Murdered twins naked when bodies discovered

POLICE investigating the brutal murder of twin British sisters said yesterday both bodies had been found naked.

Claire Sanderson, aged 27, was discovered wrapped in plastic bin liners on the floor in the flat in Camblesforth near Selby, North Yorkshire. Forensic evidence showed that her twin sister, Diane, found in the same room, had been sexually interfered with.

Police investigating their murders also said a hammer had been recovered from the flat Claire shared with her boyfriend, Mark Hobson, who is the prime suspect in their murders.

North Yorkshire Deputy Chief Constable Roger Baker told a press briefing in York that the last confirmed sighting of Claire Sanderson had been in the Comus Inn, Camblesforth, where she was seen drinking with her boyfriend.

Detective Superintendent Javad Ali, who is leading the double murder inquiry, also said that in the early hours of Sunday, July 18, Mark Hobson arrived at his mother’s home in Camblesforth and asked her to take him to York District Hospital after telling her what police described as a “spurious story.”

He was dropped off by his mother at the hospital, where he was spotted at 2am on CCTV on foot. Police said they were satisfied that at this stage his mother knew nothing about the deaths of the twins.

Just hours after he was spotted in and around the hospital grounds, James Britton, aged 80, and his wife Joan, aged 82, were found murdered at their detached house in Strensall, just three miles away.

Mr Ali said that, at 9.05am, the couple were visited by neighbours and were seen to be alive and well. Ten minutes later there were a number of sightings close to the Brittons’ home of a man fitting Mark Hobson’s description.

At 11.26am, the bodies of the frail couple were found by horrified neighbours.

The body of Mr Britton was found in the sitting room, while his frail wife was found in the hallway. They were both fully clothed and both had suffered violent deaths.

Mr Britton had died from a stab wound in his back and sustained other injuries consistent with a severe beating. The cause of Mrs Britton’s death is yet to be established, but she had also been severely beaten and stabbed in the back.

Police said a kitchen knife had been recovered from the scene which has been sent for detailed forensic examination.