Brother and sister sent for trial over killing of transsexual

By Dave Lennard

November 2 2000

A FACTORY worker charged with the murder of transsexual Bryan Hooley was yesterday committed for trial at crown court.

Charles Halfacree, 37, of Upper Bridge Road, Chelmsford, is charged with murdering Mr Hooley some time between February 22 and March 2 this year.

He was remanded in custody by Lowestoft magistrates to appear at crown court on December 1.

There was no application for bail.

Halfacree’s sister and the estranged wife of Mr Hooley, Alison Hooley, also appeared before magistrates.

The 38-year-old mother-of-one, of St Michael’s Drive, Roxwell, near Chelmsford, pleaded not guilty to deliberately misleading detectives with the aim of impeding the prosecution of her brother.

She is also accused of perverting the course of justice.

Hooley was also committed to crown court on December 1 and was granted conditional bail.

The conditions include living at an address given to the court, having no contact with her brother, and keeping away from Chelmsford.

Hooley left the court with her solicitor Tim Ridyard.

The naked body of 28-year-old Mr Hooley was found by a woman walking her dog along the beach at Kessingland, near Lowestoft, on March 2.

The body had been weighed down with a length of chain threaded through with three weights and secured by two padlocks.

A post-mortem examination showed Mr Hooley, who was also known as Christine Chappel after undergoing a sex-change operation six years ago, had died of head injuries.

Australian-born Mr Hooley lived in Lancashire and studied electronic engineering at Salford University before moving to Essex.

He had been working at an electrical store in Chelmsford before his death.

Copyright © Eastern Counties Newspapers Group Ltd 2000