Murder victim Danny Hastelow exhumed after court ruling

A murder victim who was buried in the wrong grave at a West Midland churchyard was exhumed today and reburied after a court ruling was made.

Danny Hastelow's mother Sue and the Archdeacon of Walsall, the Ven Chris Sims, were the only ones present at the private ceremony at St John's Church, Walsall Wood.

A rare church court hearing decided he must be moved after hearing the plot had been reserved by widow Jean Best, who wanted to be buried next to her late husband.

Vicar Rev Nigel Carter accepted responsibility for the mix-up.

Today Mr Hastelow's sister Claire Peters said the experience had left the family "emotionally spent" after the last two years.

Daniel, aged 26, was stabbed to death in Magaluf, Spain in 2008. His body was only flown back to the UK at the end of last year after a trial in which Richard Roberts from Merseyside was jailed over the killing.

The family thought their pain was over but discovered after his funeral he had been buried in the reserved grave.

Mrs Peters said: "It is a lot to bear.

"My mother desperately wanted Danny to be reburied in a spot close to where he was exhumed from, but the diocese insisted he be placed a distance away.

"She is really upset."