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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
National
Alan Weston

Murder of bride-to-be and how the 'beast of Birkenhead' was brought to justice

By the side of a busy main road running through the centre of Birkenhead is a small shrine passed by thousands of motorists and pedestrians every day.

Even though it relates to an incident which took place almost 36 years ago, fresh bunches of flowers regularly appear at the site, just opposite the Pyramids shopping centre.

A picture of the memorial was shared on Facebook earlier this week and there were some who did not remember or have any knowledge of the tragic story which lies behind the shrine, beyond what is written on a simple black memorial stone.

READ MORE: Stalker's plot to 'destroy' man's life with hundreds of fake Instagram accounts

This is dedicated to Diane Sindall, who it says was murdered on August 2, 1986, adding that it was "because she was a woman."

It goes on to say: "In memory of all our sisters who have been raped and murdered. We will never let it be forgotten."

Diane was murdered on her way home from work just before midnight on Friday, August 1, 1986.

Her car had run out of petrol on Borough Road as she returned from her part-time evening job as a barmaid at the Wellington Hotel in Bebington, and she was walking back along the main road in search of petrol.

Diane, 21, was just 500 yards from an all-night garage when her attacker struck.

Details surrounding the way the florist died were so appalling they were never released by police.

It was later described in court where a jury heard how Diane, who was engaged to be married, was hit over the head with a 2ft crowbar.

After dragging her body into a darkened alleyway off Birkenhead's main dual carriageway, the attacker sexually assaulted her.

Her body was found the following morning by a woman walking her dog in a stone-walled alleyway next to the busy main road.

The death led to Merseyside Police's biggest murder enquiry led by the deputy head of Merseyside CID, Superintendent Tom Baxter, and Superintendent Roger Corker, the head of Wirral CID.

Even though the horrific attack took place close to a busy main road at the height of summer, there were no witnesses. Before the days of CCTV, police had to turn to an appeal on the BBC Crimewatch programme and it was only after an eight-week murder hunt that the killer was tracked down.

The trail led police to unemployed labourer Peter Sullivan, 29, of Queensbury Gardens, who had been drinking in a town centre pub. Dental and forensic evidence linked Sullivan, described as the 'Beast of Birkenhead', to the crime and he admitted to the murder during questioning, although he was later to withdraw that confession.

Sullivan denied the charge of murder at Liverpool Crown Court, but was unanimously found guilty by a jury in November 1987 after Merseyside's longest murder trial for 40 years. He was sentenced to life imprisonment (with a minimum term).

Following the court hearing Diane's mum, dad and fiancé spoke to the ECHO.

Her fiancé, David Beattie said: "I am so relieved. He has got what he deserved.

"In a sense, he could not get what he deserved. In an ideal world, his life would have been taken and Diane would have been brought back to me.

"I just hate him for what he did."

The brutal murder of Diane led directly to the setting up of RASA (Rape and Sexual Abuse Support) Merseyside, which has now grown into a highly professional and experienced organisation offering care to victims of sexual violence across Merseyside and beyond.

More information about the group and its services can be found here.

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