Cold case cops tap into memories of Euro '96 to solve student's murder 30 years on

Cold case cops tap into memories of Euro '96 to solve student's murder 30 years on Cold case cops are hoping to invoke to memory of Paul Gascoigne's goal against Scotland 30 years ago as they continue to probe the death of Janet Murgatroyd A £20,000 reward is being offered to catch those responsible for the murder of a law student 30 years ago. Cold case cops are hoping to tap into memories of Euro '96 as they continue to probe the death of Janet Murgatroyd, 20, whose body was found in a river after a night out. Andrew Geenwood, then 28, was convicted of manslaughter in 2003 and jailed for eight years. However the following year he was released after the conviction was quashed on appeal. Janet was killed in the early hours of June 16. Thirty years on Crimestoppers has issued a plea for information that leads to the arrest and prosecution of those responsible. Janet had been out with a friend on the evening of Saturday 15 June 1996, a day marked by the Manchester Arndale bombing and the England v Scotland Euro '96 match. Today, in a statement released through Lancashire Constabulary, Janet's mother, Mary, said: “Janet Murgatroyd, my only child, was brutally murdered 30 years ago. The perpetrator is still at large; someone knows who this man is.” Janet and her friend were at the Adelphi pub in Preston, Lancashire, before they were separated. Janet left the pub with a known man who she walked down Fishergate with before they parted company in the Church Street area. CCTV later captured Janet walking alone along Fishergate, heading towards her home in Penwortham. Lancashire Police previously said Janet was a part-time police staff member and they believed the attack was sexually motivated. Two witnesses described hearing the sound of a female moaning and saw a man crouched down on the bank of the River Ribble. Her body was found later floating in the water. The cause of death was drowning and head injuries, a post-mortem examination found. Mary added: “Janet was on her way home after a day celebrating with her pal, having bought tickets for a holiday abroad. She couldn’t get a taxi, so she started to walk home to Penwortham. I need closure, this continues to affect me and my siblings. The killer needs putting away.” In a direct appeal a spokesperson for Lancashire Constabulary said: "You might remember that hot summer’s day because of two significant events. The IRA detonated a bomb at the Arndale shopping centre in Manchester that morning, causing devastating damage in the area. In the afternoon, England played Scotland at Wembley in Euro 96, Paul ‘Gazza’ Gascoigne scoring a memorable goal on the way to a 2-0 victory." Det Chief Insp Bryony Midgley, of the Major Crime Review Team, said: “Janet was a young woman who loved life and was loved by so many people. She had so much going for her and that was taken away when she was attacked and killed as she walked home. “Janet should have been able to get home safely that night, she was entitled to feel safe as she made her way home from Preston to Penwortham. Someone saw her on that journey home and for whatever reason attacked Janet and murdered her. It is horrifying to think of what she experienced. “It is 30 years since Janet was killed but we remain determined to get justice for Janet and her family. DNA technology and scientific approaches have significantly improved over the last 30 years, so I hope we will be able to take advantage of this as part of our investigation. We continue to appeal for information. It might be that you saw something that night or have information which you didn’t contact police about in 1996 or in the years since. “It might be that relationships and loyalties have changed since then, and you are now able to speak to us. Something you saw at the time might not have seemed relevant and you didn’t report it, but it could help our investigation. “If you were in the area around Fishergate Hill and Penwortham Bridge late on June 15 and into the early hours of June 16, and you haven’t spoken to our officers, I ask you to please get in contact. We have a dedicated team of detectives working on the investigation."