By Lucy Caulkett-
An English solicitor is among the victims of the ShriLankan terrorist attack that killed over 300 people in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday. The Law Society say Anita Nicholson was an in-house counsel at mining company Anglo American in Singapore.
She was tragically killed with her two children at the Shangri La hotel in the capital Colombo. Her husband Ben Nicholson, also a solicitor, survived the blast and is mourning her untimely death. Sources from Anglo American say Ben and the family are struggling to come to terms with the loss of a woman who was very loving and dedicated to her family and profession.
Mr Nicholson, a partner with law firm Kennedys, said his family were killed at a table in the restaurant of the Shangri-La Hotel, in the capital Colombo.He said he was “deeply distressed” at his loss but “mercifully, all three of them died instantly and with no pain or suffering”.’I thought we had left all this violence behind us’.He added that his wife, a lawyer for mining firm Anglo American, “was a wonderful, perfect wife and a brilliant, loving and inspirational mother to our two wonderful children”.
“Alex and Annabel were the most amazing, intelligent, talented and thoughtful children, and Anita and I were immensely proud of them both and looking forward to seeing them develop into adulthood.
“They shared with their mother the priceless ability to light up any room they entered and bring joy to the lives of all they came into contact with
The Law Society’s Find a Solicitor, Anita Jane Nicholson was admitted to the roll in 2000 and was a regulatory and compliance managing counsel at Anglo American. She previously held roles at BP and HM Treasury – where she worked for 12 years – and was also a solicitor at international firm DLA Piper in London.Police have now detained 40 suspects in connection with the attack. A spokesman said they included a Syrian who was arrested “after the interrogation of local suspects”.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka’s defence minister, Ruwan Wijewardene, has said that “preliminary investigations” indicate the bombings were in retaliation for deadly attacks on mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, in March. He did not give any details.
Ben Nicholson is a partner in the Singapore office of international firm Kennedys. In a statement this morning Kennedys confirmed the ‘devastating news’ and said it is supporting Nicholson in every way it can.
The spokesperson added: ‘Ben is now surrounded by the loving support of his family. This is devastating news and our thoughts are very much with Ben at this difficult time. Understandably, we ask that you respect Ben’s privacy at this tragic time.’
In a statement released over the weekend Ben Nicholson said:
‘I am deeply distressed at the loss of my wife and children. Anita was a wonderful, perfect wife and a brilliant, loving and inspirational mother to our two wonderful children. Alex and Annabel were the most amazing, intelligent, talented and thoughtful children and Anita and I were immensely proud of them both and were looking forward to seeing them develop into adulthood. They shared with their mother the priceless ability to light up any room they entered and bring joy to the lives of all they came into contact with.
‘I would like to give my sincere thanks for the medical teams at General Hospital, Colombo, for treating Anita, Alex and Annabel with great dignity and me with kindness and sympathy. I would also like to thank the teams at the British High Commission and Adhvan Tours who have looked after me since Sunday morning and the Sri Lankan people I have encountered in Colombo following this catastrophe.
‘Anita, Alex and Annabel leave behind a large extended family and many close and cherished friends who are now grieving this tragic loss. We shall all miss them dearly. We are all grateful for the many expressions of support and good wishes. We would ask that the media now respect our privacy and allow us to grieve together.’
A spokesperson for Anglo American said: ‘We are in contact with Anita’s husband, Ben, and supporting him in any way we can. Our thoughts are very much with Anita’s and Ben’s families, colleagues and friends and we ask that you respect their privacy at this difficult time.’
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