Killing of Wakefield teenager Elsie Frost was unlawful, inquest rules

Elsie Frost was on her way home from an afternoon of volunteering at Horbury Lagoon when she was attacked from behind and stabbed repeatedly on October 9, 1965.

Elsie, 14, was taken to Clayton Hospital, where she was declared dead at 5pm.

Nobody has ever been convicted of her killing.

➡️ Inquest into Wakefield schoolgirl Elsie Frost told murder 'split our family wide open'A fresh inquest into Elsie’s death was held in Wakefield this week, after an appeal was granted by the high court earlier this year.

Speaking at today's hearing senior coroner Kevin McLoughlin described her as a “prized and burgeoning flower” whose death had been “unforgivably cruel”.

➡️ Wakefield man 'lived in shadow of suspicion' despite being cleared of murder of Elsie FrostHe said: “She was 14 years old and impeccable character. Her actions on the day of her death offer a compelling insight into her character.

“She went into Wakefield to run errands for her mother. She came home promptly after carrying out these tasks and visiting her sister. In the afternoon she worked as a volunteer at Horbury Lagoon.

“At an isolated part on her walk home someone pounced on her, probably from behind and inflicted stab wounds on her back and head.

"It was clear she did not stand a chance.

“Mercifully she was not sexually assaulted. In searching for crumbs of comfort we can see she would have lost consciousness in a matter of seconds and so did not suffer for long.

“The tentacles of this awful crime stretched through the city of Wakefield and those who lived there.”

➡️ Senior police officer 'in no doubt' who killed Elsie Frost in WakefieldA local man, Ian Spencer, was charged with her death, but was acquitted by a jury in 1966.

The inquest heard how the shadow of the charge had hung over Mr Spencer for the rest of his life and led him to keep a log of his movements.

Detective chief superintendent Nick Wallen, who led the reinvestigation into Elsie’s murder, met with Mr Spencer in 2016 to make clear that he would have not have been charged under modern investigation thresholds.

➡️ Wakefield schoolgirl Elsie Frost murder suspect wrote 'Aladdin's cave' of disturbing lettersThe inquest heard that Peter Pickering, who had previously been jailed for sexual assault against young women, had been the prime suspect in Elsie’s murder following a review of the case in 2015, but died in 2018 before he could be charged.

Pickering was convicted of the manslaughter of 14-year-old Shirley Boldy in Wombwell, near Barnsley, in 1972 but had not previously been formally linked to Elsie’s death.

Officers investigating the case discovered that a telegram had been sent from the Metropolitan Police to officers in Wakefield on October 13, 1965, suggesting that Pickering may be involved.

However, the file was returned to the Metropolitan Police within a matter of days and Pickering was not investigated further.

Det Chief Supt Wallen previously told the inquest that he was “in no doubt” that Mr Pickering was responsible for Elsie’s death.

He pointed to evidence which suggested Pickering was familiar with Wakefield, including a receipt from a petrol station on Ings Road, in the city centre.

➡️ 'Another murder may have been avoided if police had acted on Elsie Frost information' inquest toldA six page letter from Pickering, addressed to his girlfriend Patricia, was also provided by West Yorkshire Police, who suggested that it showed his propensity for “explosive anger”.

But, noting that it is not the job of an inquest to apportion blame, Mr McLoughlin said that there was no direct evidence linking Pickering to the crime.

He pointed to a letter, handwritten by Pickering’s lawyer on his behalf in 2016, in which Pickering said that he had been in Brighton or France on the day of Elsie’s death, and suggested that much of the evidence against him was circumstantial.

Recording a conclusion of an unlawful killing, Mr McLoughlin offering his condolences to Elsie’s family.