Cheshire preacher's wife confesses to murder

Dec 13 2007

Minister David Brash (320)

THE Filipino bride of a Warrington clergyman confessed to ordering his murder out of “hatred and anger” because he had “mistreated” her and her young son, it has been claimed.

Annalyn Batalyer Brash, 22, is said to have admitted hiring two men to kill David Brash, who ran Runcorn Independent Baptist Church, in Cheshire, for 12 years.

Local police chief Jaime Milla, in the Philippines, said Annalyn, who had reported Mr Brash missing on November 29, broke down under interrogation.

Media reports said the couple arrived in the Philippines six weeks ago to open a mission in the island of Mindanao. She reported him missing

Police said the woman led them to a swamp in Barangay Tagapua, in Agusan del Sur, where Mr Brash’s partially burned body was found. Reports state he had been tied up and his body had shown signs of torture.

His wife was charged with murder with two men, her hus- band’s driver Reynante Prado, and 30-year-old Noel Noja. Police are said to be investigating the possibility she was having a relationship with one of the alleged killers.

Senior police Inspector Reynante Ngoho Sibayton, a station commander in Butuan City, told the news website mindanao.com: “In the way the crime was committed and the remains buried, it would have been impossible to locate the missing British national without the wife’s assistance who personally accompanied the cops.”

Mr Brash, 62, a father of two adult sons from his first marriage to Veronica, 61, began visiting the Philippines for preaching visits in 2000. He met Annalyn and they were married in October, 2006. He was reported missing on November 29, less than a month after he moved to the Phillippines to be with his new wife.

Stuart Hart, a school teacher and secretary of Runcorn Inde- pendent Baptist Church, said he had known Mr Brash for about 15 years and had was one of the few friends to have met Annalyn. He described her as a “pleasant young girl”. He said many would be shocked by Mr Brash’s death.

Mr Brash’s British family have so far declined to comment on the tragedy.

His ex-wife Veronica, who lives in GrappenhalI, said the family was trying to cope “with a very difficult situation.”

His eldest son, Ian Brash, who lives in Aylesbury with his wife, Louise, said: “We just want to be left to grieve in peace.”

Speaking at his home in Droylsden, Greater Manchester, David Brash’s youngest son, Andrew, 35, said he did not want to comment.

A spokeswoman for the Foreign Office said: “We are aware of reports about David Brash but we cannot confirm any details.”