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| NEWS | By RICHARD OSLEY and DAVID ST GEORGE |
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STUMPED detectives insist the seven-year hunt for the killer of a man knifed outside a Camden Town nightclub will go on – even though Scotland Yard’s prime suspect has been cleared of the brutal stabbing. Matthew O’Connor, 42, walked free from the Old Bailey last Wednesday morning after being acquitted of murdering graphic designer Ronald Hinkson outside the Barzaar nightclub in Camden Road. He had spent the past three years, two months and 29 days in custody after being arrested by Thai police in the paradise beach resort of Pattaya, near Bangkok. Following a round-the-world investigation, extradition and trial, now thought to have cost £3 million, Mr O’Connor was also cleared of the lesser charge of manslaughter. Officially, Scotland Yard is not commenting on the future of their inquiry, with press chiefs refusing interview time with journalists. A spokesman said: “We would not normally comment on cases where we have not secured a conviction.” Their stance means questions surrounding a £21,000 reward already paid to a police informant or why so many potential witnesses were allowed to leave the scene on the night of the killing remain unanswered, despite New Journal inquiries. Two hundred people were in Barzaar – a venue favoured by celebrities – but police were able to trace and speak to only half of them. Privately, detectives say they can still unlock the mystery by finding more of the missing witnesses. “It’s not too late for the truth to come out,” one senior officer said, in a New Journal exclusive. “We need, of course, a breakthrough if we are ever to solve this crime. We are still hopeful that witnesses will come forward, even after the passing of years. A lot of people were about on the night Ronnie died and they can give us answers.” High-ranked officers are reviewing their options but have told this newspaper they are keen for a new appeal to be launched. The detective who spoke to the New Journal added: “Someone out there knows the identity of the person who did for Ronnie that night. We appeal to anyone to get in touch and let us know. The family deserve a resolution. If only there had been CCTV in operation. We may have been able to positively identify people involved.” During the trial, the jury asked the judge why six named men present at Barzaar had not been called to testify and whether any knives were discovered during a police search of Mr O’Connor’s flat. The jury also asked about one man, Mark Mendy, who was quizzed at the trial. “If Mark Mendy knows from names on the street who killed Ronnie, can he name them?” asked the jury. Judge Stephen Kramer told them: “I can’t assist you. The evidence is now closed. You will hear no more.” Mr Hinkson, 32, died on Sunday September 14, 1997, from two fatal knife wounds. He had been partying at the venue with friends as they celebrated his birthday. Mr O’Connor, a former amateur boxer and martial arts expert, abandoned his home in Harrington Street, Regent’s Park, and left the country using a false passport to start a new life in Thailand selling bogus sports goods. He later told an Old Bailey jury he left the UK in fear of a revenge attack but repeatedly denied attacking Mr Hinkson. Bangkok police arrested Mr O’Connor – who worked as a black cab driver but managed Barzaar part-time – in 2001. He was discharged on a not guilty verdict after a jury was unable to reach a conclusion on a remaining charge of wounding, arising from a flashpoint between Mr O’Connor and Mr Hinkson, of Grafton Terrace, Kentish Town, earlier in the evening. Mr Hinkson’s face was cut when a glass Mr O’Connor was holding shattered on his cheek but the defendant insisted it was an accident. Leaving the court to spend his first free Christmas in three years, Mr O’Connor, wearing a navy blue sweatshirt, declined to comment as he hurried with his legal team into a waiting black cab. He grew up in Kentish Town, attending the old Sir Richard of Chichester School, but it is not known whether he has returned to Camden since his name was cleared. Meanwhile, the New Journal has learned that an informant who helped detectives track down Mr O’Connor to his Thai hideout is under police protection. Ian Muirhead, 50, who gave evidence at the trial shielded from the public gallery, has already been paid £21,000 in reward money. A convicted smuggler, he was once arrested by FBI agents in Florida for possessing cocaine and having counterfeit currency. Mr Muirhead – the prosecution’s chief witness – was later promised immunity from prosecution or a ‘get out of jail card’ in exchange for giving evidence at the trial. Defence QC David Whitehouse told the Old Bailey: “If O’Connor was guilty of murder, he would never have trusted his secret to a man like Muirhead.” Mr Hinkson’s mother, Daisy Gobay, refused to attend court for the final days of the court proceedings after Mr O’Connor’s acquittal on murder and manslaughter charges. She said: “I don’t want to be involved. I have waited seven years for justice – and I am still waiting. “It says that it is not safe to be in Camden because there is a murderer there. The police have put a lot of work into this, I was happy with the detectives who took over the case but they should have checked people at the club.” |
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