Every third day, in our #EveryThreeDays campaign, I write about a woman killed by a man. Previously in this campaign, which started on the 2nd of May 2021, I have remembered 105 women, the last being mother of two, Lisa Reynolds.
Today we remember Natasha Bradbury.
Wales Online reported this in November 2019.
After her daughter was murdered, Tracey Bradbury returned to her apartment and cleaned up her blood. Her 27-year-old daughter Natasha had never told her her partner was abusing her, and now she was dead, having suffered catastrophic injuries at his hands. A trial heard how Luke Jones had inflicted injuries to Natasha’s neck, brain, liver, ribs and heart as he beat her to death.
Tracey said: “The first I heard that he was abusive was on the day she died. We still don’t know if he’d been beating her the whole time they were together or not. But she was black and blue after it. He’d (Jones) smashed up the place, and there was blood all over the apartment. I had to clear out the apartment after that and wiped some of the blood from the house.”
Three years on and the grief has taken a toll on the mum-of-four’s mental health. It has also caused financial struggles within the family as Tracey is currently unable to return to work and is caring for Natasha’s young son. Tracey continued: “It has been tough money-wise. We still haven’t paid off her funeral bill, and she hasn’t even got a headstone on her grave.
“It just feels wrong that we are paying our taxes for him (Jones) in prison while we are struggling to get on with our everyday lives and struggling with money.”
Tracey said: “He (Jones) was always very quiet, and we didn’t know him that well, but he’d stayed over at my house, and I thought that he loved her and loved her son. I could never imagine that he could do this to her. She said she would never forget the day she learnt her daughter had been killed by the man who was supposed to love her.
It was February 23, 2016, and Tracey was at work at a care home in Pembrokeshire. But a few hours later and Tracey’s husband Darren phoned and told her to come home immediately. Tracey arrived home to see police vehicles parked outside.
Natasha’s body had been found in her home in Haverfordwest after on-off boyfriend of five years Jones had smashed the house and beaten her to death. “When I walked through the door, the police asked if I was Tracey and I said yes and then they told me that Natasha had been murdered. I didn’t believe it and then straight away I asked who has done this to her? Do I know this person and they said yes I know him and I said it was Luke wasn’t it?”
Jones, then of Hakin, Milford Haven, was found guilty of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment serving a minimum of 17 years.
Swansea Crown Court had heard how Natasha’s murder was motivated by possessiveness and jealousy. “Natasha was the most loveable, funny, bright and bubbly girl,” said Tracey. “She would have given you the last 10 pence she had in her purse. Everyone who met her loved her and she didn’t deserve what happened her.
She was a daughter, a sister and a mum.
“I’m still watching the doors every day, waiting for her to walk through the door. I miss her every day and every day is a struggle. I can’t even explain to you what losing a child is like. I wouldn’t wish it on my enemies. I barely leave the house anymore. It feels like I am the one in prison.”
Natasha Bradbury.
#EveryThreeDays
