Tears as wife makes plea over hit-and-run tragedy

Thursday 20 December 2012

The widow of a man killed in a hit-and-run incident broke down in tears as she made an emotional plea for information on the fatal incident.

ORDEAL: Myra Brown appealed for information into the death of her husband.

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Clare Carswell

Myra Brown started weeping after reading the first few words of her statement during a press conference at Strathclyde Police headquarters in Glasgow yesterday.

Her husband Ian Brown, 48, died after being struck by a car, which then drove off, in Ayrshire in July.

Mrs Brown told the press conference: "It has been nearly five months since Ian was killed." But she struggled to say that final word and, as tears welled in her eyes, she apologised and stepped away from the media spotlight. Police Sergeant Jackie Dunbar read the statement on the family's behalf. It said the family's pain was "as raw now as it was at the time of his death". It went on to describe the father-of-two as "a hard-working man who absolutely adored his family".The statement continued: "Christmas is going to be a very difficult time for us. We are devastated by his death and miss him dearly. We ask anyone with information that could help this inquiry to contact the police urgently. We need answers as to why someone would leave Ian at the roadside."The statement concluded with a plea to the driver of the car involved in the incident to search their conscience, come forward and speak to police.Mr Brown had been out with friends at Girvan bowling club. As he walked home to nearby Dailly along the B734 road, he was hit and fatally injured by a car. His body was found early in the morning of Saturday, July 28. The driver of the vehicle failed to stop at the scene.The decision to release a fresh appeal for information was taken because of a possible new lead.Ms Dunbar, of central road policing in Govan, Glasgow, who is leading the inquiry, said she wanted to trace the driver of a Landrover Discovery.The 4x4 vehicle was stolen during a house break-in three weeks before Mr Brown's death and discovered in a remote location 20 miles from where Mr Brown died.Ms Dunbar said: "The vehicle was stolen in northern Scotland as the result of a house break-in on the night of July 3-4. It has travelled throughout Scotland. It may have changed hands in that time, we don't know, but it is a distinctive vehicle."It was navy blue, almost black, with distinctive alloy wheels and the back end was a cage – it only had two seats in it."Someone knows who was driving that vehicle, they had it for two months. It was then found 20 miles from Mr Brown's body on a forestry track."Someone has made a very good effort to hide that vehicle: they didn't want it to be found."It might be related, it might not, but it is very important that we find out who was driving that car so we can either eliminate them or rule them into the inquiry."Officers praised the public for their positive response to the inquiry in the past and hope new information may come to light as a result of this appeal.Superintendent Jim Baird, of Strathclyde Police, said: "It is very difficult to commit or be involved in an act such as this and not tell anybody."He added: "The public's information will ultimately solve this, that's the bottom line. Without the public's help we won't be able to solve it."We need information as to who has been involved in this, or who people think is involved in this, and we can eliminate them from the inquiry if they are innocent."

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Tears as wife makes plea over hit-and-run tragedy

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