An ex-police officer had raised concerns about a series of sexual assaults before the brutal murder known as the ‘Beast of Birkenhead’. Peter Sullivan was mistakenly convicted for the death of Diane Sindall and spent 38 years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit.
Diane Sindall, who worked at the Wellington pub, ran out of petrol in her blue van after finishing her shift late on August 1, 1986. She was later discovered in an alley on Borough Road in Birkenhead, partially undressed and fatally beaten.
Sullivan, now 68, was found guilty of her murder in 1987. However, recent advancements in forensic science revealed that the DNA of the actual killer found on Sindall’s body did not match Sullivan’s, leading to his release in May last year.
A former Merseyside Police officer revealed that he was discouraged from investigating despite expressing concerns about the case. He noted a series of attacks in the same area prior to Diane’s murder, indicating a potential single perpetrator with escalating violence.
The officer’s fears were confirmed when Diane Sindall was brutally murdered shortly after his warnings. Merseyside Police stated that there is currently no evidence linking Ms. Sindall’s murder to other crimes in the area.
The officer, who chose to remain anonymous, reviewed case files of similar offenses with a corresponding pattern. He highlighted his observations on a BBC podcast, ‘Crime Next Door: The Beast of Birkenhead,’ citing escalating violence and the need for a thorough investigation.
Ms. Sindall’s murder, occurring soon after the officer’s concerns, resulted in Sullivan being infamously dubbed as “The Beast of Birkenhead.” Detectives are now utilizing new DNA profiling techniques and providing a detailed description of the killer in hopes of solving the 1986 case.
A reward of £20,000 has been offered by Crimestoppers for information leading to the conviction of the individual responsible for Ms. Sindall’s death. The police are actively eliminating suspects and collecting DNA samples from potential relatives of the perpetrator for testing.
A memorial plaque dedicated to Ms. Sindall stands on Borough Road, where she was tragically murdered. The plaque serves as a reminder of the violence against women and the quest for justice in her case.
For more details on the case, the BBC podcast ‘Crime Next Door: The Beast of Birkenhead’ is available on BBC Sounds.