UK UK - Ann Heron, 44, found at home with throat cut, Darlington, 3 August 1990

[Jen Jarvie]

But again, what evidence are you expecting there to have been? If the murderer *was* PH, he left no trace of having committed the crime, so why couldn’t another person have committed it similarly?

Where else might a perpetrator have left forensic evidence? No need to break in if the door was open (as it likely would’ve been, imo), need to be going around touching light switches in the daytime, no need to touch anything that could be used as a weapon if they’d brought their own bladed instrument, etc.

It’s very true that we don’t know everything in the case file, but if you listen to Ann’s son Ralph - a former police officer - being interviewed on the Scottish Murders podcast (around 3m 55s) he describes being informed by the police of PH’s arrest and visiting them in Darlington to discuss the evidence that they had against PH, and how he was ‘almost sure’ that a) the evidence wouldn’t result in a conviction and that b) the police weren’t holding anything back.

Edit: sp

That particular podcast is riddled with a lot of mistakes- really fundamental mistakes; even down to family members names. As I have the prosecution bundle and crime scene photographs I can say with authority that its not factually correct at all.

 

[Jen Jarvie]

PH's behaviour looks suspicious to me (as does the forensic evidence) but he has plausible deniability.

The case against PH was dropped after additional expert discussion. I'm not sure if this was something related to the forensics, or if it could have been something alibi related.

The only evidence that the prosecution had was Peter Heron's DNA on his wife in his home. The case was discontinued due to the fact the evidence they had was not worth anything. That was all they had.

 

[Jen Jarvie]

So the only evidence they have is of PH.

But there is no evidence, hence the discontinuation.

 

[Soulmagent]

That particular podcast is riddled with a lot of mistakes- really fundamental mistakes; even down to family members names. As I have the prosecution bundle and crime scene photographs I can say with authority that its not factually correct at all.

Thank you !
I really appreciate this.

 

[Soulmagent]

We know you do, you’re always telling people what you have, but while I think we all appreciate there are things you can’t share it seems - to me - that you pick and choose who and what to reply to, and that creates an impression of evasiveness, imo.

Eg lots of people in this thread have asked you perfectly reasonable questions that you haven’t answered, particularly regarding PH’s movements after leaving Cleveland Bridge.

I Pick and choose the exact same way she does, how do you do it?

 

[tes1984]

The only evidence that the prosecution had was Peter Heron's DNA on his wife in his home. The case was discontinued due to the fact the evidence they had was not worth anything. That was all they had.

That's true.

AFAIK prosecutors work using a lower standard than 'beyond reasonable doubt'. This includes circumstantial evidence like potential motive and fabrication of evidence.

The prosecution thought that (with circumstantial evidence) they had a realistic chance of conviction, but after challenge had to admit that they didn't.

 

[WiseOwl]

Surely not £50k originally, in 1990? That would be the equivalent of about £150k today. Who was putting all that up? Can see in a 2004 article here they were still saying it was £500 in 1990.
View attachment 604780

Have you any information that relates to the reward increasing to £50k?

 

[tes1984]

But there is no evidence, hence the discontinuation.

Please can we discuss the evidence against Benson?

Is it true that he was back behind bars in 1994, when the three letters were posted in Darlington?

 

[Spoof]

I seem to remember seeing a post in this thread where someone said something about new evidence being available? Did that happen?

 

[WiseOwl]

I seem to remember seeing a post in this thread where someone said something about new evidence being available? Did that happen?

That was a post from @Jen Jarvie in December 2023. She stated that 'there are recent developments which will be published in the media in the next week or so.'

As yet, these developments have not been published AFAIK.

 

[dotr]

Jul 29, 2025 Criminal Record
'Daily Record crime reporter Norman Silvester is joined by Ann Marie Cockburn whose mother Ann Heron from Glasgow was murdered on August 3, 1990 while sunbathing in the garden of her home near Darlington, County Durham. Ann Marie was found around 6pm that evening in a pool of blood by her husband Peter Heron who was a haulage contractor. It remains one of Britain's most baffling unsolved murders and Ann Marie is here to tell us why she hopes the man responsible can still be brought to justice - 35 years later'
'If you have a question for the team, you can email [email protected] with the subject line Criminal Record.'

May 2, 2021 rbbm
In this episode I speak to Jen Jarvie; a private investigator working with Ann's family to try and solve her case. I speak to Jen about her job role as a death investigator and she updates us on the new recent developments that could finally get Ann's case solved after over 30 years.

 

[ctaylor]

Have you any information that relates to the reward increasing to £50k?

Nothing about £50k in the newspapers archive but can see in 1999, The Sunday People put up a £10,000 reward for any information regarding various cases in a series of articles with John Stalker.

 

[ctaylor]

Please can we discuss the evidence against Benson?

Is it true that he was back behind bars in 1994, when the three letters were posted in Darlington

No, I posted a couple of years ago an article that said he escaped in 1989 but only caught in 1999 after 10 years free. Post is here : - UK - UK - Ann Heron, 44, found at home with throat cut, Darlington, 3 August 1990

 

[tes1984]

No, I posted a couple of years ago an article that said he escaped in 1989 but only caught in 1999 after 10 years free. Post is here : - UK - UK - Ann Heron, 44, found at home with throat cut, Darlington, 3 August 1990

Thanks for that. Strangely enough his girlfriend PH has the same name as a murder victim from a notorious Scottish 1980s case.

 

[WiseOwl]

Jul 29, 2025 Criminal Record
'Daily Record crime reporter Norman Silvester is joined by Ann Marie Cockburn whose mother Ann Heron from Glasgow was murdered on August 3, 1990 while sunbathing in the garden of her home near Darlington, County Durham. Ann Marie was found around 6pm that evening in a pool of blood by her husband Peter Heron who was a haulage contractor. It remains one of Britain's most baffling unsolved murders and Ann Marie is here to tell us why she hopes the man responsible can still be brought to justice - 35 years later'
'If you have a question for the team, you can email [email protected] with the subject line Criminal Record.'

May 2, 2021 rbbm
In this episode I speak to Jen Jarvie; a private investigator working with Ann's family to try and solve her case. I speak to Jen about her job role as a death investigator and she updates us on the new recent developments that could finally get Ann's case solved after over 30 years.

Thanks for posting this @dotr. Interesting to see there is a new senior investigating officer reviewing the case, lets hope they come up with something new.

I wonder what Ann Marie's views are on PH, she was busting a gut to tell but managed to hold back!

 

[rvlvr]

Interesting that at around 12m 35s Silvester says Benson was ruled out as police didn’t find any match between his DNA and ‘DNA found at the scene’. That’s the first I’ve heard of that? One for @Jen Jarvie perhaps.

 

[dotr]

2022 rbbm

Ann Heron murder: A look back at the 1990 unsolved killing

The much-loved mum was originally from Scotland and moved to Darlington in the mid-80s

www.gazettelive.co.uk

''Despite police tracking down the owners of 3,500 blue Fords, the car was never found.

And on July 18, 1990, two weeks before Ann was murdered, two women were attacked on a footpath beside the River Wear in Durham by a man who grabbed them and threatened them with a knife.

An artist’s impression of their attacker, which was shown on Crimewatch looks like Benson, she added.

"He was an escaped prisoner with a propensity for violence including assault with a shotgun, robbery with a carving knife, and burglary," she said.

"His whereabouts were unknown to police at the time as he'd escaped [from jail], and he had ties to the local area."

 

[tes1984]

Interesting that at around 12m 35s Silvester says Benson was ruled out as police didn’t find any match between his DNA and ‘DNA found at the scene’. That’s the first I’ve heard of that? One for @Jen Jarvie perhaps.

If Benson was sent back to prison in 1999, then I think his DNA would have been added to the national database.

Not that a lack of a DNA match necessarily rules him out.

I've read that the police are almost certain Benson was abroad in August 1990. Unfortunately they don't seem to provide any additional details about where he was.

 

[tes1984]

2022 rbbm

Ann Heron murder: A look back at the 1990 unsolved killing

The much-loved mum was originally from Scotland and moved to Darlington in the mid-80s

www.gazettelive.co.uk

And on July 18, 1990, two weeks before Ann was murdered, two women were attacked on a footpath beside the River Wear in Durham by a man who grabbed them and threatened them with a knife.

An artist’s impression of their attacker, which was shown on Crimewatch looks like Benson, she added.

"He was an escaped prisoner with a propensity for violence including assault with a shotgun, robbery with a carving knife, and burglary," she said.

"His whereabouts were unknown to police at the time as he'd escaped [from jail], and he had ties to the local area."

The attacks in Durham were 25 miles away from Darlington, and IIRC one of the attackers was described as having a beer belly, whereas the appeal for Benson's recapture described him as slim.

 

[rvlvr]

If Benson was sent back to prison in 1999, then I think his DNA would have been added to the national database.

Not that a lack of a DNA match necessarily rules him out.

I've read that the police are almost certain Benson was abroad in August 1990. Unfortunately they don't seem to provide any additional details about where he was.

Yeah, I thought Benson supposedly being abroad was the basis of it. Also, if only PH’s DNA was at the scene then what would they compare Benson’s DNA to?