Peter Swales

Peter Swales died after being assaulted in Pontefract.

He had been out with his sister and brother-in-law in Pontefract and was coming home between 2.30am and 3am along Garmill Lane when a car came up behind them and started flashing its lights. The car stopped in the middle of the road, blocking the other car and Peter Swales and his brother-in-law got out to speak to the people in the other car and they had an argument.

Peter Swales and his brother-in-law then got back into their car, but shortly after the passenger window of the car that Peter Swales was in was smashed and when Peter Swales got out he was hit over the head with a blunt instrument. It was thought that the murder weapon was a club-shaped wooden bat.

The other car then did a three-point turn and drove off towards Nostell Priory.

Peter Swales had been in a Triumph Acclaim car with his sister and brother-in-law. The other car had been a Maestro hatchback that was said to have been either green or dark blue.

Peter Swales was then taken to hospital where he later died.

The driver of the other car was described as being between 6ft and 6ft 2ins tall, with a slim build and between 20 to 30 years old and had short dark coloured hair in a crewcut style. He was said to have had a local Pontefract accent and to have been wearing blue denim jeans, training shoes, and a sports type top with a high collar that was zipped or fastened up.

The police found an Avia watch at the scene that they thought might have belonged to the attacker.

At the time of the murder, a car and a bus had driven by the scene and both drivers were questioned.

The police said that they were interested in finding out why the other car had flashed its lights behind the car that Peter Swales was in and why the window of his car was smashed, and he was hit after it appeared that the argument had come to an end.

The police operation investigating his murder was called Operation Pippenmount.

Peter Swales had four children and had lived in Featherstone.