Police investigating 1966 Beenham murder were "corrupt", claims barrister

David Burgess, aged 64, formerly of Beenham, was in court today (Tuesday) for the second day of his trial after he was accused of murdering 17-year-old Yolande Waddington (pictured), who was found dead in a ditch in Beenham on October 30, 1966.
In his opening statement today, Joel Bennathan QC, defending Mr Burgess, told the court that his client did not kill Miss Waddington, and claimed that members of the police team leading the investigation into Miss Waddington’s death at the time were "corrupt".
Yesterday the prosecution told jurors that Mr Burgess confessed to murdering Miss Waddington to two separate prison officers at Durham Prison, where he was serving a prison sentence for the murders of nine-year-olds Jeanette Wigmore and Jacqueline Williams in Beenham on April 17, 1967.
However, during today’s proceedings Mr Bennathan QC told the jury: “Do not start off being so horrified that the man standing over there is a double child murderer. The real temptation is just to say we know he’s a monster, we know he killed them (Jeanette Wigmore and Jacqueline Williams), he must have killed someone else. Life is more complicated than that.
“David Burgess has spent the last 45 years telling people that would listen and some people that wouldn’t listen that he didn’t kill those two little girls (Jeanette Wigmore and Jacqueline Williams).”
Miss Waddington was last seen alive at the Six Bells pub in Beenham shortly after 10.30pm on October 28, 1966 – two days later her clothes were found in a barn and her body was found in a ditch near Hall Place Farm, Beenham, which is less than a mile from the pub.
Mr Bennathan QC said witnesses due to be called during the trial saw Mr Burgess walking home alone after he left the Six Bells pub shortly after Miss Waddington.
He also argued that there were other candidates who could have gone into the barn with Miss Waddington on the night she was murdered.
Mr Bennathan QC also told the jury not to be ‘blinded by science’, after the prosecution claimed yesterday (Monday) that Mr Burgess’ blood has been traced on items found at the scene, including a polythene ICI fertilizer sack, a comb, and Miss Waddington’s white hair band.
The trial continues.
Follow the trial on Newburytoday.co.uk and our sister newspaper, the Newbury Weekly News.