In a heartbreaking tale of family tragedy, two sisters who were torn apart as children after their father murdered their mother have been reunited after more than 50 years. Janet Brocklehurst and Theresa Fazzani were just five and seven years old respectively when their mother, Helen Barnes, was brutally killed by their father, Malcolm Barnes, in their Newport home on 27th December 1973.
Following the horrific incident, the sisters were separated – Janet and her two younger siblings were adopted and moved to Somerset, while Theresa was taken in by her father’s family, unaware that he was not her biological parent. For over half a century, the sisters had no idea if each other were even alive, until a Facebook group helped Theresa track down Janet in July 2025.
Recounting the fateful night, Theresa, now 59 and working as a mental health counsellor on the Isle of Wight, remembers being woken up by her father and told to get her sisters, as he was taking them out. “Your mum’s asleep,” he had told her. The family then embarked on a five-day drive to John O’ Groats, where Malcolm Barnes eventually handed himself in to the police.
Janet, now 57 and living in South Wales, vividly remembers the moment the police arrived at their home. “The first we knew anything was wrong was obviously when the police turned up and then took us all to the police station,” she said. “It’s scary because, where would have been next after John O’ Groats?”
Malcolm Barnes was sentenced to life in prison for the murder, but was released after just nine years. He passed away in 2023. The sisters were forced to visit him in prison every month due to a court order, and Theresa was even taken away by her biological father and his wife, never to see her sisters again.
Despite the trauma they endured, the sisters have now been able to reconnect and rebuild their relationship. They have been video calling each other every day since their initial reunion in 2025, and Theresa even came to visit Janet in person for the first time in August of that year.
“Living without Theresa had been living with a deep sorrow and longing,” Janet said. “So as soon as we connected again it was so joyous and a relief that I wasn’t going to do any more life without her.”
The sisters have vowed to make up for lost time, with Janet saying, “Every day I’m plotting like when we’re going to see each other next.” However, they also hope that their story will raise awareness about the ongoing issue of violence against women and girls, and inspire others to seek help and support.
“A woman dies because she wants to no longer be with her husband or partner,” Janet said. “The reason that I speak out is to encourage other women to be brave. More needs to be done to protect women and girls.”
The government has acknowledged the need for action, with a Home Office spokesperson stating that violence against women and girls has been declared a national emergency, and that a new strategy backed by over £1 billion in funding is in place to address the issue.
