POLICE yesterday confirmed that the unsolved murder mystery of Spital pensioner Alice Rye 'has gathered momentum'.

A 58-year-old man from Nantwich, Kevin Joseph Morrison, of The Pinfold, Wettenhall Road, Poole, near Nantwich, in Cheshire, appeared before Birkenhead Magistrates' Court yesterday (Tuesday).

He is charged with disposing of a gold bracelet, wrist watch and costume jewellery belonging to the Wirral widow in December 1996.

He also faces an allegation of attempting to pervert the course of justice by disposing of a knife he believed to be a murder weapon with intent to impede the apprehension of a person who committed the murder.

Prosecutor Peter Frost asked for a remand in custody. Defence lawyer Jeremy Rawson said he accepted inquiries were ongoing and did not apply for bail.

Morrison, wearing an orange sweatshirt and anorak, was remanded in custody until June 17 and committal proceedings were set for July 21.

Morrison also faces further unrelated allegations of theft, deception, receiving stolen property, rape and two other matters under the Sexual Offences Act.

A second man, aged 50, from Ellesmere Port, has been released on bail pending further inquiries.

Police are now renewing an appeal for information regarding the stabbing at Mrs Rye's home in Spital on December 10, 1996. Anyone with information, or who was in the Spital area at the time of her death and saw anyone acting suspiciously, is urged to contact the incident room at Bromborough on 777 2566 or Crimestoppers,0800 555 111

It was an horrific murder - the killer tied Mrs Rye's hands behind her back and left her semi-naked body in a bed.

The crime was featured on BBC's 'Crimewatch' and only recently did police scale down their operations while still vowing to catch the killer. Police want to interview a man seen staggering across the road opposite her home in Poulton Road around tea time on the day Mrs Rye was murdered.

Personal items and jewellery went missing from the house. The manhunt that followed the murder involved more than 4,000 inquiries and 1,600 statements.

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