'Manhunter' Colin Sutton says Noel Long's DNA could be used in UK cold cases

The former Met detective who solved some of Britain's ugliest murder and rape cases suggests cold case investigators there should test their evidence against the Cork murderer's DNA

Former detective with London’s Metropolitan Police Colin Sutton said samples taken from the Cork murderer, who lived in Britain for some time, ought to be tested against evidence from cold cases there. File picture

The ‘Manhunter’ who solved some of the UK’s most horrifying murder and rape cases said Cork murderer Noel Long’s DNA could be used in international cold cases.

Colin Sutton — the former murder detective with London’s Metropolitan Police who was played by actor Martin Clunes in the TV series,  Manhunt — said cold case investigators could search for a match between Long’s DNA in UK cold cases in areas where the killer had spent some time.

Long, 74, of Maulbawn, Passage West, Co Cork, was found guilty on Friday of the murder of mother of three Nora Sheehan in 1981.

He had 31 previous convictions which span 50 years from 1966 to 2016. Of those, 27 are for offences committed in Ireland and four in the UK. 

These include six counts for common assault, four counts for burglary, and a large number of road traffic convictions.

Long worked for the British army in the 1960s.

DNA proved critical to his conviction for Mrs Sheehan’s murder, which is the oldest murder prosecution in the history of the State.

And his DNA could now also be used in cold case investigations in the UK, Mr Sutton said.

“If the forces where he was known to have been in the UK have outstanding cases with DNA they might want to look at it,” Mr Sutton said.

73-year-old Noel Long, Maulbawn, Passage West, Co Cork, was convicted last week of murdering 54-year-old Nora Sheehan in 1981. File picture: Paddy Cummins

“Most English forces have cold case teams and most cold case teams work almost exclusively on DNA.

“I think it would need someone bringing it to the attention of the forces in the area where he was known to be.” 

Although Long lived in the UK in the 1960s, the time gap should not prevent his DNA being potentially linked to other cold cases.

The theory is physical exhibits from murder investigations are kept indefinitely.

“Something from the 1960s or '70s, if you have anything with blood or anything with semen, any kind of saliva or anything that’s DNA-bearing, that DNA will still be there in most cases.

“So it’s a case of going and physically finding where those exhibits are. And once you’ve actually found them, it’s submitting them and seeing if they can find a DNA profile from them. That does happen.

“It’s loaded onto the UK database where it’s constantly cross-referenced with profiles of people who have been arrested. So it is possible.

Let’s establish where he was and have those forces, if they’re interested, to look at what they’ve got and establish if there’s any with DNA outstanding and it could be worth looking at.

Colin Sutton's track record

Mr Sutton led 37 murder investigations and solved 35 of them over the course of nine years. 

He was responsible for bringing notorious serial killer Levi Bellfield to justice for the murders of Amelie Delagrange, 22; Marsha McDonnell, 19; and Milly Dowler, 13.

He also helped convict Delroy Grant who raped and assaulted some 600 elderly people in South London.

DNA crucial to solving Cork murder

DNA evidence which linked Noel Long to Mrs Sheehan’s murder included a semen sample taken from Mrs Sheehan’s vagina. 

Her body had been found mostly naked in woods outside Innishannon, Co Cork, in June 1981.

A rape allegation made against him in 1982 was investigated by the Garda Serious Crime Review Team when investigating Mrs Sheehan’s murder but the victim would not give an official statement.