A man has been brought before the court on allegations of causing the death of a woman in a head-on collision. Anthony Howells, residing in Reids Piece, Purton, appeared at Swindon Magistrates’ Court and was detained in custody for the accusation of murdering Barbara Mullaney, a pet shop owner from Royal Wootton Bassett. The fatal incident occurred on June 30 in a collision on the B4696 near a Wiltshire village.
Tributes in the form of flower arrangements have been left outside the Animal Fayre pet shop in Cricklade High Street, near Cirencester, following the tragic loss of Ms. Mullaney. Wiltshire Police had previously reported that the crash involved an orange Peugeot 107 heading southbound and a black Vauxhall Astra heading northbound.
The Peugeot driver, a woman in her 70s, was pronounced dead at the scene, while a teenage girl passenger in the Vauxhall sustained serious injuries, was hospitalized, and later discharged. Howells faces additional charges of dangerous driving, driving without insurance, failure to stop at the scene of a collision, and failure to provide a specimen for analysis.
The defendant, residing in Reids Piece, Purton, Wiltshire, did not enter any pleas and was held in custody pending further proceedings at Bristol Crown Court. Numerous floral tributes have been laid outside the Animal Fayre pet shop in memory of Ms. Mullaney, with heartfelt messages expressing condolences and prayers for her family and friends. The community of Cricklade has shown tremendous support, with one family member expressing gratitude for the outpouring of love and remembrance for Barbara. The Wiltshire police have initiated a referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) due to prior interactions with the accused.
