Gemma McCluskie

Gemma Rose Veronica McCluskie (5 February 1983 – 1 March 2012) was an English actress. Her most notable role was in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, in which she played Kerry Skinner between 2000 and 2001.

In March 2012, McCluskie disappeared from her home in East London; a few days later, her dismembered body was discovered in the Regent's Canal. In January 2013, her brother, Tony McCluskie, was found guilty of her murder.

Career
McCluskie made her acting debut as Janis in the CBBC children's television series No Sweat in 1997. Her best-known role however was as Kerry Skinner in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, her character appeared between October 2000 and February 2001. In the show, McCluskie's character was a close friend of Zoe Slater (Michelle Ryan) and the great-niece of the recently killed off Ethel Skinner (Gretchen Franklin), and also the girlfriend of long-serving character Robbie Jackson (Dean Gaffney).

Disappearance and discovery of body
McCluskie went missing from her East London flat, where she lived with her brother Tony, on 1 March 2012. She was seen at home with her brother that afternoon, and a subsequent investigation found that she had entered a kebab shop around 8 pm.

A search party of 100 people was organised by McCluskie's cousins on 5 March, which spread out from the east and south of London, attempting to discover information related to McCluskie's disappearance.

A headless torso was found in the Regents Canal on 6 March. The police announced that the torso had been formally identified as McCluskie. On 10 March, a 35-year-old male (later identified as her brother, Tony McCluskie) was charged with her murder. He appeared at Thames Magistrates' Court on 12 March and a preliminary hearing was set for 26 March at the Old Bailey.

On 10 September, police found a severed head in the same stretch of canal. The Metropolitan Police confirmed the head was McCluskie's two days later.

McCluskie's funeral was held on 30 November at St Monica's Roman Catholic Church, Hoxton Square, East London.

Trial and sentence of brother
The trial began on 14 January 2013 at the Old Bailey. During the trial, it was reported that Tony McCluskie was a heavy cannabis user and that the siblings frequently argued. On 1 March 2012, he allegedly argued with his sister about an overflowing bath. She told him to leave, and he then grabbed her by the wrists and punched her to the floor, but claimed he had no further recollection of his actions. Her death was caused by several blows to the head with a blunt instrument. He spent several hours dismembering her body. CCTV footage showed him carrying a suitcase the next day; the suitcase contained her remains, which he disposed of in the Regents Park Canal. McCluskie initially admitted manslaughter, but denied murder, citing a "loss of control". He was found guilty of her murder on 30 January 2013 and sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum sentence of 20 years.

A 2017 episode of Crimes That Shook Britain covered McCluskie's murder, as did a 2018 episode of Evidence of Evil.