Specialist team to review 27 unsolved murders in South Yorkshire

Police chiefs have set up a major incident review team which is examining all the force’s unsolved murder files and serious sexual assaults to establish whether there are any cases with a realistic prospect of being solved.

With advances in technology and science, officers are looking at whether new ‘investigative opportunities’ exist.

The oldest unsolved murder dates from 1962, when pensioner Lily Stephenson was bludgeoned to death in Springfield Place, Barnsley.

The most recent case is the murder of 80-year-old Tommy Ward, who suffered a smashed skull, broken ribs and fractured jaw in an attack in his home on Salisbury Road, Maltby, Rotherham, when his £30,000 life savings were stolen in October 2015.

Relatives will be informed if cases are reopened.

A police spokesman said: “Since the major incident review team was set up in late 2016, the officers have been carefully sifting through and reviewing large quantities of evidence to identify if there are any further investigative opportunities which may now arise, taking into account developments in how investigations are now conducted and advances in forensic science.

“This work involves reviewing a significant amount of information, including evidence for 27 unsolved homicide investigations since 1962 committed within the South Yorkshire area, together with a large number of unsolved serious sexual offences.

“At this stage, the focus of the work continues to relate to scoping and assessing such opportunities and this will take some time to complete.

“However, this is vital to ensure that all positive lines of investigation are identified, progressed and exhausted so that we maximise our chances of identifying the offenders and bringing them to justice.

“We recognise the distress and impact that losing a loved one has on families of homicide victims and understand their need and desire to see justice done for these horrific crimes.”