INNOCENT Eddie Gilfoyle
The Official Campaign Website
Page from 'Gooch Report' - the 'Practise Noose'
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Curiously, police carried out another search of the garage on 23 June 1992. A forensic scientist, Phillip Rydeard was present. He mentioned to officers the possibility of finding evidence which might be useful ‘such as ropes’. Later that day, police said they discovered a rope in a drawer in the garage. It was tied in a slip knot. At Eddie’s subsequent trial, the prosecution alleged he had used this rope as a "practice noose". The garage at Grafton Drive was small, compact and virtually empty. It beggars belief that such a significant item would not have been spotted immediately when officers conducted their previous search of the garage on 8 June 1992.
Below is an extract from the heavily redacted Lancashire Police report which states that when the original search of the garage at Grafton drive was conducted, PC Cartwright was adamant that the rope was not in the drawer at the time.