Neville Hord, 44, charged with murder of Jodie Willsher, 30, who was working in supermarket in Skipton, North Yorkshire

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

A man has appeared in court charged with murder after a supermarket employee was stabbed to death in an aisle at work.



Neville Hord, 44, appeared at York magistrates court on Saturday, where he was remanded in custody after a hearing lasting three minutes. He will appear again at Leeds crown court on 28 December.

Hord, from Bradford, stood in the dock flanked by two security officers. He spoke only to give his name and confirm his date of birth and address. There were no family members in court.

Jodie Willsher, 30, was attacked at the Aldi branch in Skipton, North Yorkshire, on Thursday. Her husband, Malcolm, has since described the 30-year-old as “lovely and warm”, and always having a smile on her face. “She was amazing, beautiful and a lovely person. She was a doting mother and a loving wife,” he said. The couple have a young daughter.

Willsher was working at the store when she was attacked. She died at the scene despite efforts by medics to save her.

Her cousin Chris Swales posted on social media: “We lost a beautiful, fun-loving and caring person. How can life be so cruel?

“A [selfish] act by one person has left a husband without a wife and a little girl without her mother. You weren’t just my cousin Jodie, you were like the sister I never had and now I’m broken you’ve gone. Be the brightest star in the sky and sleep tight.”

Colin Breslin, Aldi’s regional managing director, said Willsher was a “much loved and popular colleague”, and that they were all deeply shocked and saddened by her murder. A spokesman said the branch would be closed for the foreseeable future.

Flowers and tributes have been left at the store.

