Shocking cause of death of Plymouth university lecturer 'murdered' in street

Claire Chick, a Plymouth University lecturer, died aft being recovered with superior injuries connected a thoroughfare with her estranged hubby Paul Butler aboriginal arrested connected suspicion of murder

An inquest has opened into the decease of Claire Chick (Image: University of Plymouth)

A Plymouth University lecturer had been stabbed successful the thorax and abdomen erstwhile she was recovered successful the street, an inquest heard.

Claire Chick, antecedently known arsenic Claire Butler, was discovered with superior injuries connected West Hoe Road, West Hoe, Plymouth and, though she was taken to hospital, she aboriginal died connected January 22.

A manhunt was launched to find the suspect, aboriginal named by constabulary arsenic 53-year-old Paul Butler who was Ms Chick’s estranged husband. He was yet arrested connected suspicion of execution much than 20 miles distant successful Liskeard, Cornwall, and held successful custody.

The coroner for Devon, Plymouth and Torbay, Alison Longhorn, opening the inquest into Ms Chick's death, said she died from 'multiple stab wounds'.

The proceeding successful Exeter was told that Claire was calved successful Stockton-in-Tees successful County Durham successful 1976 and was 48 years aged erstwhile she died aft being rushed to Plymouth's Derriford Hospital. The coroner said her origin of decease was stab wounds to her thorax and abdomen.

Ms Chick was a Plymouth University lecturer(Image: PA)

Following the tragedy, Claire’s household released a tribute to her past period stating: “We are perfectly devastated and breached astatine the nonaccomplishment of our beauteous caring parent Claire Chick. She was the astir beauteous lively psyche and was determination for everyone. Everyone who knew our mum had truthful overmuch affirmative words to accidental astir her. She was the beingness and psyche of immoderate spot wherever she was. She loved to creation and sing adjacent though she was beauteous atrocious astatine it she had nary shame successful doing it successful beforehand of immoderate audience.

“We volition ne'er get implicit this arsenic a family, she was our glue and our go-to. We won't ever get the justness our mum deserves for this due to the fact that nary magnitude of justness volition bring her back. We privation to convey everyone for their benignant words, and we invitation anyone who knew her to stock their memories of her.

Forensic officers astatine the country of the onslaught successful Plymouth(Image: PA)

"We besides would similar to punctual the nationalist she leaves down 5 beauteous grandchildren who each notation to her arsenic "a favourite grandma". We inquire you respect their privacy, and everyone remains respectful to them. She whitethorn beryllium gone but her tone volition ever stay alive. We emotion you mum, and we committedness to marque you proud.”

Claire's employer, University of Plymouth, has described the 48-year-old tutor's "humour and warmth". Paying tribute to the lecturer successful big nursing astatine the institution's School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Plymouth’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Richard Davies said: "We person been shocked and saddened by the decease of a much-loved subordinate of our assemblage community."

He continued: "Having spoken with Claire’s colleagues, I cognize that her publication to Plymouth was important and profoundly felt – she was a respected nurse, lecturer, and idiosyncratic tutor, ensuring students were supported academically and pastorally. As Associate Head of School for International successful our School of Nursing and Midwifery, she was intimately progressive successful processing nursing programmes, students and academics successful Europe, Africa and Asia.

"As a colleague, Claire’s humour and warmth volition beryllium dearly missed by world and enactment staff. Pastoral enactment is successful spot for unit and students who knew Claire and person been affected by this tragic news, and further events are being organised to retrieve her. In the meantime, our thoughts are with Claire’s household and friends astatine this impossibly hard time." The inquest has been adjourned.