A man has been brought before the court on charges of causing the death of a woman in a head-on collision. Anthony Howells from Purton, Wiltshire, was held in custody following his appearance at Swindon Magistrates’ Court for the alleged murder of Barbara Mullaney, a pet shop owner from Royal Wootton Bassett. The fatal incident occurred on June 30 on the B4696 near a Wiltshire village.
Tributes in the form of floral arrangements have been left outside the Animal Fayre pet shop in Cricklade High Street, near Cirencester, in memory of Ms. Mullaney. Wiltshire Police reported that the accident involved an orange Peugeot 107 and a black Vauxhall Astra.
The Peugeot driver, a woman in her 70s, was pronounced dead at the scene, while a teenage girl who was a passenger in the Vauxhall sustained serious injuries but has since been discharged from the hospital. Howells faces additional charges of dangerous driving, driving without insurance, failing to stop at the scene of a collision, and refusing to provide a specimen for analysis.
The defendant did not enter a plea and was remanded in custody. He is scheduled to appear at Bristol Crown Court. Floral tributes continue to be placed outside the pet shop in memory of Ms. Mullaney, with heartfelt messages expressing sorrow and condolences for her family and loved ones. The Wiltshire Police have referred the case to the Independent Office for Police Conduct due to prior interactions with the suspect.