UK - Claire Knights, 54, diabetic, last seen a.m. Upstreet village, nr Canterbury, Kent, later in Minnis Bay, 23 Aug 2023 *arrest*

[MissMarple33]

What "missing Margate man"?? There's ANOTHER from area??

There was a 20yo, "HL", missing from Birchington on 22nd, found on 24th. Much speculation on this one...

My mistake. There was a 48 year old man missing from the Margate area on the 8th of August. I had confused the two. Sorry about that. Unrelated, obviously.

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

Friends have paid tribute to an ‘outstanding and exceptional artist’ whose death is at the centre of a murder investigation.

[...]

A well-known figure in the Kent art community, Ms Knights has been described as a “bright and intelligent thinker.”

In 1992, the sculptor achieved a first-class honours degree in fine art, and last year graduated with a distinction in her masters from The Margate School.

In the early nineties Ms Knights’ work took her to Japan, Tibet and China, and later she returned to the UK, teaching art for two years at prisons.

Remembering Ms Knights, director of The Margate School, Uwe Derksen, said: “Claire and her partner would often visit the school following a walk with their dogs and would spend time viewing exhibitions and talking to friends.

“Claire was an outstanding, exceptional artist and student, and anyone who had the privilege to see her work would no doubt agree.

“She was what seemed a complicated, loving person and her work reflected that.

“Her sculptural work had elements of humour and wit about it, determination, something that went with her personality.

“When she graduated receiving a distinction, her pieces of the show were overpowering and some went on to be shown elsewhere.”

[...]

Between 1993 and 1995 Ms Knights taught art in two prisons and in 1999 she took some time out after having her child.

Yesterday, Kent Police confirmed a murder investigation has been launched after a post-mortem was completed.

[...]

Tributes to ‘outstanding and exceptional artist’ as murder suspect remains in custody

Claire Knights, whose death is at centre of a murder investigation, has been described as a “bright and intelligent thinker” by friends.

www.kentonline.co.uk

 

[StillDiggin]

Friend of 'murdered' Claire Knights had a 'sixth sense' she was dead

Helen Wilde, who has known Claire Knights (pictured) for 20 years, said she knew something was wrong when the sculptor's partner texted her to ask if she'd seen her on Wednesday.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[Motoman_90]

My own opinion is she was attacked during the attempted theft of her dog just the other night a 45yo man from bury was stabbed to death for he's cockapoodle dog theft/theft in general is rife in the UK and the police are as useful as chocolate teapots may Claire rest in peace

 

[reasonableguess]

May her family find peace and justice. I live in another part of the world, but have a mutual close friend, who shared what a lovely, vibrant person Claire was.

 

[Bostongirl]

I found some websites about Claire, which I actually think were her own… as well as a Pinterest board, which shows inspiration for some of her sculptures. We don’t yet know the circumstances of her death, but we know a bright light has left this world too early.

She has some really interesting pieces, obviously a talented artist & sculptor. Rest in peace Claire.

A gallery on her website (www.claireknights.com)

GALLERY | mysite

www.claireknights.com

https://www.pinterest.com/ceknights777/

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

Now 5 days they have been holding this suspect for. How long does/can it go on for if medical issues are involved that they can hold someone?

I hope I am wrong but wondering if it is a certain person I have in mind...

 

[Tortoise]

Now 5 days they have been holding this suspect for. How long does/can it go on for if medical issues are involved that they can hold someone?

I hope I am wrong but wondering if it is a certain person I have in mind...

It seems to be without restriction of time.

There is another case where a retired police officer was stabbed to death in Jan 2022 and the arrested suspect is still detained under the Mental Health Act. UK - Andy McDiarmid, 64, ex-detective inspector murdered, Heswall, Merseyside 24 Jan 2022 *arrests*

 

[Normal Norm]

Now 5 days they have been holding this suspect for. How long does/can it go on for if medical issues are involved that they can hold someone?

I hope I am wrong but wondering if it is a certain person I have in mind...

I have been wondering the same thing, but I think @Tortoise has provided an answer. I get the impression that Kent Police are not looking for anyone else in connection with the case.

Is it possible in law for the suspect in a case like this to be detained indefinitely (e.g. under the MHA) and for the case not to even come to court, or does the case have to come to court as a matter of course?

 

[chimpface]

I have been wondering the same thing, but I think @Tortoise has provided an answer. I get the impression that Kent Police are not looking for anyone else in connection with the case.

Is it possible in law for the suspect in a case like this to be detained indefinitely (e.g. under the MHA) and for the case not to even come to court, or does the case have to come to court as a matter of course?

If you have a read of this case from here -

UK - Lilia Valutyte, 9, stabbed to death in Boston, Lincolnshire *ARRESTS*

It was so strange of the perp to attack the little girl in broad daylight in the street full of cctv cameras and many witnesses.

www.websleuths.com

This is the kind of thing that can happen if the suspect is unfit to plead.

 

[Normal Norm]

Many thanks for that, @chimpface. It was a truly shocking case, which took nearly a year to come to court.

A Sky News article summarised that "Deividas Skebas was unanimously found to have physically committed the act of killing Lilia Valutyte, despite a court deciding he was unfit to plead or face a conventional trial due to his mental health. ... In a trial of the facts, a defendant cannot be criminally convicted but the jury must be satisfied beyond all reasonable doubt that they physically carried out the act, while not considering intent or state of mind."

​

 

[LaLaLadot]

This is still ongoing. So sad and sorry to have heard of what happened. No news yet of the circumstances of Claire's death or even the location. This is an area that I know well. It's the part of St Nicholas at Wade that was cut through by the Thanet Way motorway. It's rural, but near the motorway. Frequented by regular dog walkers who walk in a rural setting. But it's not a park area or frequented by a lot of out of the area visitors. It does have regular parking up of vehicles for people meeting out of the way. And locals walk past minding their own business. It can be prone to fly tipping. If that makes sense. Shuart Lane is quite secluded and lined by trees and then hedgerows. It opens eventually to more open ground as it nears the railway line with a level crossing to Plum Pudding Island. I don't think it is at all likely that it was a dog knapping from this location. It's more likely the suspect is known to Claire.

Kent Online: "Murder suspect over death of mum Claire Knights in Birchington remains in custody seven days after arrest​

A suspect in a murder investigation remains in custody a week after being arrested following the death of a mum.

Claire Knights was reported missing last week and a body was found in the search near Minnis Bay, Birchington last Friday – the day after a man was detained.
Seven days on from the arrest, a man in his 20s from Margate who is being held on suspicion of murder, is still in custody and police say there is “no update” in the case.

Police are yet to reveal how the 54-year-old died but have said a post-mortem examination led detectives to officially launch a murder investigation on Sunday.
The force has also not released information about whether the victim and the suspect in custody were known to each other.

The man arrested is yet to be charged and police have not said whether the initial "medical assessments" relating to the suspect have been completed.

No further details have been released about where the body was found after officers previously plotted Ms Knights' final movements between St Nicholas-at-Wade and Minnis Bay."

Murder suspect remains in custody after seven days​

 

[LaLaLadot]

My own opinion is she was attacked during the attempted theft of her dog just the other night a 45yo man from bury was stabbed to death for he's cockapoodle dog theft/theft in general is rife in the UK and the police are as useful as chocolate teapots may Claire rest in peace

I really don't think this is the case given the location. So risky to actually attack someone in a rural area in a close knit community for their dog.

 

[Motoman_90]

I really don't think this is the case given the location. So risky to actually attack someone in a rural area in a close knit community for their dog.

After reading your description of the area I agree with you a dog theft/attempted theft does sound unlikely (still a possibility with the age of the suspect) my assumption came from her dog a spanial (highly stolen dog due to price of puppys) was found a while away from where Claire was found

 

[LaLaLadot]

We don't know where Claire was found. The beach isn't necessarily that far. It's the other side of the railway tracks. We don't know how far from where Claire's car was parked she was found or how the dog got to the other side. Was the dog taken by the perp? The beach side isn't really a natural destination to arrive for a dog from the Shuart Lane side. But it is possible. It's easier to steal a dog away from someone from a garden, outside a shop or from a car

 

[Normal Norm]

Kent Police have issued a statement in which they say that "officers investigating the murder of a woman whose body was found between St Nicholas At Wade and Minnis Bay have formally confirmed her identity as Claire Knights".

The statement goes on to say that they are not looking for anyone else in connection with Claire's murder, other than the man in his 20's from Margate who was arrested on suspicion of murder and has since been detained for assessment by medical professionals.

Kent Police Facebook page

 

[StillDiggin]

Found by a member of her family.
Opening her inquest, coroner Catherine Wood said Ms Knights was found face down by her family, between St Nicholas-at-Wade and Minnis Bay.
Ms Wood said the cause of death was "violent or unnatural

Claire Knights: Dog walker's death was violent or unnatural, inquest hears

Police searches were carried out after Claire Knights' dog, Zebulon, was spotted in Minnis Bay.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[pokerowan]

Found by a member of her family.
Opening her inquest, coroner Catherine Wood said Ms Knights was found face down by her family, between St Nicholas-at-Wade and Minnis Bay.
Ms Wood said the cause of death was "violent or unnatural

Claire Knights: Dog walker's death was violent or unnatural, inquest hears

Police searches were carried out after Claire Knights' dog, Zebulon, was spotted in Minnis Bay.

www.bbc.co.uk

Found by her family? I missed that before!

 

[StillDiggin]

Mother was killed by blunt force injury and drowning, inquest hears

Claire Knights, 54, from Upstreet, near Canterbury, was 'murdered' while walking her dog in Kent and was killed by blunt force injury and drowning, an inquest has heard.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[NextSprint]

Mother was killed by blunt force injury and drowning, inquest hears

Claire Knights, 54, from Upstreet, near Canterbury, was 'murdered' while walking her dog in Kent and was killed by blunt force injury and drowning, an inquest has heard.

www.dailymail.co.uk

My goodness this case.

Perhaps because of the proximity, but also because it's a young man on a middle aged woman, it reminds me quite a bit of that police CSO that was murdered between Canterbury and Ramsgate.