THE SON and neighbour of murdered Springbank great-grandfather Ken Handford have spoken of the community’s relief following the charging of two Ballarat men on Tuesday, after weeks of living in fear.
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Adam Williamson, 38, from Sebastopol and Jonathan Cooper, 28 from Wendouree man were arrested at their homes about 7am and charged early afternoon.
They were each charged with one count or murder and one count of aggravated burglary and appeared in Melbourne Magistrates Court Tuesday afternoon and remanded until January 28 next year.
Mr Handford’s son Peter said he was extremely emotional after the news and spent the morning calling each member of the family.
Peter Handford said he spent most of Tuesday at his father’s friend’s house in Springbank and had been filling the local community in on details of the case.
Mr Handford had told The Courier the Springbank community had been living in fear, with Tuesday’s news coming as a “great relief”.
“They’re obviously shocked. The community of Springbank has changed forever, this crime has affected so many people,” he said.
Ken Handford’s neighbour Paul Maher also said news of the charges was “the greatest news” following weeks of apprehension in the rural community at Springbank.
Ken Handford was found dead in his bedroom by neighbours on September 15 on what would have been his 90th birthday.
“On behalf of the family, we’d like to thank the Creswick, Ballan, Bacchus Marsh and Ballarat police for attending the scene of dad’s murder. A special thanks to the homicide squad for their work over the past six weeks as it was a difficult case to solve,” Peter Handford said.
Also on Tuesday, the police bomb response unit went to a house in Edwards Street, Sebastopol after a “suspect device” was located.
Detective Senior Sergeant Stuart Bailey said the squad dismantled the home-made “improvised explosive device” in the house’s backyard. He said it had no chance of exploding.
Ken Handford’s neighbour Paul Maher said he was “over the moon” to hear charges had been laid following “apprehensive” weeks following the murder.
“Our innocence had been lost and we’ve been apprehensive about everything at the moment, strangers, and that’s never been the case,” Mr Maher said.
“There’s been some very nervy people around the district. A car drives past and you’re looking at it.
“Everybody’s been mindful of who’s around and people have been on the lookout for everything.”
Mr Maher said the community found the death of its well-loved resident “mind-boggling”, with news that murder charges had been laid “the greatest news I’ve ever heard”.
“We’d like to see justice done for his sake and his family’s sake.”
Investigators have released details of a car seen in the area. The 1997 green Subaru station wagon’s registration is 1FH 8KE. Anyone with information is asked to contact police.