“Mother’s Tearful Plea to Daughter’s Killer: ‘Say Her Name!’”
- by btv2025
- Posted on 28 June, 2025
Holby, England – June 28, 2025 –
There was a heavy stillness in Holby Crown Court yesterday, as Anna Collins stood just feet from the man accused of killing her 17-year-old daughter. With the world watching, she delivered an emotional statement that has since gone viral, shaking a nation already gripped by one of the most disturbing criminal trials in recent memory.
The man in the dock, Thomas Raynor, 41, is currently on trial for the murders of five young women over a period of 18 months, including Ellie Collins, Anna’s only child.
But it was not the prosecution’s evidence, nor the forensic testimony, that commanded the courtroom’s full attention—it was the unfiltered, heartbreaking words of a mother confronting evil.
“You Don’t Get to Erase Her”
“I want you to look at me,” Anna began, her voice trembling but firm. “You don’t know me—but I know you. You are the man who stole everything from me.”
With her daughter’s school portrait held tightly in her hands, she stood face-to-face with Raynor, who remained seated, silent, and emotionless.
“You left my baby in a field like she was rubbish,” she said. “But she was Ellie. She had a laugh that could light a room and dreams that went beyond anything you could imagine.”
As the courtroom hung on her every word, Anna described her daughter’s quirks, her dreams of becoming a nurse, her favorite ice cream flavor—mint chocolate chip—and the last time she hugged her.
“She was seventeen. Seventeen!” she cried out, her voice cracking. “You took a child and left a scar on this world that will never heal.”
A City in Mourning
The trial of Thomas Raynor has rocked the community of Holby, where all five victims lived or studied. The details that have emerged during the proceedings have been chilling: women targeted in isolated areas, meticulous cover-ups, and a disturbing lack of remorse.
But amidst the horror, Anna’s statement stood out—not just for its pain, but for its humanity.
“She spoke not just as a mother, but as a representative of every family left behind,” said DI Laura Harper, lead investigator on the case. “We’ve seen a lot of darkness during this investigation. Anna reminded us of the light.”
Outside the courtroom, supporters held signs bearing the names of all five victims: Ellie Collins, Amira Khan, Sophie Dalton, Mia Carter, and Rachel Yeo. A small vigil formed later that evening outside Holby General Hospital, where Ellie was born.
“She used to volunteer in our ward,” said nurse practitioner Joelle Hart. “We remember her smile. She had such kindness in her.”
The Killer Remains Silent
Despite multiple court appearances and hours of interrogation, Raynor has not uttered a single word since his arrest. Psychologists have described him as “emotionally shut off,” with a flat affect and no outward signs of remorse.
“He won’t even look at the victims’ families,” said prosecution barrister Julian Reed. “It’s as if he’s trying to erase them. But yesterday, Anna forced him to see. To hear.”
Anna’s closing plea cut straight to the heart of that silence.
“I want you to say her name,” she told him. “Say Ellie. Acknowledge her. Acknowledge what you did.”
Raynor did not respond. But those who were present say his eyes briefly shifted—just once—toward the photograph in Anna’s hand.
“We Will Not Be Defined By Him”
Anna’s speech concluded with a message that resonated far beyond the courtroom.
“You think you have power because you ended lives,” she said. “But you will be forgotten. My daughter won’t. Her name will live on in every person who hears this story. And I will never stop saying it.”
Since her statement, messages of support have poured in from across the UK and beyond. A clip of her testimony, shared by the BBC’s legal affairs correspondent, has amassed over 6 million views on social media.
“She gave a voice to all of us,” said Nadia Carter, whose sister Mia was also one of the victims. “I’ll never forget what she said: ‘We will not be defined by him.’ That was powerful.”
Trial Continues
Raynor’s trial is expected to continue for another three weeks. The prosecution is presenting forensic evidence linking him to all five crime scenes, including DNA recovered from beneath Ellie’s fingernails and CCTV footage placing him at two locations on nights of the murders.
If convicted, he faces a life sentence without the possibility of parole.
Meanwhile, Anna Collins has said she will attend every day of the trial, “for Ellie, and for every girl who didn’t get to come home.”
Honoring Ellie
In the wake of the tragedy, the Collins family launched the Ellie’s Light Foundation, a nonprofit focused on protecting vulnerable women and supporting families affected by violent crime. The foundation has already raised over £45,000.
A memorial bench dedicated to Ellie was unveiled last month in Holby Park, inscribed with the words:
“You are loved. You are remembered. You are light.”
Holby, England – June 28, 2025 –There was a heavy stillness in Holby Crown Court yesterday, as Anna Collins stood just feet from the man accused of killing her 17-year-old daughter. With the world watching, she delivered an emotional statement that has since gone viral, shaking a nation already gripped by one of the most…