£50k reward offered to find girl's killer

Lisa Hession had been walking home alone when she was attacked in 1984

Police are continuing to offer a £50,000 reward to identify the killer who sexually assaulted and strangled a girl as she walked back from a party 40 years ago.

The body of 14-year-old Lisa Hession was discovered in an alley just 200 yards (183m) away from her home before midnight on 8 December 1984 in Leigh, Greater Manchester.

Her mother Christine, who died in 2016, had reported Lisa missing at about 22:45 GMT when she had not returned home at her expected time of 22:30 GMT.

Martin Bottomley, head of the cold case unit at Greater Manchester Police, said: "Her mother Christine never got to see her daughter grow up and she died never knowing who killed Lisa."

Lisa Hession's body was found in an alleyway near Rugby Road on 8 December 1984

Police say they obtained a DNA sample that could lead to the conviction of Lisa's killer but had never found a match and no-one was ever charged with the murder.

Mr Bottomley said the case had been "subject to a number of reviews since 1984".

"The reviews have concentrated on using advances in forensic techniques and investigating all information provided to GMP by members of the public.

"There is a £50,000 reward for information leading to the identification and conviction of the killer."

Crimewatch appeal

Lisa, who was involved in cross-country running and gymnastics, and her boyfriend had been at a friend's house on the evening of 8 December.

At 22:15 GMT, she left her friends to walk the 15-minute route alone to her Bonneywell Road home.

She never made it and her body was found by a member of the public in an alley near Rugby Road.

A BBC Crimewatch appeal in 2005 led to 27 calls, some of which came from women concerned about the behaviour of their partners at the time of the murder.