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Parents win murderer exclusion zone fight
Tracey Bonnell's parents Marie and Ken West
The parents of a woman murdered by her husband in 1997 say they can enjoy a brighter Christmas after winning their battle to keep the killer excluded from a wide area of the North Wesh
Marie and Ken West from Bolton-le Sands have been granted an extension to the original exclusion zone, to now include Kendal, Preston and Blackpool.
Mr and Mrs West had been campaigning for David Bonnell, who killed their daughter Tracey, to be excluded from a wider area than he was initially given by the Parole Board on his release from prison in June.
Bonnell beat his 23-year-old wife to death at their Skerton home.
In a cruel twist of fate, Mr West, a paramedic, was one of the first on the scene of the murder. He was concerned that his job might bring him into future contact with Bonnell.
The Wests met with Justice Minister Jeremy Wright in London, accompanied by Morecambe MP David Morris, and were given the good news a few days later.
Mr West said: “We are very happy. I work in places like Preston and Kendal so it’s good that we don’t have to worry about seeing him when I go there now.
“My concern was that I didn’t know what I would do if I saw him.
“We have been stumbling along fighting our corner since Tracey died and it’s good to finally get some support.
“It was a great result and we can’t thank Jeremy Wright and David Morris enough for everything they have done.”
Tracey’s daughter Amy, 20, recently gave birth to a daughter, Poppy Marie, and the Wests are now looking forward to a happy family Christmas.
“It is a weight off our minds and this has made it a much brighter Christmas for us,” Mr West said.
“We will have a big family get-together.
“Now we have got closure, we get on with our lives.”
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Weather for Lancaster
Sunday 26 May 2013
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