# Murder onboard Anco Sovereign



## LarryC (Aug 8, 2010)

Can anybody help me with some information concerning a murder which occured on board the Anco Sovereign on the 1st January 1976.

I have been trying to trace the outcome of this matter, which resulted in two Met police officers flying out to the ship, investigation the case over a period of some weeks and eventually taking a suspect back to the UK.

I can even remember the police officer's names as Det. Super Secrue (or similar sounding) and Insp Wilkinson.

Any information at all would be helpful.

Larry


----------



## seabird1 (Aug 23, 2014)

*George Bain murder*

Hi Larry
The murdered man was George Bain from Glasgow. He was around 47 or so at the time. I had sailed with Georgie on the Anco Sovereign the trip before. I was on the Anco Sceptre the following trip when I received a letter from home which informed me of a report in the Daily Telegraph about the killing. Apparently 2 Scotland Yard officers were flown out to Panama. It was the first anyone on board knew of the incident. We heard later that he had been stabbed with a screwdriver by another steward. I hope that this is of some use to you.
Regards, Mark


----------



## LarryC (Aug 8, 2010)

*Murder Anco Sovereign*

Hi Mark, Thank you for the information. This is a great help.

You are correct about the two detectives and they did fly out to Panama. They were joined by a third detective a couple of weeks later. The total time on board was about three weeks.

The lead detective was Superintendant Secrue and his bag man was Inspector Wilkinson. I don't know the name of the third. 

The victim was stabbed eleven times and left at the bottom of the stairway to make it look like an accident. As it was New Year's Eve none of the crew or officers - except me and my watchman- could give a clear acount of who was where so the detectives had a hard time solving the mystery.

They eventually took another crew member away, I believe he was from Manchester but I can't find any record (Even in the police archives) concerning the crime or any court case. 

With your information I will try a search in the Telegraph and local Glasgow newspaper to see if I can progress this.
Best regards,

Larry


----------



## LarryC (Aug 8, 2010)

Forgot to ask Mark. Was it the daily Telegraph or a local Scotish Paper?
Larry


----------



## seabird1 (Aug 23, 2014)

*Anco sovereign*

Hi Larry 
It was definitely the Daily Telegraph. My mum was living in Canterbury and wouldn’t have any access to Georgie’s local press.
It’s just occurred to me that I’ve seen the crew lists of Anco tankers in the seventies elsewhere online. The crew members onboard at the time might well be there.
Mark


----------



## StillOffshore (Feb 6, 2008)

*Anco Sovereign Murder*

Hi Larry,

I was on the Sovereign a few months before the murder, so actually met the victim.I seem to remember he joined in Rotterdam to fill in as cook after all the catering crew had been sacked following a series of arson attacks in cabins.

I've since tried to find transcripts of the court case, but without success.

All I seem to remember was that the court case was in November at the Old Bailey. The accused(Fish) was found not guilty.

I can't remember where my info came from, but would like to know more about the case.

Paul Darrell Slingsby


----------



## LarryC (Aug 8, 2010)

Hi Paul,
I have manages to get the post mortem do***ent by the Panamanian pathologist.
You have told me something I had forgotten, the name of the chap accused of the Murder, Fish. 
I have been in contact with the national archives without luck but with his name I will have another go.
The arresting officer was either chief superintendent Secrue or inspector Wilkinson. Both were on board for several weeks investigation the incident.
I will post any more details as I get them
Larry


----------



## StillOffshore (Feb 6, 2008)

I'm still on the case. I found a reference to the Panama Canal Zone, Gorgas Hospital Mortuary, Records 1906-1991 Casualties. This was on Ancestry.com but I don't have a subscription for overseas data. I guess this is maybe what you previously mentioned.
It's nigh on impossible to find any newspaper reports of the case. In fact the only one I've managed to find is from the Aberdeen Evening Express. Friday 05 Nov 1976.
*Steward is cleared*

A ship's steward has been acquitted at the Old Bailey of murdering a colleague while the rest of the crew were seeing in the New Year.
Vincent Fish (31), Salford,Manchester, denied murdering George Bain (48) on the high seas. He was discharged.


----------



## steve.clark (6 mo ago)

LarryC said:


> Can anybody help me with some information concerning a murder which occured on board the Anco Sovereign on the 1st January 1976.
> 
> I have been trying to trace the outcome of this matter, which resulted in two Met police officers flying out to the ship, investigation the case over a period of some weeks and eventually taking a suspect back to the UK.
> 
> ...


----------



## steve.clark (6 mo ago)

Hi Larry, I was aboard the Sovereign when this happened. The two detectives did fly out and joined the ship in Panama. The lead detective was DCI Pat Segrue and, at the time was believed to be the youngest DCI in the MET. I was interviewed twice by the two detectives who said that they were struggling with evidence because the crime scene had been thouroughly cleaned before they arrived. A third detective joined the ship and I believe he was a forensic expert who, they said had managed to find some evidence of blood on the bulkheads around the crime scene. They said that George had been stabbed multiple times with a small pair of nail scissors. They left the ship at New Orleans with the suspect (Vincent Fish) in custody and, I have a photo somewhere of this. The ships crew, including me, were all paid off in New Orleans and flown home. I attended the trial at the old bailey as a witness but the jury found Fish not guilty and that's where the sorry saga ended. Give me a shout if you think I might be able to help you further.


----------



## StillOffshore (Feb 6, 2008)

steve.clark said:


> Hi Larry, I was aboard the Sovereign when this happened. The two detectives did fly out and joined the ship in Panama. The lead detective was DCI Pat Segrue and, at the time was believed to be the youngest DCI in the MET. I was interviewed twice by the two detectives who said that they were struggling with evidence because the crime scene had been thouroughly cleaned before they arrived. A third detective joined the ship and I believe he was a forensic expert who, they said had managed to find some evidence of blood on the bulkheads around the crime scene. They said that George had been stabbed multiple times with a small pair of nail scissors. They left the ship at New Orleans with the suspect (Vincent Fish) in custody and, I have a photo somewhere of this. The ships crew, including me, were all paid off in New Orleans and flown home. I attended the trial at the old bailey as a witness but the jury found Fish not guilty and that's where the sorry saga ended. Give me a shout if you think I might be able to help you further.


Are you allowed to discuss anything from the trial, I seem to remember some sordid details regarding the engine room boy were suggested. 
As I've said before it's pretty impossible to find any reference to it.


----------



## taffe65 (May 27, 2007)

Aarrŕrrrggghh a crime of passion Dr Watson.


----------

