Christopher Laverack murder probe: 'Uncle was killer'

So, 28 years on the killer is named, although now dead, a convicted paedophile.......... the uncle!


1 August 2012 Last updated at 09:05

Christopher Laverack murder probe: 'Uncle was killer'

Christopher Laverack's killing was Humberside Police's longest running murder investigation

Fresh DNA bid to solve 1984 crime

A nine-year-old boy found dead in 1984 after vanishing from his sister's home in Hull was killed by his uncle, police have revealed.

The body of Christopher Laverack was found in Beverley Beck two days after his disappearance in March 1984.

Humberside police said they were now able to identify his late uncle Melvyn Read as the killer. The case was their longest running murder inquiry.

Det Supt Ray Higgins said Read, a convicted sex offender, was "evil".

Humberside Police said Read had emerged as a suspect when allegations of child abuse were levelled against him.

In 2003, he was convicted of a number of sex offences involving children and jailed for seven-and-a-half years.

Scientific breakthrough

He was arrested in connection with Christopher's death in 2006.

Police were unable to gather enough evidence to charge him with the murder before he died from cancer in Hull prison in February 2008.

Melvyn Read died from cancer in prison in 2008
Detectives said a later review of the case had brought a scientific breakthrough.

A forensic palynologist, who specialises in identifying pollen and spores, was brought in to help the investigation.

Dr Patricia Wiltshire concluded there was enough pollen and other plant matter on the clothing Christopher had been wearing on the night to link him with Read's garden at Grantley Grove.

A brick found with the schoolboy's body was also forensically linked to the garden. Christopher had suffered savage injuries, police said.

In 2012, police sought an independent assessment of the strength of their case against Read to see whether there would have been a realistic chance of a conviction in court.

Humberside Police said QC Paul Watson described the weight of evidence against Read as conclusive.

Det Supt Higgins said: "This has been a very complex case to solve but there can be little more important to relentlessly pursue than the murder of a child."

He added: "Read was an evil man and a man wholly without remorse.

"I am satisfied that Christopher's family can have some sense of closure and understanding of what happened."


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-humber-19075183

I remember this case well - a very strange and of course rare one of a child being taken from a home environment. Some attempt had been made to make it look like a robbery gone wrong; a television I think was taken.

I'm glad that it has been resolved even if too late to bring the culprit to justice.

I've just come across this clip from Crimewatch. Oh dear, to think it was okay to leave Christopher in charge of his young nephew. Nobody could have foreseen the outcome though. I hope that his family managed to rebuild their lives.

P.S. If the comment with the video is true, that puts a very different light on this.

I too hope the family have found some peace but to leave two children
on their own is too difficult to take in but god bless the child and the
family.

A recent interview with Christopher's mother and information about the case. Imagine learning that her brother was the killer.

https://www.thehullstory.com/allarticles/christopher-laverack-mum-interview

Evil knows no bounds,Ido hope there is a hell and people of his ilk are suffering and their suffering knows no bounds.