Firefighters failed to spot murder victim in burned-out car
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Your support makes all the difference.An investigation has been ordered after firefighters who doused a blazing car failed to spot a dead man lying on the rear seat. The body was discovered 15 hours later by two teenagers.
Officers from the Hereford and Worcester Fire Brigade were called to the fire on Wednesday evening, but it was not until Thursday lunchtime that police were told about the body.
Detectives believe John Brosnan, 50, a father of three, was beaten to death before the black L-registered Ford Mondeo hatchback was set on fire in an isolated track. Police think he may have been the victim of an underworld revenge killing.A murder inquiry is underway.
The boys, aged 14 and 16, found the body when they went to examine the wreckage in Weatheroak, Redditch. They told a farmer who raised the alarm.
West Mercia Police revealed that Mr Brosnan, who was unemployed, had been in volved in armed robberies and served a jail sentence for assault. Detectives believe he was still involved in criminal activities and they intend to quiz his underworld contacts who may hold the key to the murder.
Police are trying to piece together Mr Brosnan's movements after he left his partner, Anne Davis, at their home in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire at 10.45am on Wednesday, saying he intended to visit an acquaintance in Birmingham.
Firefighters were called out at 8.40pm on Wednesday to tackle a fire which wrecked his car.
But police were only informed that a body had been found in the Mondeo on Thursday lunchtime.
"Mr Brosnan was given a vicious and ferocious beating which quite clearly led to his death," said Detective Superintendent Ian Johnston, who is leading the murder hunt.
"He had extensive bruising to both sides of his jaw, his eyes and forehead and we are reasonably sure he was dead before the fire started.
"It's too early to speculate on whether this was a revenge attack. But Mr Brosnan is known to have been involved in serious robbery offences.
"He has been involved with some well known active criminals throughout the Midlands. He was not a low level criminal.
"Quite clearly we have to bear his background in mind and that will be one of our lines of inquiry. We have to look at his associates to see if they give us any indications for the murder," Det Supt Johnston said.
"Mr Brosnan was not a man who always made his whereabouts known to his family," he added.
Detectives were carrying out house-to-house inquiries in Leamington Spa yesterday and police were still seeking to trace the acquaintance Mr Brosnan had intended to visit.
Det Supt Johnston said the murder inquiry had not been hampered by the fire brigade's failure to find his body.
"We may have expected that they could have found the body, yes," he said. "But I don't believe significant forensic evidence has been lost. Most of it was consumed by the fire anyway."
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