30-year-old man charged with murder of Charlotte Wilcock in Blackburn

A murder investigation is underway and a man has been charged after a woman was found dead at a property in the Blackburn area.

Police were called to reports of a serious attack in the Mill Hill area of the town, just before 8am on Saturday 5 March.

A short while later the body of a woman, now identified as Charlotte Wilcock, who was 31, was found at an address on Primrose Terrace.Officers have charged 30-year-old Anthony Stinson, of Queen Victoria Street, Blackburn, with murder. He is due to appear at Blackburn Magistrates' Court.

Three more men – aged 32 and 24 from Blackburn and aged 31 from Clitheroe – were arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender and have since been released under investigation.

Detective Chief Inspector Jill Johnston, from Lancashire Police said: "First and foremost our thoughts are with Charlotte’s family, and we ask that their privacy be respected at this truly distressing and difficult time.

"A call came in to us on Saturday reporting an assault in the Mill Hill area and we found Charlotte’s body inside the address on Primrose Terrace a short time later. A man was arrested on suspicion of murder and an investigation launched to find out exactly what occurred.

"A man has now been charged with causing Charlotte’s death, however our investigation is very much ongoing and we ask anybody who may have information to get in touch."

Lancashire Police say they have referred the matter to the Independent Office of Police Conduct following previous contact between the force and the man who has been charged.

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