Nigel Bostock

Nigel Bostock was stabbed six times and strangled at his home in Abrams Fold, Banks, near Southport on 20 December 1986.

He had been stabbed three times in the chest and strangled with the wire from his electric blanket. It was later noted that after having been stabbed and strangled that his killer had tried to electrocute him.

He was found naked in his bath, clad only in a tee-shirt. His body was half in and half out of the bath, which was partially filled with water.

He had been strangled and had suffered a single stab wound to the chest. He also had a ligature tied round his neck, which was said to have been tied in a complex manner by his killer.

It was later revealed that the murderer had also been sexually very violent.

However, there was no sign of a struggle. However, it was found that a number of Nigel Bostock's belongings had been stolen from his bungalow, including a number of items from his briefcase. In particular it was found that between £500 and £700 had been stolen, along with his distinctive Bulova Accutron 'Spaceview' watch. The watch was noted for having a see-through face that showed its electronic mechanism. It also had a stainless steel back and a gold-plated heavy link strap. The minute and hour hands were white and yellow, whilst the second had was yellow.

It was reported that two gold rings were also missing. They were described as:

1. The first ring being a very worn nine-carat gold signet ring bearing the initial letter N.
2. The second ring being a nine-carat gold dress ring with 28 small diamonds in two rows across the face.

Pictures of the rings were printed in the newspapers.

Nigel Bostock had run a shoe shop on Wesley Street in Southport and had lived alone in a semi-detached bungalow in Abrams Fold where he had been for the previous two years.

It was later noted that he never used a safe for his shop takings, and that instead he would take the money home and put it in his fridge and it was thought that the person that killed him might have known about that.

He had been a bachelor and a known homosexual and was said to frequent gay clubs in Blackpool, Liverpool, Preston and Southport.

He was discovered after staff at his shop became worried after he failed to show up.

He was last seen alive at 2pm on the Friday when he left his shoe shop and the police appealed for anybody that knew of his movements from then on. The police noted that there were conflicting reports that he had stayed at home and that he had gone out for the evening.

It was thought that on the night of his murder that he had had a small Christmas party at his house with three other people. However, the three people were never traced.

It was noted that he had had sex shortly before his death.

During the police investigation more than 5,000 people were interviewed and more than 2,000 lines of enquiry followed up.

The police said:

It was noted that in 2003 an anonymous letter was sent to police that included details about the murder, however, the writer was never identified.

Earlier on in the investigation, the police said they had four main leads:

1. An unusual watch missing from Nigel Bostock's home.
2. A car seen nearby.
3. A train journey two days before his death.
4. A mystery man named Karl or Carl.

The police said:

The police said that there were signs of social drinking and sexual activity at Nigel Bostock's home when his body was found and that they believed there may have been more than one guest.

On the day he was found, 20 December 1986, at about 2.15am, a Mark 3 Ford Cortina four door saloon, probably brown and with a badly blowing exhaust, was seen in the area of Abrams Fold. It was seen then to join the A565 Southport to Preston road, turning towards Preston. However, the police said they had been unable to trace it.

The police also appealed for anyone that had been on the 8.20pm train from Southport to Liverpool on Thursday 18 December 1986 to come forward, but noted that they had a poor response from that. It was said that Nigel Bostock had been on that train with three other men, all smartly, but casually dressed. However. not one person on the train, including the three men that he had been with, came forward.

The police said that they were also trying to trace a young man, thought to be in his twenties and with sandy or reddish hair, called Karl, possibly spelt Carl, that had been seen at Nigel Bostock's home over the previous few months.

The police said that much of the information they had gained had come from homosexuals, but that although they had aided the police, there were still large gaps.

The police said:

During the 2003 review into the case it was noted that several cans of beer were found at the scene, indicating there had been a few people there, and that the ring pull from one of the cans was found in Nigel Bostock's car, indicating that the drinker had opened the can in Nigel Bostock's car and then finished drinking it in his house. It was further thought that it was probably a person that Nigel Bostock had picked up in his car.

It was also noted that cannabis was also found near an ashtray.

The police also found a potato peeler that they thought had been used to break into his briefcase in which the £700 was.

It was thought that after having their drinks that Nigel Bostock and at least one other man had gone to the bedroom where they had engaged in a sexual activity involving asphyxiation using the cord from his electric blanket. It was thought that he had died in the bedroom and that someone had then taken him into the bathroom to make sure he was dead.

During the 2003 review, it was noted that amongst the exhibits available that there were forensic opportunities relating to the beer cans, potato peeler and electric blanket flex and that they were able to get some DNA, but didn't have a match or a name.