Joan Beryl Fowle

Unsolved Murders

Age: 54

Sex: female

Date: 4 Dec 1985

Place: Borough Road, Birkenhead

Joan Beryl Fowle was knocked down whilst she was crossing Borough Road in Birkenhead in the early hours of 4 December 1985.

She had just been to a dance at the Kingsland Restaurant and had been crossing the road with her husband when she was hit by a fast moving car. She was carried along by the car for some distance before she fell off. The car then sped off towards Chester.

The police identified a suspect and the Coroner instructed that papers be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions for a charge of causing death by careless driving. However, the Director of Public Prosecutions declined to prosecute. When the Coroner heard of that he said that he regretted that he had not initiated proceedings. He said:

I directed that the papers should be presented to the DPP for him to consider proceedings for causing death by careless driving. I have now heard from the DPP and he has decided that no proceedings should be taken, a decision which I personally very much regret. In view of that decision I can see no point in calling further evidence. I congratulate the police who prepared the file and who I am afraid have not been adequately supported by the prosecutions department.

An open verdict was recorded.

Joan Fowle had lived in Ringway, Neston.

*map pointers are rough estimates based on known location details as per Place field above.

see www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk

see Liverpool Echo - Friday 18 July 1986