Woman admits Lowestoft murder of man found with glove in mouth

Amber Stebbings, 28, of no fixed address, is facing a life sentence after pleading guilty to the murder of 54-year-old Gary Grant.

Facebook photo of Amber Stebbings, 28, who has pleaded guilty to the murder of Gary Grant. (Image: Facebook)

Stebbings changed her plea on the day her trial was due to start.

She was arrested on the night of March 20 in Sparrow’s Nest Gardens, in Lowestoft, after calling 999 to summon the emergency services to the park.

Gary Grant, 54, was found dead in a public park in Lowestoft in March. (Image: Supplied)

There, the found the unresponsive body of Mr Grant, who had visible facial injuries and a glove in his mouth.

Every entrance to Sparrow Nest Gardens was cordoned off by police (Image: Peter Walsh, Newsquest)

The former merchant sailor was pronounced dead at the scene.

A post mortem examination later revealed he had died down of upper airway obstruction and compression of the neck.

A general view of Sparrow's Nest Park, where Mr Grant died, Image: Mick Howes (Image: Mick Howes/Supplied)

Stebbings, who is understood to have only moved back to the Lowestoft area weeks before the murder, was due to go on trial this week having previously pleaded not guilty.

At a previous court hearing Stebbings’ solicitors stated she had mental health issues and requested that diminished responsibility be considered.

She changed her plea to guilty during a hearing at Ipswich Crown Court on Tuesday.

Judge Samantha Leigh adjourned sentencing until January 14 for an updated psychiatric report and remanded her in custody.

She told Stebbings: “There is only one sentence and that’s a life sentence.”

She also said that no weapons - such as a knife - were used in the attack.

However, she said she would set the minimum term she would have to serve before she could be considered for release by the parole board after hearing mitigation and reading the updated psychiatric report.

Stebbings, who sat calmly in the dock during the hearing, wore a black shirt and glasses.

She gave a small nod of acknowledgement after being told the sentence for murder was life.

Following the guilty plea, Det Supt Matthew Connick, said: “I’m very pleased that today’s guilty plea has prevented the family of Gary Grant from having to sit through a likely lengthy and traumatic trial."

A general view of Sparrow's Nest Park, where Mr Grant died (Image: Mick Howes)

'One of the best seamen that I have ever sailed with'

Mr Grant's death caused shock among former colleagues in the seafaring world.

Former sailor Philip Kennedy, 76, who lives in Ely, paid touching tributes to "a great buddy" after sailing with Mr Grant for seven years off the coast of Scotland on a North Sea rescue ship, the Maersk Don.

Gary Grant, who died in Lowestoft in March, pictured on the left in 2008 on board a rescue ship in the North Sea with fellow crewman Philip Kennedy. Image: Supplied (Image: Supplied)

Mr Kennedy said: "He was coxswain and I was his boatman. He was one of the best seamen that I have ever sailed with."

Family tragedy

After Mr Grant's death, it emerged he had tragically lost his 15-year-old daughter nine years earlier.

He was the father of East Point Academy pupil, Ellie Grant, who was reported missing in the early hours of March 13, 2017.

Ellie Grant died in 2017 (Image: Facebook)

Her body was found later that morning in Fen Park, Kirkley - just two-and-a-half miles from Sparrow’s Nest Gardens.

It is believed she took her own life.

Mr Grant attended a memorial event in Fen Park to honour his daughter just days after her death.

Tributes left to Ellie Grant in Fen Park in 2017. Picture: Nick Butcher (Image: �archant2017)

Mr Grant's daughter's death had been mentioned in a court case in 2022.

He had been working on a Stena Europe ferry leaving Fishguard harbour in Wales when he was involved in an altercation that led to his assistant bosun being wounded with a knife.

The attack took place on the week of what would have been Ellie’s 21st birthday.

Mr Grant had been upset by a comment the assistant bosun had made when he posted a picture of Ellie on Facebook.

Mr Grant was given a suspended prison sentence after admitting unlawful wounding.

Former chef who performed at charity concert in the park

It is understood Stebbings had only just moved back to the Lowestoft area earlier this year, having spent time living in Norwich.

This was said to be at a home on Spashett Road in north Lowestoft - although her court appearances said she was of no fixed address.

Facebook photo of Amber Stebbings, 28, who has pleaded guilty to the murder of Gary Grant. (Image: Facebook)

Spashett Road in Lowestoft. Image: Mick Howes (Image: Mick Howes)

With her social media pages listing her previous employment as a former chef, she is believed to have worked in Boston, Lincolnshire for more than three-and-a-half years.

Amber Stebbings (right), seen playing the guitar at a charity concert in Sparrow's Nest gardens in 2014. (Image: Mick Howes)

In August 2014 she played the guitar and performed on stage at the Sparrow's Nest park in Lowestoft as part of the Summertime Fun in the Park fundraising concert.