Man charged with murder as tributes paid to ‘outstanding’ Cardinal Pole teacher
Katie Locke - Credit: Archant
Tributes have been paid to a 23 year-old Homerton schoolteacher, who was found dead on Christmas Eve at a Georgian mansion house hotel.
GV of Cardinal Pole Catholic School, of 205 Morning Lane. - Credit: Archant
The body of Katie Locke was discovered at the four-star Theobalds Park Hotel in Hertfordshire, a grade II listed Georgian mansion set in 55 acres of parkland.
Miss Locke had joined Cardinal Pole, a Roman Catholic secondary school in Morning Lane, as a history and politics teacher in September.
Carl Langdell, 26, a trainee lawyer of Roundmoor Drive, Waltham Cross, was charged with her murder on Christmas Day and has been remanded in custody.
Headteacher at Cardinal Pole, Jane Heffernan, said: “Katie was an exceptional young teacher of history and politics; an outstanding practitioner and caring form teacher.
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“As a school community we are shocked at the news of her death and will greatly miss a highly respected and much loved member of staff. “Katie, her family and friends remain in our thoughts and prayers at this difficult time. May she rest in peace.”
In a statement released by police, Miss Locke’s parents John and Jennifer Locke, said their future “has been stolen”.
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“As a family we are distraught, in shock and totally devastated,” they said.
“Katie worked hard and loved her job as a teacher. In what little spare time she had she enjoyed sports. There was not a bad bone in Katie’s body.”
Mr Langdell, a BPP Law School student who founded Langdell Legal Associates in August according to his CV, is due to appear at St Albans Crown Court on Friday January 8.
