Dorset’s ‘unclaimed dead’: 12 people still unidentified since 1974

Police are still working to identify 12 people who have died in the county since the 1970s.

The most recent case dates from February 2009 when the body of a middle-aged Indonesian man was discovered in a toilet at the KK Thai Restaurant in Christchurch Road.

He had been known to people in the Boscombe area for some 20 years as either Charlie or Kwan.

However, his real identity has never been discovered.

Louise Vesely-Shore, a senior officer from the National Crime Agency’s Missing Persons Bureau, said: "Potentially, there are family and friends out there who are worried and wondering what has happened.

"There are people who will be missing them and will always wonder.

"Those people won't have closure until they know what has happened."

Many of the county's unidentified bodies are dredged from the sea.

The oldest case in Dorset dates from August 1974, when a man aged between 45 and 55 was found among the rocks on the beach at Bowleaze Cove in Weymouth.

On January 6, 2000, the body of a white European man aged between 16 and 35 was found in Poole Harbour.

He had been wearing brown trousers, black ankle boots, a black belt and red and green striped socks when he died.

He was also wearing unusual underwear which had been bought from a catalogue and ordered by just 427 people, police say.

"In areas with a significant coastline, there may be more unidentified bodies," Ms Vesely-Shore said.

"It certainly makes identification more difficult."

In August 2006, the skeletal remains of a man aged 40 to 100 were found under a mattress in a dip at Parley Common. It is believed the remains may have been at the site for some six years. They were discovered when arsonists started a heath fire.

Detectives were able to ascertain that the man had lost his teeth before his death and was probably right-handed. His name remains unknown.

Ms Vesely-Shore said: "Families go through anguish and concern when they don't know what has happened to someone, even if they haven't spoken to each other for many years."

A spokesperson from Dorset Police said officers work hard to identify those who die in the county.

"Dorset Police carries out a huge amount of work to establish the identity of a body that has been discovered, on behalf of the coroner," she said.

"On occasion some of these thorough investigations do not lead to the identification of a body.

"There are currently 12 bodies that have not been identified in Dorset since 1974. Many of the cases date back to the 1970s and 1980s.

"We are in regular contact with the Missing Persons Bureau and these cases are subject to review periodically."

The twelve people still unidentified:

On August 30 1974, a man aged between 45 and 55 was found among the rocks on the beach at Bowleaze Cove, Weymouth. He had receding grey hair, hazel eyes, a Roman nose and false teeth. The man was wearing a green-coloured tweed jacket, beige trousers, a blue best, a black-and-white checked shirt, a brown tie, a brown plastic belt and blue braces. He was also wearing a gold Tressa watch.

On September 10 1974, a woman's body was found in a beach hut at the Cobb in Lyme Regis. The woman, a white European aged between 40 and 50, had fair, curly hair and grey eyes. She had eight gold fillings and was wearing a blue raincoat, paisley blouse, brown trousers and brown socks.

The body of a white European man aged between 20 and 50 was discovered at Yellowham Hill in Dorchester on March 17 1975. He had died of amytal and mandrax poisoning around six to nine months before. The man wore an expensive grey suit designed by Aquascutum, a clip-on brown tie, a red and white striped t-shirt and a white string vest. He had a Parker pen in his pocket and carried with him various items, including a leather case with bank notes inside, a Yale-type key with R.S.T printed on on side and 8D on the other, two toothbrushes, a large pink comb, toothpaste and a book containing maps of the British Isles. A wooden coat hanger and a mauve Van Heusan shirt were also found.

The decomposed remains of a man aged between 25 and 35 were recovered from the sea off Canford Cliffs on March 7 1978. The man was wearing casual beige trousers, white boxers with a bow tie design, grey socks, a black leather belt and black leather shoes in size 7.5.

The remains of a white European man aged between 20 and 30 were recovered from the sea at Stair Hole, Lulworth Cove at 5.35pm on March 30 1980. Police believed he had been in the water for between 24 hours and a week. The man, who had collar-length dark brown hair and a full beard, may have died of a drug overdose.

The words 'British sub mariners academy' were found printed on the blue cord trousers of a man who washed up in Weymouth Harbour on November 4 1983. The man, a white European aged 25 to 35, had dark brown, collar-length hair and protruding upper teeth. He was also wearing a maroon anorak, a brown-and-green checked shirt, a beige t-shirt, a knitted jumper and brown Frickers shoes in size 10.5. The man had been wearing a Wem digital watch and carrying a brown leather wallet with £19.07 inside at the time of his death.

The body of a man aged between 45 and 60 was found 'slumped in a ditch' near Manor Farm in Weymouth on July 29 1986. The man had grey, short hair and brown eyes. He was wearing beige shoes, blue socks, casual grey and green trousers and a jacket. He had a Stanley knife, a holdall with the words 'travel club' on, a map of Weymouth, partially-full boxes of Veginen, Caeline and morphine tablets and a half-drunk bottle of whiskey with him when he died.

Little is known about a woman aged between 45 and 65 who washed up near Sheps Hollow in Swanage on November 30 1995. The woman, a white European, had light brown, greying hair and was wearing a black skirt and support undergarments.

On January 6 2000, a white European man aged between 16 and 35 was recovered from the shore in Poole Harbour. The man had been wearing brown cord trousers, black ankle boots, a black belt with a silver buckle and stripy socks when he died. He was also wearing 'old Ireland' underwear that had been ordered from a catalogue. The man was one of 427 people to order the underwear.

The body of a man with a curved spine was recovered from the sea off Weymouth on November 3 2002. The man had dark hair and a moustache, as well as a scar on his left upper lip. He would have walked with a stoop as a result of the curve to his back and had a broken nose with cartilage removed. At the time of his death, he was wearing blue jeans from Marks and Spencers.

Skeletal remains were found under a mattress in a dip at Parley Common after arsonists set the land ablaze on August 15 2006. The man had possibly died some six years before the fire, police believe. He was missing both his upper and lower teeth and was wearing heavy-soled shoes. Red rib-knit material from an unknown item of clothing was also found.

The body of an Indonesian man known as 'Charlie' was found in a toilet cubicle at a Boscombe restaurant on February 19 2009. The man had been living in the area for around 20 years. He had suffered a stroke previously. The man's hair was black and he was clean-shaven. He was wearing emerald green cord trousers, a zipped blue jacket and a dark grey wool top at the time of his death. He also had a linked neck chain, a Rotary watch with a brown leather strap, a black leather wallet, lighter and a mobile phone belonging to someone else with him.