She Was Randomly Attacked and Killed While Walking Her Dog. Now Her Children Say ‘Nothing Will Ever Be the Same’

A British man has been sentenced to life in prison for the brutal murder of a 57-year-old woman during an unprovoked attack last summer.

According to BBC, Sky News, and the Harwich and Manningtree Standard, 56-year-old Roy Barclay was sentenced on Wednesday morning for killing Anita Rose while she was out walking her dog in Brantham, a village in Suffolk, England.

“He has put us through a nightmare which we can’t wake up from,” Rose’s daughter, Jessica Cox, said in a victim impact statement shared by Sky News. “I don’t feel he has shown any remorse. I believe he’s cunning, and I believe he’s enjoyed what he’s done and the trial itself.”

She added, “He hasn’t had to face us. He hasn’t had to face the consequences of what he’s done or what he’s done to us.”

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) previously confirmed that Barclay was found guilty of launching a “brutal” attack on Rose as she walked her dog, Bruce, along a public footpath. Authorities said she was “viciously kicked and stamped” before being left for dead.

Rose was rushed to a local hospital but died four days later from her injuries.

The CPS also revealed that Barclay had been evading police in connection with another assault at the time of the attack. Investigators later found Rose’s personal items — including her jacket, house key, and phone case — at makeshift campsites Barclay had set up in the woods. He reportedly altered his appearance, including shaving his head, to avoid detection.

Police eventually tracked him down using local CCTV footage.

Even after the sentencing, Rose’s family says they continue to live in the shadow of her loss. As BBC reported, Rose’s son Ashley described his mother as “almost unrecognisable” following the attack.

Her other son, Markeece Rose, told the court, “Nothing will ever be the same again,” saying he has felt “broken” since her death.

Barclay reportedly remained expressionless as the family delivered their statements, choosing not to look in their direction.