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John Rogers

Age: 12

Sex: male

Date: 4 Jul 1996

Place: River Calder, Wishaw

John Rogers was found battered and drowned in the River Calder on 4 July 1996.

He was found in the river near the 17th tee of a golf course in Wishaw.

A 42-year-old man was tried for his murder but acquitted.

The court heard that the man tried had been mentally-impaired and the case collapsed after the judge refused a tape-recorded police statement he had made to be heard by the jury, meaning that there was not enough evidence to try him.

It was heard that the police had refused to allow the man's solicitor or brother to be with him after he had been taken to the police station.

The court heard that the man had a mental handicap which meant that he could not fully understand what was happening to him after his arrest and that it would be unfair to him to allow his statement to be put to the jury.

John Rogers had lived at 49 Wishawhill Road in Wishaw. He was found in the river near the golf course with a heavy lorry tyre on top of him. He had been on the golf course with his own golf clubs, one of which was found bent near his body and it was thought that he had been beaten with it.


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

see www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk

see Aberdeen Press and Journal - Thursday 07 November 1996