Elsie Frost case: Tip-off into 1965 killing 'turned down'

Elsie Frost's body was found by a railway tunnel with several stab wounds

A tip-off from another police force about a potential suspect in the 1965 killing of a teenage girl was turned down in initial inquiries, it emerged.

The revelations came in a High Court hearing which ruled a new inquest into Elsie Frost's death could go ahead.

It heard West Yorkshire Police turned down Metropolitan Police information suggesting convicted child killer Peter Pickering could be a suspect.

Elsie, 14, was stabbed to death as she walked back to her Wakefield home.

A new police investigation in 2015 led officers to believe Pickering - who died last year at the age of 80 - was responsible for her death.

In Wednesday's ruling, Lord Justice Irwin and Mr Justice Jay said a new inquest was in the "public interest and the interest of the bereaved families".

Elsie's body was found on 9 October 1965 beneath a railway line in Wakefield

"The existence of fresh evidence obtained by West Yorkshire Police into the circumstances of Elsie's death means that it is necessary or desirable in the interests of justice that the public record should accurately reflect what is known about the facts of her death," the judges said.

The appeal was brought by Elsie's brother Colin Frost and funded by an online appeal.

Part of the new evidence cited by the judges includes an allegation that the Metropolitan Police sent a telegram in October 1965 to the Wakefield City Police stating they regarded Pickering "as a potential suspect".

The judges' ruling said: "Colin Frost understands that the Metropolitan Police offered to provide files relating to Mr Pickering to the Wakefield investigation.

"However, on 25th October 1965 Wakefield City Police did not accept this offer and ruled out Mr Pickering as a suspect."

Peter Pickering (pictured in 1972) was suspected of murdering Elsie Frost

Pickering, who was in prison for the 1972 murder of Shirley Boldy in Barnsley, died before a decision whether to charge him was made by the Crown Prosecution Service.

West Yorkshire Police said it welcomed the announcement of a new inquest and added the hearing "may take place towards the end of this year".