20/07/96 - The memories of
our Sophie will never die
Daily Record
Little Sophie Hook will never die in the hearts of her
brother and sisters.
The tragic seven-year-old lives on every day - in what
they do and what they say.
"She would choose this colour, mum," says
one.
"These are Sophie's favourite biscuits,"
remembers another.
And again: "Do you think Sophie would like my
shoes, mummy?"
As the monster who killed her, Howard Hughes, began
three life sentences, Sophie's parents spoke movingly
about the beloved daughter so cruelly snatched from
them.
Despite their grief, Chris and Julie Hook told publicly
of a pain that was "quite honestly beyond words".
They revealed they had only coped because they firmly
believed Sophie knew nothing of her terrible suffering.
"It is this belief that keeps us going through
all our darkest moments," said 35-year-old supply
teacher Julie.
"Sophie enriched all our lives. She was bright,
vivacious, full of fun, mischievous, caring and very
loving.
"That is how we remember her.
"Naturally all the children have been affected
by the loss of Sophie - each in their own different
way.
"They are, however, all able to talk freely about
Sophie and continue to include her in whatever they
do."
Pretty, curly-haired Sophie, from Great Budworth, Cheshire,
was raped, strangled and dumped in the sea on July 30
last year.
She'd been sleeping out to celebrate her cousin Luke's
9th birthday when Hughes grabbed her from a tent in
her uncle's garden in Llandudno, North Wales.
The Hooks, with their children Jemma, 10, Joseph, six,
and two-year-old Ellie are already preparing to face
the trauma of the first anniversary of her death.
They will have the support of Julie's sister and her
husband, Danny and Fiona Jones, whose home Sophie was
staying at when she was murdered.
"Our families have always been close and will
continue to be," said Julie. "We don't see
that changing."
She went on: "Anniversaries are painful but so
is every other day.
"And we will no doubt cope like we cope with every
other day ... with difficulty and deep sadness.
"Our `if onlys' will no doubt come flooding back
with force - not that they ever go away.
"If only I hadn't agreed the girls could stay
over.
"If only the tent hadn't been bought.
"If only it had been raining.
"They will go on and on for ever."
The couple spent the four-week trial away on holiday
with their family while details were relayed to them
by Danny.
They decided not to attend because their children were
always their "prime concern" they said.
Advertising manager Chris, 37, said: "Their needs
remain our priority.
"We have been represented in court by various
members of both families and we felt that was sufficient.
"Our children are key to us."
But the couple pointedly refused to talk about Hughes
himself and what they thought of him.
They are adamant however about one thing.
"Life must mean life," said Chris.
"An innocent life has been destroyed. We are left
with a life sentence ourselves now of absolute pain
and sorrow."
The system had failed them, he said, and it should
never be allowed to happen again.
"It's something that we feel very strongly about.
"Several months after it happened, I was told
Howard Hughes was a time- bomb waiting to go off.
"Unfortunately for us, and particularly for Sophie,
she was the trigger of that time-bomb.
"It didn't have to be like that."
Together they were repeatedly asking the questions
"Why Sophie?" and "Why us?", he
said.
"I firmly believe that the Home Secretary's proposals,
going through currently, should be extended."
Chris went on: "I believe that statutory supervision
of convicted paedophiles should be extended.
"For example, by allowing authorities to display
posters of offenders in the community as one possible
step forward.
"That is currently being proposed and done in
the States.
"I don't see any reason why we should not mimic
that situation here," he concluded.
At Sophie's funeral, Chris read out the youngster's
favourite bedtime poem:
"I cannot come to school today ... I think I have
measles and some mumps.
"My mouth is sore, my throat is dry, my tonsils
are as big as rocks ...
"You say today is Saturday?
"Goodbye, I'm going out to play."
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