Woman bludgeoned to death

Police are hunting the killer of a 38-year-old mother of two who was ferociously attacked in the street on a trip to buy cigarettes.

The woman was bludgeoned after leaving her flat in the early hours of the morning.

Detectives fear she may have been targeted by a man who had earlier tried to strangle a prostitute in a nearby street.

The semi-naked body of Corinne Bailey was found in an alley off a street in Croydon at 7.30am on Saturday-A post-mortem found that she had died of injuries to the head and neck from a blunt instrument.

Police said it was too early to say if she had been sexually assaulted.

Detective Chief Inspector Gary Richardson, who is leading the inquiry, said the injuries were the worst he had seen in nine years of murder.of
murder investigations. He added:

"Anyone who is capable of this type of crime has got to be a severe danger to the public.

"Anyone who has information about this or who saw anything in the early hours of Saturday morning should
contact us immediately. The fear must be that this man could strike again."

Police emphasised that Ms Bailey, who was Asian, was not connected to the vice trade.

But they are examining the possibility that the murder is linked to an incident at 2.30am on Saturday when a prostitute was attacked nearby. The woman was strangled, causing her to lose consciousness. When she came round she pursued her assailant, who ran off.

Ms Bailey, an unemployed care worker, was separated from her husband and children.

She was waiting for her boyfriend at her flat and had gone out to buy a drink and cigarettes sometime after 4am. Anyone with information should call 020 8247 8275 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.