Inquest to open into death of Gary Grant found in Lowestoft park

Gary Grant, 54, was found unresponsive in Sparrow's Nest Gardens on 20 March. Amber Stebbings, 28, has been charged with his murder.

Inquest to open into death of Gary Grant found in Lowestoft park

Inquest set for Lowestoft park death as murder charge proceeds

An inquest into the death of Gary Grant, 54, is due to open at Suffolk Coroners' Court in Ipswich on Friday, 10 April, lowestoftjournal.co.uk reports.

Grant was found unresponsive in Sparrow's Nest Gardens, Lowestoft, at 10.13pm on Friday, 20 March. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

A Home Office post-mortem examination was carried out the following day, but the cause of death remains pending further investigation. A court was told there were three or four immediate causes of death, with a full pathologist report still awaited. The inquest will be opened by Darren Stewart, the area coroner for Suffolk.

Amber Stebbings, 28, of Spashett Road, Lowestoft, was arrested at the scene on suspicion of murder. She was subsequently charged and appeared at Great Yarmouth Magistrates' Court on Monday, 23 March, before attending Ipswich Crown Court via video link the following morning.

At the Crown Court hearing, Stebbings confirmed only her name and date of birth. Her solicitors indicated she has mental health issues and asked that diminished responsibility be considered in her defence.

A pre-trial plea hearing has been scheduled for 20 May. A ten-day trial is set to take place within a three-week window beginning 16 November at Ipswich Crown Court. Stebbings has been remanded in custody.

Suffolk Police described the incident as "isolated" and stated that Grant and Stebbings are understood to have known each other.

Online tributes described Grant's death as "heartbreaking", with messages posted under the tag 'RIP Sailor'.

Grant was the father of Ellie Grant, who was found dead in Fen Park, Kirkley — approximately two and a half miles from Sparrow's Nest Gardens — after being reported missing on 13 March 2017. It is believed she took her own life.

Source: Google News UK — Crime (en)