A senior police officer has pledged that the force will approach the suspected murder of Alfred Swinscoe "as if it were a crime that happened today". It comes as the identity of human remains discovered in a field in Sutton-in-Ashfield was confirmed following a media appeal.
Russell Lowbridge was only four years old when his grandfather, Alfred Swinscoe, went missing in early 1967 after drinking at the Pinxton Miners Arms in Derbyshire. Family members had been waiting 56 years for answers after Alfred, aged 54 at the time, went missing in mysterious and unusual circumstances.
Mr Lowbridge, aged 60, contacted police following a media appeal for information about the unidentified remains found in Coxmoor Road on Wednesday, April 26 DNA tests were carried out on Russell and Alfred’s son, now in his 70s, and matched against the bones exhumed from the ground.
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Police have launched a murder investigation and a team of detectives are working alongside a team of scientists to bring his killer to justice. Speaking during a press conference at the force's headquarters in Arnold on Thursday, June 8, Assistant Chief Constable Rob Griffin said: "This is about getting justice for the family. So we will approach this investigation as if it were a crime that happened today."
He said that the force fully accepts that the suspect, or suspects, are "likely to be in their 70s or in their 80s". There is also a "reasonable prospect that suspect or suspects might not be alive", he added.
The way in which Alfred’s remains were found was “deeply distressing, and extremely difficult” to his family. ACC Griffin said the force will provide support to the family - as well as bringing them justice.
He added: “And that is why we ensure that we provide the support that they need as a family, but also that we do all that we can now get justice for them - and for their loved one, Alfred.
“We will use all of the investigative capabilities that we have now, some of which were not available to us in 1967. Obviously we have got used to using certain tactics in our investigations, such as telephone data, ANPR and CCTV.
"And that type of evidence will not be available to us again, for fairly obvious reasons. So the investigation will be different.”
The police do not know “that much” about Alfred’s death, said ACC Griffin, adding: “So what do we know so far? Well, the answer is not all that much actually.
“So we know that Alfred lived in Pinxton and was very well known in Pinxton. We know that he was a former miner.
“We know that he was in a pub known as the Pinxton Miners Arms, which was on Church Street West in Pinxton. That pub no longer exists, but we know that it did at the time and we know from witnesses that Alfred was in the pub on that night. We know at some point that he left that pub and was last seen around 10.30pm In the evening and he's never been seen since.”
ACC Griffin has urged anyone following on this story to come forward if they have any information about Alfred, his death or burial. "It may be not the same event so I want people to keep that in mind."
Detectives believe Alfred was killed and then buried in farmland around four to 6ft deep. There were also a number of traumatic injuries found on his skeletal remains, which are undergoing further analysis.
Further tests are also being carried out to determine how he was killed and how long he has been buried at the site in Coxmoor Road. Work is also being carried out on clothes found with the remains including two distinctive socks and a shoe.
ACC Griffin added: “We would like to hear from anyone with information about Alfred. Did you know him? Did you drink at the Pinxton Miners Arms at the same time as Alfred? Is there any information that could help us understand what happened that night?
“As time passes so do loyalties and we hope that people who may have had information at the time about his disappearance will come forward now. It is imperative that we find out what happened to Alfred to not only bring his family the closure they desperately need but to ensure those responsible are brought to justice.
“His killer left six children without a father. His killer stole any chance of him building the strong and lasting bonds that grandparents have with their grandchildren.
“His killer left them with decades of unanswered questions about what happened to their loved one. We hope with the public’s help we can put that right.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Nottinghamshire Police incident room by clicking the online link here. Alternatively, you can call our incident room on 0800 096 0095.
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