11:00am Tuesday 7th August 2012
By Clive White
A police officer who appeared on Crimewatch with Fiona Bruce, in an appeal to help solve the mystery of how an Oriental woman’s body came to be found on the side of Pen-y-Ghent, has retired after 30 years in the force.
It was one of a number of top investigations in which Detective Constable Pete Elliott was involved -– but this one remains unsolved after eight years.
DC Elliott, a father of three, leaves North Yorkshire Police, which he joined in 1982, with a number of commendations under his belt and of memories working for the London Metropolitan Police between 2006 and 2007 in counter terrorism.
During that time he was separated from his wife Adele and three children, but was able to see them on occasional weekends in the hotel where he was billeted in Kensington.
“It is sad to go. I have loved the job. Not many people can say that after 30 years. When I emptied my desk there was a tear in my eye. The worst thing was handing over my warrant card. But it has had to come to an end,” said DC Elliott who lives in Skipton .
Among his commendations was one for the investigation into the murder of a man in York in connection with a multi-million pound cannabis factory.
The inquiry was sparked when the victim’s body came to the surface of the Selby canal when frozen water melted.
One of the most disturbing inquiries, for which he received a coroner’s commendation, was into the deaths of two Leeds school girls who were drowned at Stainforth in 2000.
In 1991 he faced one of his scariest moments as a police officer when he was confronted by a man who had fired a sawn-off gun on the Greatwood estate in Skipton. He was commended by the judge for his bravery and courageous action.
He received another judge’s commendation for his work in the investigation into a series of acts of indecency by a teacher at Malsis School, Cross Hills .
And another commendation came in 1995 for his “diligence and tenacity” when investigating the murder of a man whose body was found on Newby Moor at Clapham.
At 48, DC Elliott intends to have a few months relaxing with his family, taking a holiday and then looking for another challenge.
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