Funeral service for wife and sons bludgeoned by PC husband

The funerals of a mother and her two children bludgeoned to death by her policeman husband are taking place today.

Pc Karl Bluestone, 36, launched a frenzied attack on wife Jill, 31, and their four children at their home in Marling Way, Gravesend, Kent, on August 28. The two eldest children survived.

Today’s funeral service will be held for Mrs Bluestone and brothers Henry, three, and Chandler, 18 months, in their mother’s home town of Middlesbrough.

It will be held at Nunthorpe Methodist Church, at the junction of Connaught Road and Martin Moore Road, at 2pm, when non-family mourners will be able to pay their respects.

A Cleveland Police spokesman said a private ceremony will follow for family members only.

The funeral arrangements for Mr Bluestone, who hanged himself from his garage door after the killings, have not been released.

An inquest into the deaths of Mrs Bluestone and the two children, and a separate inquest for Mr Bluestone, were opened earlier this week in Gravesend, Kent.

During the brief court hearing the deceased were formally identified, before the inquests were adjourned until a later date yet to be set.

No family members attended.

Mrs Bluestone, a senior manager with Basildon District Council in Essex, was found dead in the kitchen at the rear of their house at around 10.30pm on Tuesday August 28 by police.

Little Henry was found at the bottom of the stairs.

Baby Chandler was found in his cot with severe head injuries and died later at Darent Valley Hospital in Dartford.