Cigarette may be key clue in hunt

Jan 8 2008 by Neil Mckay, The Journal

DETECTIVES are pinning their hopes on a discarded cigarette to catch a heartless thief whom they blame for causing an elderly man’s death five years ago today.

Former churchwarden George Sharpe, 82, died of a heart-attack within hours of being conned out of £200 by a caller at his home in Faraday Terrace, Haswell, near Peterlee, County Durham, on January 8, 2003.

Detective Superintendent Harry Stephenson, in charge of the investigation, said he hoped that DNA from a cigarette butt found on the doorstep of Mr Sharpe’s bungalow would lead him to the thief whom he blames for causing the elderly man’s death.

Det Supt Stephenson told The Journal: “This case remains open.

“I am still hopeful that the discarded cigarette will eventually provide us with a DNA match.

“We have tested the DNA found on the cigarette end with the DNA of Mr Sharpe’s relatives and neighbours, a window cleaner and other people who visited Mr Sharpe’s home lawfully, without finding a match to it.

“If and when we do then we will certainly want to talk to the person with that DNA.

“This was a very sad incident which we treated as a murder inquiry. I believe Mr Sharpe’s death was triggered by the discovery that money was missing from his home.” DNA swabs, or genetic fingerprints, were used by Northumbria detectives to trap the killer of Northumbria University student Sara Cameron four years after she was murdered and her naked body left under a hedge near her home in Earsdon, Whitley Bay, on Good Friday 2000.

Her killer, bus driver Michael Robinson, was eventually caught 350 miles away in Newhaven, East Sussex, after he came to police attention following a fracas in nearby Brighton, and DNA swabs were taken which matched those at the murder scene.

Mr Stephenson said: “DNA meant Sara Cameron’s killer was brought to justice and I am still hopeful that it will catch the man responsible for Mr Sharpe’s death.”

Retired council worker Mr Sharpe was visited by a well-built man claiming to work for the local council, who claimed he needed to check the draught insulation.

After discovering that money had been taken from a downstairs drawer, the distraught widower contacted his relatives.

Later the same evening, in front of his sister-in-law Susan Hutchinson, 73, and his nephew, Lawrence Hopkins, 45, he collapsed and died shortly after telling them: “I hope this man realises what he’s done to me.”

A year before his death Mr Sharpe was a victim of a similar scam when a man who claimed to be from the water board stole £2,000.

Mr Stephenson believes the same man could be responsible for both thefts.

The thief was well built, around 5ft 5in, in his 30s. Anybody with information should call police on 0845 606-0365 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.