Aughton businessman stabbed to death in Skelmersdale is named

Nov 9 2009 by Lyndsay Young, Liverpool Daily Post

A POLISH man was arrested in Scotland on suspicion of murder after a fatal stabbing in Skelmersdale.

The 22-year-old, who was living in Skelmersdale, was arrested in Hamilton yesterday at around 8.30am, after police launched a murder inquiry.

The body of Peter Berkley, 43, of Liverpool Road, Aughton, was discovered on Saturday morning at the flat on Abbeystead, in Little Digmoor.

Mr Berkley was company secretary of Abbeystead Northwest Ltd, which owns the property where the incident happened and police last night confirmed he had been stabbed to death.

The arrested man was being brought back to Skelmersdale yesterday to be questioned by detectives.

Members of the town’s Polish community said they were shocked by the news.

Mr Berkley would visit the homes on the road regularly to collect rent and residents described him as “kind” and “friendly”.

A Polish resident, known only as Justina, who has lived in Abbeystead for a year, said: “I was very shocked.

“He was a very good guy, was friendly and he helped us.

“We are very sorry for his family.”

The community also fear reprisals because the arrested man is Polish.

Justina said: “We are a little scared. We live here and we work here and we have a child here.”

A Polish man, who wanted to remain anonymous, described Mr Berkley as a “very kind man”.