TRIBUTES have been paid to a “lovely bloke” after he was found dead in the bath.
Police launched a murder investigation after Andrew Bloomfield was discovered at a property in Hillman Avenue, Jaywick, shortly after 12.30pm on Friday.
Officers initially treated Mr Bloomfield’s death as unexplained but launched a murder probe on Sunday after a post-mortem examination found he died as a result of a head injury.
Tony Smeeton, 61, from nearby Morris Avenue, had been friends with Mr Bloomfield, who was 58, for 22 years
He said: “I’m heartbroken. We were very close. Andy would tell everybody he was my brother.
“A man phoned me up to tell me he had found Andy dead in the bath. I was so angry that I threw my phone and punched the wall.
“It’s so terrible what has been done to him.
“He wasn’t vulnerable, but people took advantage of his good nature.
“Quite a few people stayed at his over time and they would basically go in and use it for whatever they want, including drug users.
“He had been assaulted a few times. He would never stick up for himself.”
Mr Smeeton said his friend had only just returned from a short stay in hospital.
“He liked a cider and had some issues but he was a beautiful person and would never hurt anybody.
“He was always laughing.
“He was originally from Tottenham, but had lived down here a long while. He was well known in Jaywick.
“He didn’t work as he was a bit disabled. He had a bad leg where he was run over a number of years ago. He was known as Pegleg.
“I can’t believe it. It’s terrible to think he has been killed
“He was such a lovely bloke and I will miss him so much.”
A 44-year-old woman from Clacton was arrested on suspicion of assault and later re-arrested on suspicion of murder. She has been released on conditional bail.
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