Inquest opens into death of Nottinghamshire miner who went missing 57 years ago

Officers are treating the case as murder, after Mr Swinscoe's remains were found in a field in Nottinghamshire. Credit: Nottinghamshire Police

An inquest has opened into the death of Nottinghamshire miner Alfred Swinscoe, whose remains were found in a field more than 50 years after he went missing.

Officers, who are treating the case as murder, believe Mr Swinscoe was killed, and then buried in a grave between four and six feet deep at a much later date.

During the opening hearing of the inquest at Nottingham Council House, Coroner Rebecca Coddington said that Mr Swinscoe’s provisional cause of death had not yet been ascertained, but that a post-mortem examination had been carried out.

The former miner, who was 54, had been missing since 1967 until a member of the public came across skeletal remains on Coxmoor Road in Sutton-in-Ashfield on April 26 2023.

Mr Swinscoe was formally identified on May 28 2023 by DNA analysis results which provided "extremely strong" support for the proposition that the identified deceased was Alfred Swinscoe.

Scientific examinations have shown that Mr Swinscoe died with a broken hand, which police believe may have been sustained while trying to fight off an attacker or attackers.

He also sustained a significant stab injury and blunt force trauma to parts of his body.

It is thought his remains were moved from where he was killed at a much later date, due to the fact that some bones were missing from the site where he was found.

Mr Swinscoe was last seen at approximately 10.30pm when he gave his son some money to buy a round at the Miners Arms in Pinxton in January 1967 and then left to use the outside toilet. He never returned.

Issuing an investigation update on Friday 16 August, police said that two potential suspects have been identified but that both were no longer alive.

Speaking at the inquest, the coroner said: "I certify that in accordance to my statutory duty, I have now opened an inquest touching on the death of Alfred Swinscoe.

"This hearing now stands adjourned for completion of further inquires and will be resumed for a final hearing on a date to be fixed.

"I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere condolences to Mr Swinscoe's family, friends, and loved ones.

"Whilst I have course of knowledge that it has been a long time since Mr Swinscoe disappeared, it doesn't distract from the significance of the loss."

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