Peter Scott

Unsolved Murders

Age: 10

Sex: male

Date: 11 May 1984

Place: Trent and Mersey Canal, Dallow Bridge, Burton

Peter Scott was found drowned in the Trent and Mersey Canal off Dallow Bridge, near his home in Burton on 11 May 1984.

He was said to have been fascinated by boats and waterways. His mother said that Peter Scott had been something of a loner who didn't readily take to other children. She added that he was fascinated by boats and liked to watch them on the canal.

He had lived nearby in Dallow Street, Burton.

His inquest heard that there was nothing to show what caused him to be in the water.

The Corner said:

The difficulty is that no one saw him fall in. We do not know whether he fell, slipped, jumped or was pushed. The evidence points to him having fallen, but there is no evidence to show exactly how he came to be in the canal.

A pathologist at Burton General Hospital said that his death was caused by drowning and that there was nothing to suggest another party being involved. He noted that his body had wrinkled hands and feet when it was found, which was consistent with having been under water for a long time.

His body was found on 11 May 1984, 5 days after he went missing.

His mother said that on the morning of the day he went missing that Peter Scott had been over by the canal on his own. She said:

He came back for lunch and said he had been helping two men on the locks. He hardly ate any of his dinner and then rushed out saying, 'I am going back over!'. He seemed to be in a hurry to get back.

She said that later in the afternoon a friend of his called for him and then went over in the direction of the canal looking for him, but came back soon after saying that he couldn't find him.

Peter Scott's mother then said:

I was anxious then. I had a walk round and asked his friends if they had seen him.

A woman from Kingsbury Road in Mackworth, Derby, said that she had been on a canal holiday and had been moored at Dallow Lock on 11 May 1984. She said that Peter Scott and a younger boy approached the boat wanting a ride. She said:

The elder boy did the talking. He asked for a ride and asked which way we were going.

However, she noted that the boat was not going anywhere as they were having engine trouble. She said that she later saw Peter Scott in the early evening standing by some lock gates.

It was noted that it was never discovered who Peter Scott's companion had been on the day.

The Coroner noted:

One wonders why that boy has not come forward to say what he saw.

Peter Scott was also seen by another holidaymaker, a woman that had lived in Willow Pit Lane, Hilton. She said that she had been in a cabin cruiser with friends, travelling from Willington towards Burton, and that Peter Scott helped them with the lock at Dallow Bridge.

She said:

He was keen to do it and knew what he was doing. He was very efficient.

An open verdict was returned at his inquest.

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

see www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk

see Burton Daily Mail - Thursday 13 September 1984