Reconstruction hit by TV switch (From The Advertiser Series)

Reconstruction hit by TV switch

10:58am Thursday 2nd July 2009

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A TV reconstruction of a burglars’ attack on an elderly ex-GP fell victim to the drama on the tennis courts of Wimbledon.

Crimewatch on Monday night featured the raid on the home of 92-year-old William Benson in Stanley, late on October 17 last year. He was beaten and lay injured for nine hours before he was found by his carer, Cheryl Peacock.

But the show was moved from BBC1 to BBC2 because Andy Murray’s victory, which was screened live, did not finish until 10.38pm.

Det Insp Geoff Smith said: “We were aware there were a lot of people watching Andrew Murray and they stayed with that programme rather than watch Crimewatch. We are hoping they catch up on the Crimewatch website and also on the I-Player.”

Det Insp Smith said that the show had still yielded a couple of useful calls about the break-in.

One had shed light on the maker of a lamp that is thought to have been left at the house by the burglars when they fled.

Callers also said that three men fitting the suspects’ descriptions were in the Black Horse pub, near Dr Benson’s home, three weeks before the raid.

“We think they may have been there planning the attack so we are going to follow that lead up as soon as we can.”

Det Insp Smith said he was fairly certain that two of the gang were only there for a burglary and had no plan to assault Dr Benson.

“The violence started when they found the safe and couldn’t get the keys.

They were intent on getting into the safe because they thought there was a considerable amount of money.

There wasn’t and Dr Benson didn’t know where the keys were so he couldn’t help them. That’s when the assault took place.”

Det Insp Smith said he thought that those two burglars had “cold feet”

about the level of violence inflicted on the victim.

Anyone with information is urged to call Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800-555111, Det Insp Smith on 0345-6060-365 or see the website at www.bbc.co.uk/crimewatch.

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