Police name woman whose body was found dumped in bin in Sussex park

The body of 39-year-old Nicola Stevenson was found by a dog walker in the bin at the edge of a recreation ground off Landport Road, Lewes, East Sussex, at 12.30pm on Wednesday.

A 41-year-old man, of no fixed address, was arrested on Thursday and a second man, a 37-year-old also of no address, was arrested later that day in a car park in Langney Road, Eastbourne.

A Sussex Police spokesman said that Ms Stevenson, from Lewes, had not yet been formally identified but officers were satisfied as to the identity of the victim.

Body found in Lewes park. Picture: Peter Cripps

He said: ‘She had suffered a significant head injury and a post-mortem has shown that she died as a result of blunt force trauma to her head. Her next-of-kin have been informed.’

Detective Chief Inspector Chris Friday said: ‘Our thoughts at this time are with Nicola's family and friends and we are determined to seek justice for them.

‘Nicola died following a significant blow to the head. Her body had been placed in the wheelie bin and dumped in the undergrowth and we want to establish when that happened and when she was last seen alive.

‘We know that the bin was probably there on November 1 and we are now trying to establish when Nicola was last seen alive.

‘I am really interested to hear from anyone who saw her after around the first week of October.’