UPDATED: See below..12-12-2008 United Kingdom:
London A 52-year-old man who was understood to be a convicted paedophile has been found stabbed to death in southwest London.
Andrew Cunningham died from multiple wounds to the head, neck and chest at his caravan in Wandsworth, which was parked at the haulage depot where he worked. Stab wounds were also found to his genitals, a police source told The Sun. “He was loathed by a large number of people so we have a lot of potential suspects,” the source said.
Cunningham spent four months in jail in 2001 for raping a girl aged under 13 and was arrested again in 2002, although no charges were pressed. He had reportedly been targeted by vigilantes before. His former house had been set on fire soon after he was released from jail, the paper said. ..News Source.. by The Times
Convicted paedophile stabbed to death in 'vigilante' attack
A murder hunt is under way after a former child sex offender was found brutally stabbed to death.
The victim, thought to be Andrew Cunningham, 52, who had been convicted of raping a schoolgirl, died from multiple knife wounds to the head, neck and chest.
He also suffered ‘non-fatal injuries’, according to the police, which was said to include damage to his genitals.
The truck driver was found in blood in his caravan where he worked at the Riverside Haulage company in Wandsworth, South West London.
The Metropolitan Police said the gruesome discovery was made at 8am on Wednesday.
Cunningham’s employer, who would not give his name, found the body and said there was no sign of forced entry.
He added: 'He had a stab wound in his neck and there was blood everywhere. The bed was soaked with it and his head was lying in it.'
‘The post-mortem revealed non-fatal injuries to other parts of his body but we are not discussing these further for operational reasons,’ a police spokesman said.
Detective Chief Inspector Nick Scola, leading the investigation, said: ‘We’re currently at an early stage in our inquiries and are keeping an open mind about the circumstances of this man’s death.
‘I would ask anyone who was in the area last night or in the early hours of this morning and saw or heard anything suspicious to get in touch with us.’
Cunningham had been targeted by hate mobs who had yelled ‘Die, paedo, die’ at him, according to The Sun.
A police source told the paper: ‘He was loathed by a large number of people so we have a lot of potential suspects.’
Cunningham, a father of five estranged from a former partner, spent four months in prison in 2001 for raping a schoolgirl under 13.
He was arrested again in 2003 but no charges were pressed.
Soon afterwards vigilantes set fire to his former home in a Wandsworth street after it was claimed he was grooming children.
And drinkers at a pub recently accused him of fondling a barmaid’s two-year-old daughter.
The police source said his murder was ‘almost certainly connected to new offences rather than those that took place in 2001’.
Detectives, who believe more than one person was involved in the killing, reportedly had to identify him using fingerprints because none of his relatives would go to the morgue.
Officers are studying CCTV film from around the murder scene. And they appealed for anyone who saw anything suspicious to come forward. ..News Source.. by Daily Mail Reporter
Police 'no nearer to solving' Earlsfield sex offender Andrew Cunningham murder
7-17-2009 United Kingdom:
A 50-year-old man was arrested in connection with the murder of Earlsfield sex offender Andrew Cunningham - but was later released.
The arrest took place at 9am on Thursday, July 9, but he was then bailed while police continued their inquiries.
Despite a £20,000 reward issued in June for information leading to the killer, police say they still have nothing concrete to go on.
Detective Chief Inspector Nick Scola said: “We are still appealing for witnesses. We are no nearer to solving the case.”
Mr Cunningham, who was convicted of unlawful sex with a 15-year-old girl in 2001, was last seen at 6.10pm on Tuesday, December 9, outside his caravan in Riverside Road.
The 52-year-old was found dead the next day with his genitals mutilated and with stab wounds to the head, neck and chest.
Police later said raiders had ransacked the caravan, opening Christmas presents and stealing a wallet containing up to £6,000.
A Scottish £100 note was also missing, but no far no-one has come forward to say they have seen it.
In June an audio clip was played on Crimewatch but it lead to yet another dead end.
Although locals assumed the murder was connected with Mr Cunningham’s sex conviction, police have said they believe it was a burglary that turned violent.
Officers are still looking at CCTV footage, forensic tests from the caravan and the background and lifestyle of the victim.
Two people were arrested at the beginning of the investigation, but later released.
The third man was bailed to return to a south London police station in early September. ..Source.. by This Is Local London
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