Women have right to be out whenever they like, says mum of Libby Squire

The mother of student Libby Squire has said “we can’t accept our girls being murdered on the streets” following the death of primary school teacher Sabina Nessa.

Lisa Squire told The Sun newspaper that “women have the right to be out whenever they like”, adding: “There are monsters out there.”

Married father-of-two Pawel Relowicz dumped Libby’s body in the River Hull after raping her on a playing field in the early hours of February 1 2019.

The 26-year-old Polish butcher was convicted of raping and murdering the 21-year-old when he chanced upon her after she had been out with friends.

Following the deaths of Ms Nessa and Sarah Everard, the Hull University philosophy student’s mother told The Sun: “Women have the right to be out whenever they like.

“The only way to stop this is to look out for one another – to teach our children, our sons, how to look out for their sisters and girlfriends.

“I can’t believe that now another family is going through the unbelievable pain we are all still living with.

“We can’t accept our girls being murdered on the streets. We can’t accept it, because it is simply unacceptable. Something has to happen, or it will be another month and another girl will be dead.”

Pc Wayne Couzens could spend the rest of his life behind bars for the kidnap, rape and murder of Ms Everard, who he snatched as she walked home alone from a friend’s house in Clapham, south London, on the evening of March 3.

Ms Nessa was killed as she walked through Cator Park in Kidbrooke, south-east London on September 17 while on her way to meet a friend.

Ms Squire, a 51-year-old maternity ward nurse, continued: “The night that Libby was murdered 18 people came across her. The 19th killed her.

“People say they can’t believe these women are being killed in built-up areas. But predators come to built-up areas to prey on them.

“She wasn’t ‘vulnerable’. People say that, but she wasn’t. She had every right to be out and having a drink that night. What made her vulnerable was the fact there are monsters out there.

“I hold baby girls at work and I look at them and I am terrified. I want the streets to be safe for them when they are 21. But I don’t believe they will be.”

Speaking about the deaths of Ms Nessa and Ms Everard, Libby’s mother continued: “It is the same with Sabina and Sarah. Saying they are vulnerable because they are alone on the street is victim blaming. Women have the right to be out on our streets whenever they like.

“Historically women are always the ones at risk. We’re at risk from taxi drivers, at risk to walk alone at night. We have to look after each other.

“It is the worst possible pain. And I would say go with however you feel at the time. Sometimes I wanted to sit down and not speak. Other times I wanted to lie on the floor and scream. You have to go with however you feel.

“They will be going through the ‘I can’t believe this has happened to us’ stage. I’d love to say that goes away, but it doesn’t.”

Ms Squire continued: “I would say try not to think about him [the killer]. I don’t give Libby’s killer any space in my head. I have a continuing bond with Libby, I don’t have room in my mind for him.

“If someone had called 999 the night Libby was killed, if there was some protocol to follow, then she could have been saved. Make the call, don’t spend your life regretting not helping another person.

“He will be about the same age as I am now when he gets out. We are serving the true life sentence.”