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Family of West Malling teacher raped and killed in Qatar call on England squad and Gareth Southgate to highlight her case at the World Cup

By: Sean McPolin smcpolin@thekmgroup.co.uk

Published: 11:16, 14 November 2022

Updated: 14:05, 14 November 2022

The family of a Kent teacher raped and murdered in Qatar have written to Gareth Southgate and the England squad ahead of the World Cup urging them to highlight their daughter's case.

The body of West Malling teacher Lauren Patterson was found badly burnt with a knife stuck in her ribcage in a remote part of the desert back in October 2013.

Alison Patterson, right, has urged the England team and Gareth Southgate to highlight the murder of her daughter Lauren Patterson, left, who was raped and killed in Qatar

Now, after calling out David Beckham for his £150million deal to become ambassador for the country, the grieving parents have asked for the men's football team to project her ongoing case into the spotlight.

Mother Alison Patterson, 57, has urged the likes of Harry Kane and Marcus Rashford to spell the first letter of daughter Lauren's name after a goal.

Lauren was just 24-years-old when her life was cut short by murderer Badr Hashim Khamis Abdallah al-Jabr, who had twice been sentenced to death for the crime after being found guilty, but ended up having his sentence reduced to 10 years in jail.

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After years of being "fed lies, maneuvered and given lip service", Lauren's family, who shared a home in Leybourne Chase, West Malling, now want help from the Three Lions.

The Pattersons, who now live in Wales, have posted 27 letters in total - one to every player and the manager - asking them to honour their daughter.

Read more!
England manager Gareth Southgate and his team have been given letters from the family of West Malling teacher Lauren Patterson, who died in Qatar. Picture: Nick Potts/PA

The letters include a photo of Lauren, congratulates the players and explains how the grieving family has been "failed' by the Qatar legal system.

Retired teaching assistant Alison told MailOnline: "I want all the England players to think about Lauren when they run onto the pitch.

"If just one of them made an L-shape after scoring a goal or winning a match it would honour Lauren and mean so much.'

"He can get a job, get married and have a normal life, all things that he took away from my daughter.

"We feel we and Lauren have been denied proper justice - Qatar has never fully acknowledged the seriousness of what happened to my daughter.

Lauren Patterson, from West Malling, was murdered in Qatar in 2013

"There has been no apology, no recognition of the terrible thing that happened to her and the ordeal we are still going through years later.

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"The World Cup is an opportunity for Qatar to show to the rest of the world that its society can be trusted."

The full letter to the England squad says: "My name is Alison Patterson and I am writing this letter to bring to your attention the murder of my daughter Lauren Patterson in Qatar in October 2013.

"Firstly I would like to congratulate you on being chosen to represent England in the World Cup.

"I am hoping that by you reading this letter you will think of my daughter and the many other victims who have been murdered in Qatar.

"Lauren was a 24 year old teacher happily living and working in Qatar when, on a night out with friends she was raped,stabbed multiple times then taken out into the desert where she was burnt beyond recognition. So badly dental records were needed to identify as only 7kgs of Lauren remained.

"Two Qatari nationals were arrested and found guilty.

"Initially the Qatari government appeared to take this very seriously and the death penalty was passed.

"Over the last 8 years the process has continually failed Lauren.

"One of the murderers was released after a couple of years and the second one eventually only got 10 years.

"I have never given up on getting justice for my daughter Lauren.

West Malling teacher Lauren Patterson's mum has been fighting for justice for nearly a decade

"I have travelled to Qatar over 30 times for court hearings all held in Arabic with no translator on most occasions, being forced to stand at the side of the murderers of my daughter.

"This highlights their total insensitivity. Qatar has a beautiful facade but underneath it is far from beautiful with many other foreigners in their country being murdered all of whom have received little or no justice.

"The human rights of workers especially in the construction of the infrastructure for the World Cup has been appalling.

"For these reasons I am asking for any gesture you think would be appropriate to question this nations history on human rights or to hi-light my daughters case and the many others would be greatly appreciated."

Previously, Alison, alongside her partner and Lauren's step-father Kevin Crotty, 60, slammed former England captain David Beckham for being an ambassador to the country.

Alison Patterson, left, has previously called out David Beckham and the Qatar legal system for failing her daughter Lauren

"Seeing David Beckham become a face for the country pushed me personally over the edge," she explained.

"Maybe it's his PR company, but surely someone taking on a role like that, with a country like that, must know about some of the horrid things that happen there.

"Even his friend Elton John has questioned the decision, but it seems like they will ignore it and sweep it under the rug."

England kick-off their World Cup campaign next Monday at 3pm against Iran.

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