Men jailed for life
for callous murder
of shy neighbour
by court reporter
TWO Warrington men have been jailed for life after being found guilty of murdering their quiet, reclusive neighbour.
William Collins, 36 and his step-son Gary Collins, 22, both of Rushgreen Road, Lymm had both denied murdering 64-year-old Alan Holt Bell.
Angela Collins, 42, wife of William and mother of Gary, was found guilty of assisting an offender and jailed for four months.
Judge John Rogers made a recommendation at Chester Crown Court that the two men should serve no less than 15 years.
The court heard Alan Holt Bell (below, right) was a shy and reclusive man, who having retired from his job as a gardener, enjoyed walking, listening to music, and watching television.
While his neighbours would recognise him by sight, he would not engage in conversation or pass the time of day. He preferred to keep to himself and would actively avoid contact with all but a very few casual acquaintances.
A single man, he regularly spoke on the telephone to his brother in Lancashire and it was is brother who called police on February 21 this year when he had not received an expected phone call.
Officers entered Mr Bell’s home in Rushgreen Road and found his body, which had lain undiscovered for several weeks.
A post mortem identified he had suffered an assault resulting in a fractured thyroid bone in his throat, had a bleed to the brain, and showed evidence of hyperthermia – although it was not possible to say conclusively which had killed him.
During the trial, the jury heard William Collins and his step son, Gary, believed Mr Bell had scratched their car. They chased and attacked him in his garden, punching, kicking and stamping on him. Mr Bell was then carried into his house where the assault continued. He was left helpless and gravely injured while his attackers looked around his house.
Police believed Mr Bell lay dying for some time, possibly days, during which at least one of the two men returned to steal property from their helpless victim. It was also believed possible that Mr Bell was attacked again during the burglary before his assailants left with his television and video.
Mr Bell was left to die slowly and alone on the floor of his home in freezing temperatures. William, Gary and Angela Collins were arrested on 17 March following police enquiries.
At the end of the trial Det Chief Insp Guy Hindle said: “It is difficult to imagine what Alan Bell suffered as he lay dying for hours in the cold in his own home. His attackers left him there to die without giving him a second thought, despite seeing how gravely ill he was when they returned to steal valuables. Their actions are beyond contempt.
?Mr Bell was a quiet, inoffensive and private man whose brutal death shocked the community of Lymm, who will no doubt be re-assured to learn that those responsible have been brought to justice.”
Judge Rogers commented on the prolonged and callous attack carried out on the helpless man in his own home. He also commended Det Chief Insp Hindle and his team on the thoroughness of their investigation.
Couple overpowered
by masked burglars
by David Skentelbery
POLICE are hunting four men who escaped with a safe after overpowering a couple at their home in Grappenhall, near Warrington.
The burglary took place at a house in Stockton Lane, which is partially closed to traffic following a drowning tragedy in the adjoining Bridgewater Canal last year.
A 66-year-old man and his 63-year-old wife returned to their home in the early evening to be grabbed by three men who had broken into the house earlier.
They were held captive while the men carried a safe from the house and escaped in a grey Ford Focus hire car.
This car was later abandoned near the Trans Pennine Trail in Bradshaw Lane, Grappenhall and set alight.
Four men were seen transferring items from the boot of the car into another vehicle.
Police said three of the men were wearing balaclavas and dark clothing, although one had a light coloured coat.
Anyone who witnessed anything suspicious in Stockton Lane or in Bradshaw Lane is asked to contact DC Gordon Wilson or DC Deryn Hughes at Warrington CID on 01244 613832.
Local science helps
save ancient warship
by David Skentelbery
CUTTING edge science in Warrington is being used to help preserve a wrecked warship which lay on the seabed for 434 years.
Powerful X-rays which can probe the properties and atomic structure of materials are involved in research to ensure Henry VIII’s favourite warship, The Mary Rose, is saved for future generations.
The X-days are generated by the Synchrotron Radiation Source (SRS) at the Daresbury Laboratory.
Raised in 1982, the ship – one of the first warships able to fire a broadside – sank accidentally in The Solent 1545 after a distinguished 36-year career.
She is now being restored in Portsmouth, although bits are still being raised from the seabed.
A small piece of timber from the recently raised stem is being tested at Daresbury using very intense X-rays produced by the SRS.
Scientists are analysing the elements in the waterlogged timber to test for sulphur.
Research on other waterlogged wooden ships raised many years ago has shown signs of decay, even after preservation treatment, probably caused by sulphuric acid. The aim is to find ways to preserve the timber by preventing the formation of the sulphuric acid.
Researchers from the Mary Rose Trust are working alongside scientists from the Daresbury Laboratory.
Spokesman Dr Mark Jones said “We have just come back from Europe where we have analysed samples from the stem post timber on the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility in Grenoble. We are now carrying out further tests using the SRS at the Daresbury Laboratory.”
Dr Andy Smith, from Daresbury, added: “The work in Grenoble concentrated on analysing how the sulphur chemistry related to the structure of the cells in the wood on a microscopic scale.
“The instrument we are using on the SRS at Daresbury will help us to understand the overall picture of how the sulphur chemistry varies throughout the stem timber.”
Research has show that an accumulation of sulphur in shipwrecks preserved in seawater is common but that when it comes into contact with oxygen it can convert to sulphuric acid, which slowly degrades timber.
The Mary Rose is still undergoing conservation and is being sprayed with polyethylene glycol (PEG) – a common conservation treatmen t- to consolidate the fabric of the timbers. This is keeping the timbers in a moist state and preventing the build-up of acid at present.
Smaller wooden artefacts, such as bowls and longbows found in the Mary Rose, can be safely treated to exclude acid, but the sheer size of a complete ship presents problems.
The Mary Rose was named after Henry VIII’s favourite sister Mary and the Tudor emblem, the rose. She is historically important as she was one of the first purpose built warships, designed to be a floating platform from which to fire cannon.
Her wreck was discovered in the mid 1960s and in 1982 its hull was raised from the sea bed and a preservation campaign started. It now rests in the historic dockyard at Portsmouth.
How motorists
can beat the thief
by John Hendon
POLICE are warning people to be vigilant and offering some tips for shoppers when parking in and around Warrington town centre in the run up to Christmas.
They are warning motorists to be aware of bogus car park attendants, and thieves who target vehicles stocked up with Christmas presents.
Two people were recently arrested on suspicion of obtaining property by deception following allegations they were acting as bogus car park officials. They remain on police bail pending further enquiries.
Det Cons Allan Brown of the Community Safety department said: “Before y
ou set out, plan your journey, have it in your mind where you want to park and make sure that you empty the car of any valuable items you do not need on the journey.
“If you are parking on the street remember not to park where there are parking restrictions, don’t block other people’s access and where charges are made for parking there will be clearly displayed official signage.”
It is also important not to load cars with presents half way through a shopping trip. This can be extremely attractive to opportunist thieves at this time of year.
Some car parks have taken extra steps to make there car parks safer and achieved a Safer Parking Award ? and one of these is the Market multi-storey car park at Warrington.
Council carries out
whisky check
by staff reporter
A SURVEY to test the quality of premium whiskies in Warrington has been carried out by the borough council’s Trading Standards department using ?state of the art? equipment.
Trading Standards officers carried out the survey to ensure that residents are getting genuine whiskies and are not lining the pockets of rogue traders.
Most spirits such as vodka and gin contain markers, which can be screen tested on site. The Scotch Whisky Act prohibits these markers from being put in whiskies, so it has not been possible to test whisky on site without submission to an analyst.
But with the introduction of ‘state of the art’ equipment, officers are now able to take samples and accurately test individual brands on site. The survey covered most of the licensed premises in the town centre. More than 40 samples were tested and all were found to be genuine.
Coun Pat Wright, executive memb er for Community Services, said: “At a time when a lot of the Trading Standards’ resources are being used in the battle against underage sales of alcohol, I am pleased to report that officers are protecting the legitimate consumers.”
Anyone who is concerned about the quality of drinks they are buying from pubs or clubs should contact Warrington Trading Standards on 01925 442678.
Choir and brass band
join for festive concert
by staff reporter
CONCERT-goers lucky enough to have got tickets for Warrington Male Voice Choir?s Christmas Concerts on December 16 and 17 are in for a real treat.
After a roller-coaster year of fairytale dimensions, the 2005 National Brass Band Champions of Great Britain, Leyland Band, will be joining the choir and their guests, in what has now traditionally become the start of Warrington’s Christmas holiday.
In a story that closely mirrors the film “Brassed Off” starring Warrington actor Pete Postlethwaite and with the 60th anniversary of the band?s inception coming up next year, the early part of this year saw them facing near extinction following the departure of a major sponsor.
Things were desperate. Principal Eb Bass player, Chris Doran, entered the Cadbury’s Dream Factory competition, asking that the chocolate firm make his dream (and therefore the bands’) come true, allowing them to get to the National Championships at the Royal Albert Hall in London, under the baton of Musical Director Russell Gray.
His idea captured the imagination of the judges and earned one of the top 20 prizes, which covered not only transport and accommodation for the band, but also provided a new set of uniforms.
But the icing on the cake came with a triumph of unbelievable proportions. Up against the best in British brass, Leyland received an astounding 198 points out of the 200 available, in a performance described by the adjudicators as “outstanding”.
The band, All England Masters Champions in 2003 and North West Area champions last year, have been asked to represent England at the European Brass Band Championships next year in Belfast.
They will be proudly displaying their latest trophy at Parr Hall during their guest appearances at “Christmas Voices – Christmas Brass”.
