Interviews re-start in Downing inquiry

Don Hale (left) supported Stephen Downing

Detectives hunting the killer of Wendy Sewell who was murdered in a Derbyshire cemetery in 1973 are beginning to interview witnesses.

Detectives reopened the inquiry after the murder conviction of Stephen Downing, who served 27 years in jail for the crime, was quashed in January.

Officers are starting to interview all witnesses from the original investigation and people whose names have been put forward as suspects.

They are also following up information provided by journalist Don Hale following his campaign for Mr Downing's release.

Wendy Sewell: Victim of a brutal attack

Detective Inspector Sam Slack said: "We are going to interview a large number of people who were witnesses in the original inquiry and other people not seen by the original team.

"Where that takes the inquiry we're keeping an open mind about.

"We want to hear from people who didn't come forward at the time and others who did give information but may think it wasn't treated seriously enough."

Police are appealing for people who lived near the cemetery where Wendy Sewell was found in September 1973 to come forward.

Mr Slack said officers had been given special training to help people recall memories dating back 30 years, including more painstaking interview techniques.

"Because of the passage of time people's memory has faded but it was a significant event and people do remember that day," he said.

Autumn finish

Ms Sewell, a 32-year-old typist, died after being savagely beaten with a pickaxe handle.

Stephen Downing, who was then a 17-year-old groundsman, signed a confession which he later retracted.

He was convicted but always maintained his innocence.

Judges decided that since the initial confessions might be unreliable, Mr Downing's conviction was unsafe.

The new investigation, led by Detective Superintendent David Gee, is expected to last until the autumn.