PETER HEATON'S BRUTAL CRIME IN WIGAN: TEENAGE GIRL MURDER AND RAPE SHOCKS COMMUNITY
In a chilling case that shocked the town of Wigan, Peter David Heaton, aged 18, was found guilty of the horrific murder of Michelle Wareing, an 18-year-old girl whose life was tragically cut short in September 1989.The incident took place in the early hours after Michelle had left Scotts disco, a popular nightclub located in the heart of Wigan town centre.
On the night of September 9th into the early hours of September 10th, Michelle had been out with friends, enjoying her evening in the town.
She had met her friends earlier in the evening at 7:30 pm and together they visited the Bees Knees pub before moving on to other bars in the area.
Around 9:45 pm, Michelle arrived at Scotts Exclusive Nitespot disco on King Street, where she was seen in good spirits.
Her friends noted that she appeared her usual lively self during the night, but by 1 am, she was visibly tired.
Witnesses last saw her walking up King Street at approximately 10:10 am, heading towards Walgate, with her boyfriend, as she left in a taxi.
This was the final confirmed sighting of Michelle alive.
However, disturbing reports emerged indicating that Michelle may have been seen later that night.
Around 1:15 am, a witness observed a girl resembling Michelle standing against a wall in Standishgate, engaged in an argument with a man.
The man was described as being about 6 feet tall, slim, with short blonde hair, dressed in jeans and a light blue jumper.
Additionally, two other witnesses reported seeing a man and a woman arguing outside a multi-storey car park on Station Road between 1:15 am and 1:30 am.
One of these witnesses distinctly remembered the girl carrying a white shoulder bag similar to Michelle's.
Several reports also indicated hearing shouts and screams from the nearly deserted car park during that time.
Further accounts from a man walking home between 2 am and 2:30 am described seeing a young man near the exit of the car park.
He also observed another tall man with short blonde hair running from the entrance towards the town centre.
Tragically, Michelle's body was discovered approximately 15 yards from this location, indicating she was likely attacked close to the scene.
Michelle Wareing's body was found on September 11th, 1989, in some bushes off the Station Road car park, after her parents reported her missing the previous day.
Her belongings, including her purse and shoes, had been found on an embankment the day before by children out with their father.
Michelle resided with her parents and younger brother in Finchlet Crescent, New Springs, about a mile and a half from Wigan town centre.
She worked as a waitress at a local café and was described as a bright, friendly young woman.
Investigations revealed that Michelle had gone out with two friends on the night of her disappearance, and they had met earlier in the evening in the town centre.
The friends recounted that Michelle was her usual self during the night, but she appeared tired by 1 am.
The last confirmed sighting was at 10:10 am, when she was seen leaving King Street in a taxi.
In the days following her disappearance, police examined various leads, including reports of a red Ford Orion parked near the scene, with a license plate starting and ending with the letter 'E'.
Despite the lack of direct forensic evidence, blood group analysis linked Heaton to the scene, as his blood type matched that found at the crime scene, which was rare, present in only 8% of the population.
Heaton was initially arrested on charges related to the rape of a 15-year-old girl, which occurred on November 29th, 1989, in Pemberton.
During police questioning, authorities began to inquire about his movements on the night Michelle was murdered.
It was during this interrogation that Heaton, who had initially denied involvement, broke down and confessed to the murder, claiming he had been upset after a row with his girlfriend and had a sudden urge to attack someone.
Heaton also admitted to raping the 15-year-old girl, whom he had dragged into long grass, threatening to kill her if she screamed.
He was said to have sexually assaulted her and strangled her until she lost consciousness.
Despite his confessions, Heaton pleaded not guilty at trial, asserting that his statements were coerced by police who convinced him he had repressed the memory of the murder and implied leniency if he cooperated.
During the trial, it was noted that forensic evidence was limited, but his blood type matched that found at the scene.
Interestingly, a Crime Watch reconstruction of the murder failed to identify him, although he was filmed in the background by chance during filming, as he was passing by at the time.
Heaton was convicted of Michelle Wareing's murder on November 2nd, 1989, and also pleaded guilty to her rape.
The case remains a stark reminder of the brutal violence inflicted upon a young woman in Wigan, and the community continues to mourn the loss of Michelle Wareing, whose life was tragically taken in a senseless act of violence.
