A RETIRED police offer has revealed his shock after discovering he was once a suspect in an unsolved murder case.

Alan Williams served as a Greater Manchester Police officer from 1968 until his retirement in 1989, but it took him 14 years after retirement to learn detectives once considered him a possible killer.

Mr Williams, who is now aged 81, has written of the revelation in his memoirs, which went on sale this week with all proceeds going to charity.

In the book, called The Truth Fairy, Mr Williams describes how the intriguing tale began with a minor car crash in the autumn of 1973.

Mr Williams, of Chadderton, wrote: "My father had been driving through Bury when he was involved in a minor collision.

"The other driver, with what my dad described as an old banger, seemed a nice fellow, who told dad not to be concerned (by the minor damage).

Things took a sinister twist a week later when Mr Williams' father received an invoice for £45 to pay for the damage to the other driver's vehicle.

Mr Williams goes onto write about how he and a colleague looked into the driver, Tom Hewitt, and were able to determine that he had sold the vehicle and there was no damage to it.

"We handed the results over to Bury CID and Mr Hewitt was arrested and charged with obtaining money by false pretences," wrote Mr Williams.

Mr Hewitt originally agreed to plead guilty, but changed his mind at the last minute and stood trial.

Mr Williams wrote: "I was present (at the trial) and…the solicitor trashed my dad and he came away from the dock in tears.

"I said to somebody (after the trial) ‘I hope to sort (Mr Hewitt) out one day.' What a rash comment to make."

Just five months after the trial, Mr Hewitt, aged 30, was attacked with an iron bar at his garage workshop in Bright Street, Bury, and died at Salford Royal Hospital.

Mr Williams wrote: "Many years after (in 2003), Bob Helm, one of my friends (and former colleagues) opened this (investigation) again as a cold case review.

"He was amazed to find me along with my dad as suspects.

"Of course, both of us were cleared of any involvement and the case remains unsolved to this day."

Mr Williams told the Bury Times: "I was shocked to find out they could consider me a suspect.

"My dad was interviewed by police at the time of the murder, but it was a big surprise that I was linked to it too."

Mr Williams took six months to write the book and told his wife, Dot, last Friday about the project after keeping it under wraps.

"She was surprised, but very proud," he said.

There is no price for the book, but Mr Williams is suggesting a minimum £5 donation.

Proceeds will be split between the Alzheimer’s Society, Cancer Research UK and Prostate Cancer UK.

Call Bob Laing on 07967 108 524 or email dotalwill@gmail.com to buy the book.