Islington Tribune - News: Police remain baffled by skeleton found in bunker

Publications by New Journal Enterprises

Home

Archive

Competition

Islington Tribune - by SIMON WROE
Published: 18 May 2007

Police at the spot where the body was found

Police remain baffled by skeleton found in bunker

No foul play as tests show man could have died 75 years ago

HUMAN remains found at an underground bunker in Finsbury still have police stumped, an inquest heard this week.
Workmen discovered the bones of an unidentified male body, minus its torso, as they excavated a site behind Bart’s Medical College, at the corner of Goswell Road and Clerkenwell Road, in October last year.
A St Pancras inquest heard on Monday that forensics officers had combed the site for suggestions of foul play and clues to the corpse’s identity.
The skeleton was found on top of a makeshift mattress made out of newspapers dated from 1966 and 1967.
Cutlery, jars, an ashtray and a watch were scattered around the body, suggesting the unknown male was probably living rough in the 50 square-foot vault, part of the last World War II bombsite to be developed in London.
Tests revealed the bones belonged to a man aged between 24 and 40 who was just over six foot tall, the inquest was told. The cause of death remains unknown.
Detective Sergeant Jason Montañana said that, although the bones were in very good condition, the deceased might have died up to 75 years ago, which would classify them as ancient and not subject to investigation.
He added: “There’s no obvious sense of foul play at this stage, but we have to run the investigation as if he had been murdered.”
The Met searched its missing persons database as far back as 1950 and found nine possible matches, but were unable to narrow the identity down any further.
St Pancras coroner Dr Andrew Reid returned an open verdict and issued an order for the burial of the bones.
DS Montañana is still appealing to the community for assistance in solving the mystery. Anyone with information should call Islington CID on 020 7421 0185.

Comment on this article.
(You must supply your full name and email address for your comment to be published)

Name:

Email:

Comment: