Beast of Wombwell, 80, dies days after rape conviction
A NOTORIOUS killer nicknamed the Beast of Wombwell has died just days after being convicted of raping a teenage girl almost five decades ago.
Peter Pickering died aged 80 after 45 years in a psychiatric hospital for the killing of 14-yearold Shirley Ann Boldy in 1972.
He was being held at Thornford Park psychiatric hospital, near Newbury, Berkshire, while he was on trial for another sex attack which happened just weeks before he strangled Shirley.
In harrowing evidence, the victim, now in her 60s, told how she was picked up by Pickering and taken to a secluded spot.
He then cut off her underwear with a knife, handcuffed her, raped her, burned her breasts with cigarettes and told her she was going to be killed.
Pickering was jailed for Shirley’s rape and murder in 1972.
He was also a prime suspect in the murder of 14-year-old Elsie Frost, of Barnsley, South Yorkshire.
Shirley’s killing happened five months after Pickering had been released from jail for sex attacks on another two teenage girls.
Detective Superintendent Nick Wallen, of West Yorkshire Police Homicide and Major Enquiry Team, said: “We can now formally confirm that Peter Pickering was the man we arrested and interviewed over the last two years as part of the renewed investigation into the murder of 14-year-old schoolgirl Elsie Frost in Wakefield in 1965.
“We strongly suspected that Peter Pickering was responsible for her murder.
“We had been liaising with the Crown Prosecution Service and it was our expectation that Pickering would be charged in due course.
“His unexpected death clearly means that will no longer happen.
“We have informed all of those involved in the case of this development.
“We will be liaising with the West Yorkshire coroner to ascertain what proceedings are now necessary in relation to Elsie Frost’s death.”