Carl Bridgewater murder: Calls grow to reopen murder case
Pensioner Bert Spencer, a suspect in the Carl Bridgewater murder inquiry, is calling for a prosecution to be brought against his ex-wife following claims she made in a television documentary questioning his alibi.
Calls are growing for the investigation into the killing of the Express & Star paper boy, still unsolved after almost 40 years, to be reopened by Staffordshire Police.
The Home Office says it will look at any new evidence in the case.
But Spencer is adamant he was not the killer: "I've had enough, It's been going on for almost half my life and it stops here." The 76-year-old, who now lives opposite a primary school in Lincolnshire, revealed he fears losing his home after parents voiced safety concerns to the head teacher about his proximity following the Channel 4 programme on Sunday.
Youngsters have also collected outside his home in a threatening manner, he said. "This week has been hell. The programme did not bring up any new evidence, it's just thrown more coals on the fire," he said. Mr Spencer has sent a file to Staffordshire Police containing all the allegations made on the 90-minute programme, Interview With a Murderer, with a detailed rebuttal of each one.
He has asked police chiefs to investigate bringing a charge of perverting the course of justice against Janet Spencer and criminologist Professor David Wilson, who conducted the interviews for the documentary. Staffordshire Police spokesman Steven Crane-Jenkins said: "Staffordshire Police received communication which highlighted an alleged offence. We will, as with all such communications, review its contents."
Dudley North MP Ian Austin has called on Home Secretary Theresa May to reopen the investigation into the murder of the the Wordsley paperboy who died 38 years ago. Mrs Spencer also wants the case re-opened. This week policing minister Mike Penning confirmed the Home Office will look again into who killed schoolboy following the new claims. Carl was shot at point-blank range after apparently disturbing a burglary.
Today, Staffordshire Police said they would be considering the content of the documentary.
Detective Chief Superintendent, Laurie Whitby-Smith said: "Like all unsolved murder cases, Staffordshire Police conducts periodic reviews to ascertain if there is any new evidence available to take cases forward. This could be new evidence or revisiting existing evidence which may be subject to review based on advancing forensic science.
"Over many years, the Carl Bridgewater case has been subject of periodic reviews. Staffordshire Police is aware of, and has seen, the recent documentary, which aired on Channel 4, having been informed by the programme's production company. We are now considering the content of the documentary to ascertain whether new information is available beyond what we already know. This process will inform what, if any, action is to be taken in the future."
