RUSSELL Harvey's daughter today spoke for the first time of the heartache caused by her father's death and paid a glowing tribute to him.As Steven Harvey begins an indefinite period of supervision for killing the 74-year-old, his sister revealed the immense heartache her family has endured in the past ten months.

RUSSELL Harvey's daughter today spoke for the first time of the heartache caused by her father's death and paid a glowing tribute to him.

As Steven Harvey begins an indefinite period of supervision for killing the 74-year-old, his sister revealed the immense heartache her family has endured in the past ten months.

Barbara Bowers, who attended court yesterday, said: "I'm relieved it's over. We can try and get on with our lives as best we can now, although naturally we're always going to miss Mum and Dad. It's going to be hard.

"As the case had been going on longer, it was getting harder and harder for us. It was upsetting to go through it all again in court but I think it did help in a way."

Although still grieving, Mrs Bowers said she is comforted by her "many happy memories" of her father.

She said: "He would help anybody. He was devoted to Mum and his children.

"He was friendly with everyone. Anyone could get on with him and he had a lot of friends at the bowls club.

"He was hardly ever off sick from his job as a boiler engineer and he used to enjoy spending time down at his allotment. If he wasn't down there, he'd be in his shed making things.

"I remember he made me a doll's house when I was young and we've still got a bench he made us."

At the time of his death, Mr Harvey was still struggling to come to terms with the loss of his wife, Marjorie, who died in September.

Although she had been ill since February, the family had been clinging to the hope she would recover.

Mrs Bowers said: "It was all so sudden. Right up to the last moment we were being told she might be able to come home. It was a shock.

"Dad had to take on the role of mother and father. It's not as if he had time to accept Mum was dying."

Mrs Harvey died from a brain tumour and cancer in September last year - and her death left the family heartbroken.

In court, Steven was described as being "extremely close" to his mother and he found life difficult to cope with without her.

Mrs Bowers revealed she gave all her support to her father and brothers at this time, including making a doctor's appointment for Steven.

This was arranged for January 6, and she told her brother of this three days before, just after returning from food shopping with her father.

She said: "I could always talk to Steven and it was then I explained to him about the doctor's appointment. He was fine about it.

"I was just putting the shopping away as normal. I just thought everything was alright.

"Then I went home to put my own shopping away."

It was to be the last time Mrs Bowers saw her father before his tragic death.