Latest news with #BeastofBirkenhead
The Sun
15-05-2025
- The Sun
Locals ‘knew who REAL 'Beast of Birkenhead' was but were too afraid to tell cops' – as innocent man wrongfully convicted
LOCALS reportedly knew who the real "Beast of Birkenhead" was but were too scared to tell police - leading to an innocent man's wrongful conviction. Peter Sullivan spent almost 40 years in prison over the brutal murder of 21-year-old Diane Sindall in Bebington, Merseyside, in 1986. 6 6 His conviction was overturned on Tuesday following bombshell new DNA evidence. Now a charity set up in Diane's memory has claimed they were several local people who told them police had the wrong man. Josephine Wood, from RASA Merseyside, told the BBC none of these locals would reveal the real killer's identity to detectives and were too scared to come forward as sources. She added: "I know that we were approached on occasions by people who felt they could come to us and talk to us because we'd been set up almost in memory to Diane and as a tribute to her. "We were told on several occasions that the police had the wrong man. "But we didn't have evidence, we didn't have anything to offer, we just knew what we'd been told and the people are adamant that you've got the wrong person. "But without any evidence, without names, without people willing to come forward which is a really big deal, seriously what could be done?" Diane had just left her shift as a part-time barmaid at a pub in Bebington when her small blue van ran out of petrol. She was making her way to a garage when she was beaten to death and sexually assaulted in a "frenzied" attack. Her body was discovered partially clothed on August 2 in an alleyway. Diane's belongings were later found close to where a small fire had been started - with a man seen running from the scene. Ms Wood said some communities around Birkenhead at the time were "tight-knit", which made it difficult for people to come forward for fear of "repercussions". She added: "I would like to think that maybe 40 years down the line we can actually now go back to those people and say 'come on tell us what you know'. "Tell us what happened, you must feel safer now, you must feel a way that you can come forward, because if this guy hasn't done it somebody else has and we need to find out who that was." 6 6 Sullivan - described as a "loner" - was said to have spent the day of the murder drinking heavily. Following his arrest in September 1986, he was quizzed 22 times and denied legal advice in the first seven interviews - despite requesting it. Sullivan later "confessed to the murder" in an unrecorded interview a day after his arrest. He then made a formal confession but the court was told this was "inconsistent with the facts established by the investigation". It also went against his earlier interviews, with Sullivan retracting the admission later that day. Since his conviction, questions have been raised about whether he had proper legal representation during his interviews. Evidence related to bite marks on Diane's body has also been called into question. At the time of the case, DNA technology was not available and subsequent requests for new tests were refused. A breakthrough came when new tests ordered by the Criminal Cases Review Commission revealed Sullivan's DNA was not present on samples preserved at the time. Merseyside Police has now launched a new murder investigation to find Diane's killer. The force said they are "committed to doing everything" to find the person whose DNA was left at the scene . Detective Chief Superintendent Karen Jaundrill said: "Our thoughts remain with the family and friends of Diane Sindall who continue to mourn her loss and will have to endure the implications of this new development so many years after her murder. "Unfortunately, there is no match for the DNA identified on the national DNA database. "We have enlisted specialist skills and expertise from the National Crime Agency, and with their support we are proactively trying to identify the person the DNA profile belongs to, and extensive and painstaking inquiries are underway." 6 Det Supt Jaundrill said the DNA does not belong to any member of Diane's family or her fiance at the time. She revealed more than 260 men have been screened and eliminated from the investigation. The officer added: "Diane's murder sent shockwaves through Birkenhead when it happened and I would appeal to anyone who lived in the area at the time, and has any information which could help us with our inquiries, to come forward. "We believe there are people who have information, or suspicions, about the murder of Diane in 1986 and I would appeal to those people to come forward, as the information they have could be key to finding who the DNA belongs to. "You may have been in the area of Borough Road on the night of the murder and may have seen someone acting suspiciously. "If you were in the area, or had concerns about an individual at the time, let us know so our team can trace and request a DNA sample from the person you suspect, or a relative of theirs if they have perhaps passed away, or they have emigrated to another country." Anyone with information can contact Merseyside Police on 101, quoting incident reference 23000584997. 6
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Yahoo
‘Beast of Birkenhead' moniker came after murder that shocked community
Peter Sullivan was dubbed the 'Beast of Birkenhead' after the murder of Diane Sindall sent shockwaves through a community. Mr Sullivan, who spent 38 years in prison, was jailed in 1987 for killing the 21-year-old. Miss Sindall, a florist who was working part-time as a barmaid while she saved up for her wedding, was raped and brutally murdered as she walked along Borough Road in Birkenhead, Wirral, in the early hours of August 2 1986. Mr Sullivan was convicted of her murder the following year and bite marks found on her body, used as part of the case against him, led to him being called the 'Beast of Birkenhead', the 'Wolfman' and the 'Mersey Ripper'. Speaking outside court after his conviction was quashed, Mr Sullivan's sister Kim Smith said: 'Peter was called so many different names and that all needs to be squashed now because Peter was never anything of what he was being called in the first place.' The murder became a 'catalyst for action' for women, who set up Wirral Rape Crisis Counselling Service in its aftermath, which still operates today as Rape and Sexual Abuse Support (RASA) Merseyside. According to the service, it was after Miss Sindall's death that it was decided 'enough was enough'. The charity said: 'With local women angry at the nature of Diane's death and how easily it could have been prevented, a change in attitude and the very first 'Reclaim the Night' march in Liverpool presented the perfect opportunity to strike. Police said Miss Sindall suffered extensive injuries in the attack, with her cause of death established as a cerebral haemorrhage following multiple blows. The high-profile crime was featured on Crimewatch in the weeks after her murder. On Tuesday, Merseyside Police found itself again appealing for help to find the man who killed her. Detective Chief Superintendent Karen Jaundrill said: 'Diane's murder sent shockwaves through Birkenhead when it happened and I would appeal to anyone who lived in the area at the time, and has any information which could help us with our inquiries, to come forward.'
