Man found guilty of murdering Suffolk dog walker
Anita Rose was found unconscious in Brantham last July
Last updated 9th Jul 2025
A man's been found guilty of murdering a mum-of-six from Suffolk, who was found unconscious after taking her dog for a walk.
Anita Rose left her house to take her springer spaniel Bruce out at around 5am on 24th July last year.
The 57-year-old was found unconscious with a serious head injury near Rectory Lane in Brantham, at around 6.25am, and died in hospital four days later.
Today at Ipswich Crown Court, 55-year-old Roy Barclay, who doesn't have a fixed address, was found guilty of her murder.
He's due to be sentenced on the 6th August.
What happened?
Anita Rose, a mother of six, had left her house at around 5 am on the 24 July 2024, to take her springer spaniel dog Bruce for a walk, but was found critically injured at approximately 6:25am.
A cyclist found her unconscious lying on a track road near the sewage works and railway line, off Rectory Lane.
By the time she'd been found, Anita's vibrant pink jacket had been taken, and she was wearing only her bra on her top half, as well as leggings and trainers on her lower half, with Bruce’s lead wrapped around her leg.
The cyclist then called an ambulance, which took Rose to Addenbrooke's hospital in Cambridge.
She had sustained serious head and facial injuries.
Despite the best efforts of doctors, Anita died four days later.
It was on Monday, the 21st of October, over four weeks since the murder took place, that officers arrested Barclay and took him to Martlesham Police station.
Barclay was then charged with Anita's murder the following evening.
"We miss her"
Speaking previously, Jessica Cox, one of Ms Rose's daughters, paid tribute to her mum, describing her as a "beautiful, strong, independent woman" who was "funny and she's so kind".
"My mum's got six kids, I've got four brothers and a sister, and she looks after all of us, and she loved to spend time with all of us, with all of her grandchildren," she said.
"My mum has a long-term partner, Richard. They've been together 13 years.
"They adored each other and mum was planning on growing old with him.
"My mum dotes on us all and we miss her."
"She had so much to live for"
She said her mother moved to Brantham around six years ago.
"She just loved the area, literally loved walking and seeing people in the community, and Mum said to me that she feels safe here," said Ms Cox.
"Mum would get up early to walk Bruce in the mornings so that he had a good walk before she went to work.
"Being a springer he needed a lot of exercise."
"She had so much to live for, so much she was looking forward to"
She described Ms Rose's funeral in September as "a difficult day because we shouldn't be having to have a funeral for my mum".
"She's 57 years old and she had so much to live for, so much she was looking forward to," she said.
"She was supposed to be on holiday right now.
"We haven't got our mum and our mum isn't here to look after us any more.
"My mum is going to miss out on birthdays, the birth of my nephew, her grandson, she's going to miss my brother getting married next year."