Newbury: parish shares grief after tragic family deaths

There was an outpouring of grief in Berkshire last Thursday when a parish gathered at a Mass for three members of a family who died in a shooting incident earlier in the week. One of the lead musicians in the parish folk group, William Pemberton, 17, his mother Julia, and his father Alan, lost their lives in the tragedy last Tuesday. Mass at the Church of St Francis de Sales, in Wash Common, Newbury, was concelebrated by parish priest Fr Paul Townsend, Fr Godric Timny OSB, Mgr John Nelson, and Fr Oliver Holt OSB from Douai Abbey. A spokesman said the church was so full, many friends of the family stood outside in the rain during the Mass. Afterwards the church remained open until late at night for a candle lit vigil. Berkshire police have confirmed that William and his mother were killed by Alan Pemberton, who then shot himself. In a statement issued by the Diocese of Portsmouth, the Pemberton's surviving daughter, Laura, 19, who was away at university in Cambridge when the tragedy occurred said: " We were a loving family and words cannot express how I feel or how much I miss them." She explained that her parent's marriage had been in difficulty for a number of years. "From the explanation provided by the police it appears that my brother William was killed whilst trying to protect my mother." Laura thanks the community for their support.