Family still seeks answers 20 years after mum’s Doncaster murder

The daughter of a woman who was murdered in 2005 has said she and her family are still seeking “answers” 20 years after her mum’s killing.

Nora Tait, 69, was bludgeoned to death in her home on Stone Close Avenue in Hexthorpe, Doncaster, on 12 October 2005. Her body was discovered by a close friend the following day, with Mrs Tait’s fish and chip dinner still laying untouched on the dining room table.

On the 20th anniversary of her death, police have said they remain convinced the answers about Mrs Tait’s death lie within the local community.

Her daughter, Jayne Watson, said she hoped a fresh appeal would prompt anyone who knew what happened to contact police: “We want justice for our mum.”

“You don’t expect your parent to be taken in such a horrific way. It was so undeserved and brutal,” Ms Watson said.

“My mum wasn’t in a place she shouldn’t have been. She was in her own home and somewhere she should have been safe.”

The weapon used to attack Mrs Tait has never been found, and the only item taken from the property was a black leather purse, which has also never been found.

Ray Turnbull, who worked on the case at the time as a detective, and who has remained in contact with the family ever since, said: “It was the murder that sticks in your mind.”

“It’s a 69-year-old woman who was murdered in the most brutal way in her own home,” he said.

“She was just a normal lady going about her normal business and then her life was cut short by this violent and horrific attack.”

Mr Turnbull said Mrs Tait’s murder needed solving so her family could “seek some solace from knowing who’s done it and that justice has been served”.

Det Ch Insp Ben Wood, the current senior investigating officer for the case, said West Yorkshire Police remained committed to finding the person responsible for Mrs Tait’s death.

“We still believe that those all-important answers lie in the local community,” he explained.

“We have already pursued 3,000 lines of inquiry and taken 600 witness statements, but we are hopeful there is fresh information out there which could prove to be the missing piece in this 20-year jigsaw.”

Det Ch Insp Wood said Mrs Tait’s family deserved to know what happened to her that night.

He said if someone knew something, however insignificant it might appear, they should contact the police.

“Somebody knows what happened to her, and if you do know something and are continuing to carry it with you, then please tell the police,” he said.

“Do it for Nora, and do it for her family to get them the closure they so desperately need.”

Meanwhile, Ms Watson said she and her family remained hopeful her mum’s murder would be solved one day.

“We are yet to put a gravestone on my mum’s grave because we are waiting for this final closure,” she said.

“To have those answers really would mean the absolute world to me and my family, and it would mean we could finally lay our mum to rest.

“If someone does know something, please just report it to police and give our family the closure we need.

“I think we deserve it, and my mum definitely deserves it.”