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| Police solve 39-year-old killing | Police solve 39-year-old killing |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A 39-year-old murder case in Liverpool has been solved after police confirmed an elderly man who died leaving a confession did commit the killing. | A 39-year-old murder case in Liverpool has been solved after police confirmed an elderly man who died leaving a confession did commit the killing. |
| Harvey Richardson, 77, died in February 2008 leaving nine sides of paper detailing the strangulation of 19-year-old Lorraine Jacob in 1970. | Harvey Richardson, 77, died in February 2008 leaving nine sides of paper detailing the strangulation of 19-year-old Lorraine Jacob in 1970. |
| The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said had Richardson been alive he would have been charged with murder. | The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said had Richardson been alive he would have been charged with murder. |
| Workmen found the confession and press clippings at his home in Aspull, Wigan. | Workmen found the confession and press clippings at his home in Aspull, Wigan. |
| The handwritten confession was discovered in a suitcase along with the victim's knickers and an antique pistol. | The handwritten confession was discovered in a suitcase along with the victim's knickers and an antique pistol. |
| On 2 September 1970 binmen discovered the strangled body of Miss Jacob in a back alley behind a building in Rodney Street, Liverpool city centre. | On 2 September 1970 binmen discovered the strangled body of Miss Jacob in a back alley behind a building in Rodney Street, Liverpool city centre. |
| Lorraine Jacob's body was found by refuse workers | Lorraine Jacob's body was found by refuse workers |
| Merseyside Police said Richardson revealed he had killed the mother-of-two because she had taken two cameras from the bedsit where he lived. | Merseyside Police said Richardson revealed he had killed the mother-of-two because she had taken two cameras from the bedsit where he lived. |
| Detectives have spent the past year building a picture of Richardson, "a loner", and running tests on the confession and retrieved clothing. | |
| Det Supt Ian Kemble, leading the inquiry, said the nine-sided confession contained details never made public at the time. | Det Supt Ian Kemble, leading the inquiry, said the nine-sided confession contained details never made public at the time. |
| In it, Richardson, a father-of-two, explained that a few months before the killing Miss Jacob had been to his bedsit in Huskisson Street when he was not there and had taken two cameras. | In it, Richardson, a father-of-two, explained that a few months before the killing Miss Jacob had been to his bedsit in Huskisson Street when he was not there and had taken two cameras. |
| Police believe the cameras were snatched after Miss Jacob and her killer rowed about him taking photographs of her children. | Police believe the cameras were snatched after Miss Jacob and her killer rowed about him taking photographs of her children. |
| The victim's family have had 38 years of not knowing the identity of her killer Det Supt Ian Kemble, Merseyside Police | |
| In the confession in an old yellow pages, wrapped in an envelope marked "private and confidential", Richardson explained he spent the day of the murder getting drunk because he failed his librarianship exams. | |
| He wrote that later he spied Miss Jacob, with whom he had rowed, and he choked her. | |
| Richardson, who was born in Rochdale, evaded detection and lived the rest of his life in Manchester working as a librarian. | |
| Mr Kemble added: "I don't think he ever wanted that document to be discovered and was taking the secret to his grave. | |
| "But the victim's family have had 38 years of not knowing the identity of her killer or why she was murdered. | |
| Colin Davies, head of the CPS complex case unit, added: "There was sufficient evidence to justify a prosecution in the case of Harvey Richardson." |