New evidence backs up confession to 1970 murder of Lorraine Jacob

May 24 2008 by Liam Murphy, Liverpool Daily Post

A FORENSIC probe into a murder committed in Liverpool 38 years ago supports a written confession to the crime found among the belongings of a dead man, police revealed yesterday.

Detectives reopened the unsolved case of mother of two Lorraine Jacob, 19, after officers made surprise discoveries when 77-year-old Harvey Richardson’s home in Wigan was being cleared following his death in a local hospice from cancer.

They found the handwritten confession among a box of press cuttings about the killing of Miss Jacob as well as an item of ladies clothing, a gun and an air pistol.

Yesterday, Merseyside police said the detailed forensic investigation “supports the written confession of Harvey Richardson” who had lived and worked in Liverpool at the time of the murder.

Det Sup Ian Kemble, who is leading the probe, said: "Forensic results so far are encouraging.

“However, further investigations are required to prove or disprove Harvey Richardson's involvement in the murder of Lorraine Jacob."

Miss Jacob was last seen walking alone along Pilgrim Street, towards Hardman Street, in Liverpool city centre, at about 11pm on Tuesday, September 1, 1970.

She left the Russell Street home she shared with her mother, 14-month-old daughter Karen, and baby Tony, and was seen in Yates’s Wine Lodge, in Great Charlotte Street, at 9pm.

She was seen again in a Chinese chip shop in Great George Street at 10.20pm before walking along Upper Duke Street.

Her body was found at 8am the following day by refuse workers in a small entry at the rear of the Young Women’s Christian Association, in Rodney Street. She had been sexually assaulted, battered and strangled.

Following an appeal made in February this year, a number of people who knew Mr Richardson came forward and their information helped to build up a picture of his whereabouts and his lifestyle. But officers are still keen for people to come forward and issued a new appeal for information.

Mr Kemble said: "We are still interested in speaking to anyone who knew Harvey Richardson at the time of the murder, either socially or as a work colleague, as information they could have could be vital.

"We know that Mr Richardson had lived in the Huskisson Street area and initially we believed that he lived there at the time of the murder. However, as a result of new information which has come to light, we believe he may have lived elsewhere in the Liverpool area at the time and we are keen to find out where that was. It is also understood that Mr Richardson worked in a restaurant, possibly called The Mariners, which is believed to have been in North John Street, in the city centre.

"We also believe that Harvey Richardson lived in Ullet Road, Toxteth, in the sixties,” said Mr Kemble.

It is believed Mr Richardson lived in the Greater Manchester area from 1972 onwards. He lived at the address in Reservoir Street, Aspull, from 1994.

In later life, Harvey Richardson became a librarian and he had a passion for languages, particularly Russian and German. He is believed to have been a mature student in Manchester between 1972 and 1975 and is understood to have spent six months in Germany.

“I would urge anyone who knew Mr Richardson, particularly at the time of the murder, and during the sixties, to come forward as they could have information which could prove vital to the investigation."

A photograph of Mr Richardson, taken in 1966, has been issued in a bid to jog memories.

Anyone who has any information can contact the incident room on 0151 777 8685, or 0800 230 0600 (after 5pm), or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.