Police Information

RECOGNITION AFTER 33 YEARS

Mon, May 21, 2001

Source:

A Retired Superintendent has returned to Surrey to be commended in a 33 year old murder investigation.

 

Philip ‘Paddy’ Doyle, now 80 years old, headed the original investigation into the murder of the Brockham schoolboy from August 1968 until his retirement in 1976.

He returned to Surrey Police Headquarters from his home in Ireland to be commended for his professionalism and commitment to the investigation, now called Operation Wren, which finally led to an arrest.

Modern investigative techniques, which included comparative case analysis and advancement in DNA techniques enabled officers to arrest a 64-year-old man in February this year, 33 years after the original investigation. Forensic samples taken from Roy's clothing were found to match that of a divorced farm-labourer who had moved to Solihull in the West Midlands.

Detective Superintendent Dave Cook, now senior investigating officer in the case, said: "It was Philip Doyle's careful consideration and commitment with the files and exhibits that made the review and re-investigation of this case all the easier.

"At a case conference in January 2001, those officers employed on the original investigation were invited to assist the current enquiry team.

 "Philip willingly travelled from Eire and through his assistance, was in a position to clear up a number of ambiguities".

As well as the certificate of commendation, Paddy was presented with a china wren, a picture from 1968 and a copy of the book Surrey Police - A Pictorial History by members of the current Operation Wren team.

 Paddy said, "This came as a bolt out of the blue to me - to receive a commendation 24 years after retiring from the Force is quite unusual. "I am very pleased that the work we did all those years ago is so appreciated and would like to thank the whole team who worked with me. He added: "I am delighted with the way I have been treated by the current officers and accepted back into the Force. "I couldn't be more pleased than to see this case once again being investigated".

Chief Constable Denis O'Connor said: "We have much to be grateful to Paddy Doyle for. He applied to join Surrey Police from a prisoner of war camp in 1944 and this was indicative of his commitment to the Force. "Paddy never gave up and his unrelenting effort is now being rewarded".