A Routine Case for the Forensic Science Laboratory
| Date | 01 August 1965 |
| DOI | 10.1177/0032258X6503800803 |
| Published date | 01 August 1965 |
| Subject Matter | Article |
Critninal
A. A.
MUIR
ChiefConstable
of
Durham
Investi~ation
AROUTINE
~ASE
FOR
THE
FORENSI~
S~IEN~E
LABORATORY
On January 10, 1957, Agnes Johnston, 24 years, single woman,
was reported to have been missing from her home since 4.30 p.m.
on Saturday, January 5, 1957. On March 14, 1957, the body of this
woman was recovered from the River Wear near Union Hall Farm,
Brasside, County Durham. Death was due to asphyxia by a ligature
of thick string found round her neck. On April 15, 1957, at 8 p.m.
Albert Victor White, 36 years, was arrested and charged with the
murder of Agnes Johnston.
This is an outline of the evidence.
The
Background
About the beginning of 1952, Agnes got work as a maid at a
farm at Waterhouses and whilst employed there she became
acquainted with White who was working on an open cast coal
mining site nearby. He did not tell her he was married; they started
to keep company and went out together. White visited her home
and was introduced to the parents as her young man. He proposed
marriage, was accepted and arrangements made for the wedding.
At that time they were having sexual intercourse.
It
appears Agnes found out that White was married for they
ceased to see one another about the the beginning of 1953; about
this time she found she was pregnant and left her employment to
live at home. She gave birth to a female child on August 27, 1953.
At Durham magistrates' court on October 28, 1953, White
admitted to being the father of the child and an order was made
for payment of
lOs.
per week for the child, lOs. expenses and £2 2s.
costs.
At some later date, according to White, they started seeing one
another again and intercourse took place. Agnes was visiting
Durham city every Saturday ostensibly to go to the cinema.
About the end of November or beginning of December, 1955,
White and Agnes with their child, Olive, left their respective homes
to live together as man and wife in rooms at Middlesbrough. Agnes
and the child returned to the home of her parents just before Christ-
mas Day, 1955, after she
had
written to them to say she had made
a mistake.
She continued to visit Durham city on Saturdays until the time
she failed to return home.
August 1965 360
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