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Kate Prout's family tell of relief after killer's confession

PUBLISHED November 25, 2011
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Murdered teacher's brother says last four years of not knowing what happened to her have been 'like a prison sentence'

The family of the murdered teacher Kate Prout have expressed relief that they can finally say a proper goodbye, after her husband revealed where he buried her.

Police have recovered remains believed to be those of Kate Prout, who went missing four years ago. Adrian Prout was jailed last year but told police only last week where he had put her body.

Kate's brother, Richard Wakefield, said the family were shocked when police told them Adrian had confessed, but also glad they would be able to give his sister a proper send-off.

"We never had any doubt Adrian killed her, we knew straight away when she was gone that something was wrong. We didn't know how long it would take to bring her back to us, if at all," Wakefield said.

"We were shocked to get the news last week and at first weren't certain it was the truth due to the lies he'd told in the past. Whilst we're still awaiting formal identification, as a family we are pleased to hopefully be able to finally put her to rest. The last four years not knowing, having this over our heads, has been like a prison sentence. When we're finally able to put her to rest we can move on with our lives."

Wakefield's wife, Linda, said: "We have just been full of emotion. We were devastated by her death, we knew we'd never forget her but we thought this day would never come. This is what we've waited for and now we can say a proper goodbye."

Prout continued to protest his innocence after his conviction last year until he failed a lie detector test ? set up by his supporters who believed he had been a victim of a miscarriage of justice.

He confessed first to his fiancee, Debbie Garlick, who has a child by him, and then to police who visited him in prison. On Friday last week he was taken by detectives back to Redhill Farm, at Redmarley in Gloucestershire, and pointed out the spot in woodland where he buried his wife's body.

Asked how they felt towards Garlick, Wakefield said: "She is now in a similar position to us. She had originally been behind Adrian but now she's going to have to face the truth, and something she didn't expect at all."

His wife said: "We're grateful to her for doing the right thing and coming to the police so that we could get to the position we're in today. Not knowing what happened to Kate meant we were always wondering but now we're almost at the end of this ordeal."

The couple said they had been touched by the support they had received from the Redmarley community.

Linda Wakefield said: "It's lovely to hear the support we've had from Redmarley. It's good to know that they're thinking of us and saying prayers but also that they are remembering Kate as she had been a big part of the community, doing the church flowers and that kind of thing. It's nice that she's in their thoughts."

The Wakefields also thanked Gloucestershire constabulary and the Crown Prosecution Service who collected the evidence to convict Prout despite there being no body.

"You see things on the news but until you're involved you have no idea the amount of work that the police put into it," Linda Wakefield.

Richard Wakefield said: "The police started out with so little but they were determined throughout the whole investigation, they were tenacious and stuck with it.

"They've all been first class. It was a good investigation throughout and we now have the good and right result. There's light at the end of the tunnel for the whole family now."

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