Gemma McCluskie explained

Gemma McCluskie
Birth Name:Gemma Rose Veronica McCluskie
Birth Date:1983 2, df=yes
Birth Place:London, England
Death Date:[1]
Death Place:Hackney, England
Death Cause:Beating
Body Discovered:6 March 2012
Regent's Canal, Hackney, London
Nationality:British
Occupation:Actress
Years Active:1997–2001
Notable Works:EastEnders
Height:4 ft 11 in[2]
Relatives:Tony McCluskie
Anthony McCluskie
Danny McCluskie

Gemma Rose Veronica McCluskie (5 February 1983 – 1 March 2012) was an English actress. Her most notable role was in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, in which she played Kerry Skinner between 2000 and 2001.

In March 2012, McCluskie disappeared from her home in East London; a few days later, her dismembered body was discovered in the Regent's Canal. In January 2013, her brother, Tony McCluskie, was found guilty of her murder.[3]

Career

McCluskie made her acting debut as Janis in the CBBC children's television series No Sweat in 1997.[4] Her best-known role however was as Kerry Skinner in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, her character appeared between October 2000 and February 2001. In the show, McCluskie's character was a close friend of Zoe Slater (Michelle Ryan) and the great-niece of the recently killed off Ethel Skinner (Gretchen Franklin), and also the girlfriend of long-serving character Robbie Jackson (Dean Gaffney).[5]

Disappearance and discovery of body

McCluskie went missing from her East London flat, where she lived with her brother Tony, on 1 March 2012.[6] She was seen at home with her brother that afternoon, and a subsequent investigation found that she had entered a kebab shop around 8 pm.

A search party of 100 people was organised by McCluskie's cousins on 5 March, which spread out from the east and south of London, attempting to discover information related to McCluskie's disappearance.[7]

A headless torso was found in the Regents Canal on 6 March. The police announced that the torso had been formally identified as McCluskie.[8] On 10 March, a 35-year-old male (later identified as her brother, Tony McCluskie) was charged with her murder.[9] He appeared at Thames Magistrates' Court on 12 March[10] [11] and a preliminary hearing was set for 26 March at the Old Bailey.[12]

On 10 September, police found a severed head in the same stretch of canal.[13] The Metropolitan Police confirmed the head was McCluskie's two days later.[14]

McCluskie's funeral was held on 30 November at St Monica's Roman Catholic Church, Hoxton Square, East London.[15]

Trial and sentence of brother

The trial began on 14 January 2013 at the Old Bailey. During the trial, it was reported that Tony McCluskie was a heavy cannabis user and that the siblings frequently argued. On 1 March 2012, he allegedly argued with his sister about an overflowing bath. She told him to leave, and he then grabbed her by the wrists and punched her to the floor, but claimed he had no further recollection of his actions. Her death was caused by several blows to the head with a blunt instrument. He spent several hours dismembering her body. CCTV footage showed him carrying a suitcase the next day; the suitcase contained her remains, which he disposed of in the Regents Park Canal. McCluskie initially admitted manslaughter, but denied murder, citing a "loss of control". He was found guilty of her murder on 30 January 2013 and sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum sentence of 20 years.[16]

A 2017 episode of Crimes That Shook Britain covered McCluskie's murder,[17] as did a 2018 episode of Evidence of Evil.[18]

Filmography

YearTitleRoleNotes
1997 No Sweat Janis 4 episodes[19]
2000–2001 EastEnders Series regular; 41 episodes[20]

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: Gemma McCluskie: Friend of EastEnders actress says she wanted brother Tony to move out. East London Advertiser . UK. 15 January 2013. 15 January 2013.
  2. News: Rickman. Dina. Gemma McCluskie Missing: Police Divers Search Canal For Body Parts. 9 March 2012. The Huffington Post UK. 8 March 2012.
  3. News: Gemma McCluskie's brother charged with her murder. Jones. Cass. 10 March 2012. The Guardian. 30 June 2017. en-GB. 0261-3077.
  4. News: I killed her, says brother of Eastenders actress found dead in canal. The Scotsman. 8 December 2012.
  5. News: Arrest after torso feared to be EastEnders actress found. BBC News. BBC. 7 March 2012. 7 March 2012. 7 March 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120307183413/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-17290560. dead.
  6. News: Gemma McCluskie 'killed after sink row' . BBC News . 14 January 2013 . 20 June 2018 . 12 November 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201112001605/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-21014793 . live.
  7. News: Nelson. Sara C. Gemma McCluskie Missing: Body Pulled From Regents Canal In Hunt For Former EastEnders Star. 9 March 2012. The Huffington Post UK. 7 March 2012.
  8. News: Canal body is ex-Eastenders actress MuCluskie. BBC News. BBC. 9 March 2012. 9 March 2012. 9 March 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120309171631/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-17319303. dead.
  9. News: EastEnders Actress Murder: Brother Charged . British Sky Broadcasting . Sky News . 11 March 2012 . 10 September 2012 . 6 July 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150706132922/http://news.sky.com/story/2376/eastenders-actress-murder-brother-charged . dead .
  10. http://www.metro.co.uk/news/892848-brother-of-gemma-mccluskie-appears-in-court-charged-with-her-murder Brother of Gemma McCluskie Appears in Court Charged With Her Murder
  11. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-17328033 Brother of Ex-EastEnders McCluskie charged with her murder
  12. News: John. Hall . Brother appears in court over Gemma McCluskie murder . Independent Print Ltd . The Independent . 12 March 2012 . 13 March 2012.
  13. News: John. Hall. Severed head recovered from Regent's Canal where decapitated remains of former EastEnders actress Gemma McCluskie were found. Independent Print Ltd. The Independent. 10 September 2012. 12 September 2012.
  14. News: Margaret. Davis. Police confirm severed head found in Hackney canal belongs to ex-Eastenders actress Gemma McCluskie. Independent Print Ltd. The Independent. 12 September 2012. 12 September 2012.
  15. News: Gemma McCluskie death: Mourners gather for actress's funeral. East London Advertiser. 30 November 2012. 3 April 2018. 3 April 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180403173802/http://www.eastlondonadvertiser.co.uk/news/gemma-mccluskie-death-mourners-gather-for-actress-s-funeral-1-1716738. dead.
  16. News: EastEnders' Gemma McCluskie death: Brother faces murder trial. BBC News. BBC. 28 September 2012. 28 September 2012.
  17. Web site: Crimes That Shook Britain 2017 . RadioTimes.com . 27 October 2022.
  18. Web site: Evidence of Evil 2018 . imdb.com . 29 June 2023.
  19. Web site: Children's BBC: No Sweat . BBC. 15 May 1997 .
  20. Web site: EastEnders' Gemma McCluskie murder: Brother guilty . . 28 January 2013 . 15 January 2024.