grandmother had asked her to help her to die.

But her sister Mrs Green, 46, of Outlane, is certain Kenyon is innocent and was bullied into making a false confession.

An inquest shortly after her death found Mrs Waters, who had a history of bronchitis, arthritis and a peptic ulcer, had died from natural causes.

Mum-of-four Mrs Green said: “I know nothing happened. She died of natural causes. She was very poorly.”

Mrs Green said Kenyon had suffered a tough life and had been abused and fallen into alcohol and drugs and had tried to take her own life several times.

She said: “Without my nana Julie had no-one. Nana loved and respected her and Julie respected her.

“She didn’t know she was being taped. She said she knew she was being taped to save face.”

Mother-of-two Kenyon, currently at Styal Prison, Cheshire, could be released in five years – but only if she admits murdering her grandmother and apologises.