Mass DNA testing in murder case may take 2 years.

January 4, 2000

The mass DNA screening of 4000 "suspects" in a re-opened murder enquiry is set to take 2 years to complete.

Detectives at Eccleshill police division have re-opened the 22-year-old enquiry into the murder of Mary Gregson following advances in forensic techniques. Police now have a DNA profile of the man they believe was responsible for the murder of  the Shipley woman on 30 August 1977.

The case is expected to feature in this months edition of BBC TV's "Crimewatch" programme.

Police plan to take DNA samples from 4000 men interviewed in the original investigation. Every man who lived within a specified distance of the murder and fell within a certain age range, will be asked to "volunteer" a sample. The sample will be matched to "eliminate" each man in turn.

The technique involves scraping cells from the inside of the cheek, using a tool similar to a hard, short bristled toothbrush. The head of the "toothbrush" is then sealed and sent to a laboratory for testing. 2 samples are taken, one from each side of the mouth. A photograph of the "volunteer", together with a single fingerprint, are attached for identification purposes.

So far just over 10% of "suspects" have been traced and tested. To date no-one has refused, although some have expressed clear concerns about such mass screening techniques. Police are quick to point out that "only the man responsible would have anything to fear".

The government are presently bringing forward plans to speed up the establishment of a national police DNA database. Currently police may take samples from anyone arrested.

Murder

Mary Gregson lived in a small picturesque cottage at Jane Hills, besides the canal in Shipley. On the evening of 30 August, 1977, at around 5.20 pm, she set off to walk the short distance along the tow path to Salts mill, were she was working as a cleaner. She never arrived.

Around that time a witness saw a "gormless" young man, in his mid twenties with a bad complexion, standing over the body of a woman between the tow path and the river Aire. It was almost certainly the body of Mrs Gregson. The man looked up at the witness and said he thought she had fallen.

Her body was found dumped in the river next morning. She had been attacked and strangled. Detective Superintendent John Domaille, leading the enquiry at the time, did not rule out the possibility that the motive could have been sexual. Police believe she may have known her killer.

Police interviewed 9000 people at the time, but never succeeded in finding the "gormless" man. He will probably be in his mid-to-late forties now.

Serious cases like this are never closed. Every now and then a senior detective reviews such cases. It was such a review that prompted the re-opening of the case now.

The polices original "top ten" suspects included Peter Sutcliffe, the "Yorkshire Ripper". These have all now been cleared.

Leading the current investigation, Detective Superintendent Brian Taylor appealed to Shipley residents to think back to the time of the murder:

"I now have the scientific means to eliminate people from the enquiry" he said. "All but one person is innocent of this crime, and I now have the facility to prove that. I would appeal to people to come forward as any information they have - no matter how small - could now lead to the murderer being caught."

If no DNA match is established with any of the 4000 "suspects", the case is likely to be shelved once more.

Update: April 10, 2000

Baildon van driver Ian Lowther appeared in Bradford Magistrates court this morning, charged with the murder of Mary Gregson. Lowther, of Derwent Ave, Baildon, was arrested on Saturday.

Update: September 29, 2000

Ian Lowther pleaded guilty to murder and was sentenced to Life imprisonment

See Yorkshire Post report.

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See also: West Yorkshire Police website