New hope for family of Nottinghamshire woman found dead in mysterious Italian tragedy

claire-martin-Nottinghamshire
Claire Martin with her son Alex. (Picture: Martin family)

The parents of a young Nottinghamshire mum who was stabbed to death in Italy have new hope in their fight to re-open the case.

Claire Martin, 30, was found with multiple knife wounds to her neck in March 2012, outside the family home of her Italian fiance, 50 miles outside Naples.

Italian police investigated but officials later ruled Claire’s wounds were self-inflicted and officially recorded it as likely to be a suicide.

But Claire’s family, from Sutton-in-Ashfield, has always believed someone else was involved and some experts have been quoted as saying they also think the death should be treated as murder and re-examined.

One witness initially said they saw Claire staggering while fatally injured and heard her say “a man” just before she died.

Her parents Pat and Ray Martin are now planning to return in April to the town of Grottaminarda, in the province of Avellino, where Claire died.

They are due to meet a judge to ask for the case to be re-opened, four years after it was closed – time the family say has been filled with uncertainty and frustration.

Mr and Mrs Martin, of Sutton-in-Ashfield, have been told by their Italian lawyer that new evidence is needed to re-open the case and the couple have been in contact with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office as they attempt to build support from the UK Government ahead of the trip.

They already have support from Gloria De Piero, Labour MP for Ashfield, who has raised their cases in the House of Commons and is due to meet with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Google Map: The small town of Grottaminarda is north east of Naples

Speaking to Notts TV News, Mrs Martin said: “We felt we shouldn’t go out to Italy without first speaking to Alan Duncan [Minister for Foreign Affairs], and having our story raised in Parliament by our MP has been helpful and important.

“We want to have support from our side when we go out there and have asked for a meeting in January with the Foreign Office.

“Our lives revolve around sorting these meetings out but everything keeps being pushed back or ends up being a dead end.”

Speaking in Parliament last week Ms De Piero asked the Government to help, saying: “I cannot stop raising this matter until the Martin family from my constituency get the support that they deserve.

“Their daughter, Claire Martin, died in Italy four and half years ago following multiple stab wounds to her throat.

“Her last words were “a man”.”

In response Alan Duncan said he would arrange to speak to Ms De Piero about the case before the Martins travel to Italy.

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Ray and Patricia Martin

Mr Martin has had operations for knee and hip replacements and most recently spent two weeks in hospital for blood clots in the lungs.

Mrs Martin added: “It’s taking the toll on us, sometimes we think ‘shall we just let it all go?’ but we need justice for Claire.

“Our hope is to have the meeting in Italy with full support from our Government but I won’t believe that is happening till I am sitting on the plane.”

Claire was living in Italy after meeting her Italian fiance Diego Mascolo 13 years previously.

The couple had a son, Alex, who was cared for by his father following Claire’s death.

 

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