Man, 34, charged following death of Charissa Brown murder in Bury

A man has today been charged with assaulting a woman who was ‘raped and murdered’. 

Bobby Hardman, 34, has today been named as the man charged with assault, after Charissa Brown, 36, died after she was rushed to hospital in Bury on Wednesday.

Hardman has been remanded in custody and will appear at Manchester and Salford Magistrates Court today. 

Police officers had responded to a ‘concern for welfare’ call 24 hours before Charrissa Brown was taken to hospital. 

Greater Manchester Police voluntarily referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct due to the previous police contact.

In a statement the IOPC said: ‘We have received a referral from Greater Manchester Police regarding the conduct of officers who responded to a report of concern for the welfare of a woman who has since sadly died.

‘We are assessing the available information to determine if any further action is required from us.’

Greater Manchester Police have arrested three men aged 32, 52 and 61, on suspicion of her rape and murder. Two have since been released without charge.

It was earlier revealed that the mother-of-three once killed a stranger by pushing him under the wheels of a moving tram.

Ms Brown, also known by the surname Brown-Wellington, had recently been released from prison after serving a five-year manslaughter sentence.

She was handed the prison term for the killing of Philip Carter in June 2017. Then aged 31, she pushed 30-year-old Mr Cater, who was a stranger to her, between two carriages of a tram at Manchester Victoria Station.

Mr Carter, from Blackley, was crushed by the tram as it pulled away and died at the scene of the incident, which a court later heard took place after the pair had a drunken row. 

After, Brown-Wellington was heard to say: ‘I didn’t mean it. He got in my face. We were just play fighting.’ 

Brown was later charged with murder and ordered to face trial. But she pleaded guilty to manslaughter after being unexpectedly brought before a judge for a pre-trial hearing in October 2017. 

In the 2017 sentencing at Manchester Crown Court, judge Mr Justice William Davis told Brown that although her actions were not unprovoked they were ‘completely unnecessary’ and ‘aggressive’.

‘There was more than one victim in this case because the effect of what you did was so dreadful.

‘It is merely yet another example of you reacting violently when faced with something you did not like very much,’ he said.

Senior officers at Greater Manchester Police described Ms Brown, who had a personality disorder which causes ‘impulsive violence’, as ‘a ticking time bomb’ prior to the attack.

‘He (Mr Carter) suffered a brutal death all because she lost her temper,’ the force said in a statement at the time.

Mr Carter’s family meanwhile said he was ‘missed every minute of every day’, adding in a statement: ‘We can try to repair our heartache although no matter how long the sentence is, it will not bring Phil back or make our loss any easier.’

On her release, Brown was made the subject to an extended licence period of three years as a ‘dangerous offender’.

According to court records released at the time of her sentencing, Ms Brown had a lengthy criminal record of 65 offences, many of which involved violence.

In 2013, Ms Brown was jailed for four months for criminal damage, assaulting three police officers and using racially aggravated threatening or abusive words or behaviour.

In April 2017 she was taken to court for fare-dodging on a tram. MailOnline understands Ms Brown had until recently maintained contact with the probation service having finished her manslaughter sentence in July last year.

The revelations come as today tributes have been paid to Ms Brown, including by her mother Sue Brown.

Today she wrote on Facebook: ‘RIP my beautiful daughter’. She also urged friends to take flowers to the scene and lay them in memory of her daughter.

Meanwhile, friend Leigh Kelly wrote: ‘Rip Charrissa Brown absolutely heartbroken.

‘Loads of memories with you.. one of the funniest girls I know.. one day we will have that catch up until then may u rest in peace and be given the best bed in heaven my girl xxx.’  

Another, Marie Joel Bowden-Birkhead, wrote: ‘I’m going to fill Facebook full of pics of Charrissa Brown instead of sharing the horrible news that happened to her. 

‘She was a legend one in a million I hope ur causing chaos up there babe.’

Faith Kiely added: ‘Thinking of you all. Charrissa will always be a woman who I will remember from my teens she was a whirlwind. Made me giggle. Sorry for your loss.’ 

Meanwhile, neighbours told MailOnline how they were aware of Ms Brown’s troubled past.

One said: ‘Charrissa didn’t talk about what happened but everybody knew about it.

‘There’s a lot of people in and out of there so I’m not sure who actually lived there but she was there a lot.

‘It is a real party house and it could be really noisy at times.’ She added: ‘Her poor family.’

Another said: ‘It’s such a shame. Everyone knew what she had done and that she had been in jail for killing the guy by shoving him under the tram.’

Tonight around 40 people laid flowers and balloons in tribute to Ms Brown.

Her parents Sue Brown and Dean Wellington hugged family and friends at the scene.

Three fireworks were set off for Ms Brown, while the crowds chanted ‘hip, hip, hurray!’

In a short but poignant statement, Daughter Tanay Brown said: ‘We will love you forever.’

Another friend said: ‘All the people here are family and friends. Today is a sad day. She is a legend.’

One family member said: ‘She was a brilliant girl. Everybody had the upmost rep spect for her.

‘She wasn’t an angel but she had a heart of gold.’

The tributes come as detectives continue to probe the circumstances behind Ms Brown’s death. 

In an update released on Friday evening, Greater Manchester Police said: ‘A post-mortem was inconclusive, three people are still in custody, and further investigations ongoing.’   

Detective Superintendent Kate Atton, from GMP’s Bury CID, said: ‘I have no doubt that the community are shocked and are worried to hear the news about this incident but I would like to reassure them that we have a dedicated team of detectives investigating and following up various lines of enquiry to establish the circumstances around this lady’s death.

‘High visibility patrols and local officers will be in the area and available to speak to anyone concerned and we will release more information as soon as we are able to.

‘We want to give the lady’s family the answers they deserve as they are understandably devastated at the loss and our thoughts remain with them. 

‘We’d ask anyone with information to come forward. 

‘The team are following up enquiries and have been overnight since the report came into us but anyone who may have any information should contact us – even the smallest bit of information could prove vital.’

Neighbours have today described the property in which Ms Brown was found as being a ‘refuge’-type home.

Others claimed today the property was regularly used for ‘parties’. It is not clear if Ms Brown lived at the property.

Anyone with information can report it online at www.gmp.police.uk. Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. 

The incident has been referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct in line with normal procedure due to previous police contact.