Obsessed stalker – who ‘killed’ Chesterfield’s Gracie Spinks – found with a suicide note, inquest hears

Police investigating the circumstances surrounding her death at Blue Lodge Farm in Duckmanton on June 18, 2021 said it appeared Xbite worker Sellars had then taken his own life after he “killed” Gracie, jurors at her inquest heard today.

Chesterfield Coroners’ Court heard how various staff at the Barlborough e-commerce firm had complained about warehouse supervisor Sellars before he started showing an “interest” in Gracie.

Coroner Matthew Kewley told the court how in December 2020 Gracie “made it clear” to Sellars “that she did not want to continue meeting up with him”.

However the court heard Sellars would “continue to try and engage with Gracie and would ask “other staff” for information about her. The coroner said: “It would appear Michael Sellars had become obsessed and could not accept her decision.”

Jurors heard how on January 4, 2021, Gracie saw Sellars car parked outside Blue Lodge Farm when she arrived to see her horse Paddy.

After Gracie reported his stalking to her employers, Sellars told them he thought they were “in a relationship”. He was dismissed from Xbite in February 2021.

The court heard how two police constables spoke with Sellars and Gracie during the same month but ultimately “took no action”.

Mr Kewley described how in May – just five weeks before Gracie’s death – a rucksack containing knives, a hammer and an axe were found in a field nearby to Blue Lodge Farm. Also present was a note reading “don’t lie”.

Two officers were asked to investigate, however both the two officers and a sergeant were “not concerned about the contents”.

However, following Gracie’s death, Marks and Spencer receipts found in the bag linked it with Sellars, as they belonged to a family member who shared the same address with him.

On June 18, 2021, Gracie was found at the stables with “lying on the ground”, having been stabbed, at around 8am. Paramedics battled to save her but she died half an hour later.

Pathologist professor Guy Rutty told the inquest Gracie had “10 stab wounds” caused by a “serrated” knife and the “most significant” wound was a stab wound to her neck, damaging an artery and running into the her chest cavity.

Dr Rutty said left and right hand “defence” injuries were found on Gracie’s hands, which often showed evidence of attempts of self-defence using hands or while trying to “grab” a weapon.

A series of stab wounds were also found on Gracie’s lower legs – a possible sign she had used the “foetal position” in self-defence.

Sellars was found dead at 11am, 150 metres from where Gracie had been found – having taken his own life.

A suicide note was recovered in which Sellars said he “could not deal with all of her lies”.

The inquest – set to continue for four weeks – continues. Jurors will hear evidence from officers who dealt with the investigation into Sellars’ behaviour and officers who investigated the circumstances surrounding her death to decide whether more could have been done.