Harrowing 999 call released six months after brutal murder of man at Derbyshire allotment

The emergency call shows the moment a woman found gardener, Andrew Jackson, 55, who was savagely beaten and repeatedly stabbed to death before his body was dumped next to sheds in an allotment off Prospect Drive in Shirebrook.

Derbyshire Police have released the harrowing call six months after his murder on Sunday January 26, in a bid to find new information that could catch his killers.

A passerby who knew Mr Jackson made the call after following a trail of blood at the allotment where he also kept his caravan.

Nine people have been arrested on suspicion of murder and released on bail without charge, including a 51-year-old woman and seven men aged between 26 and 44.

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In the call, the distressed woman tells the operator: “I’ve found him this morning.

“He’s been beat up.

“All his caravan’s been smashed up, everything.

“I don’t know what’s happened to him.”

When the call handler asks what the man’s name is, the woman replies: “Yep, Andrew Jackson.”

In a video, Detective Inspector Chris Marriott said: “We are re-appealing for information that brings justice to Andrew’s friends and family.

“When we arrived at the scene Andrew’s caravan videos were smashed.

“There were signs of the attack happening inside the caravan and a trail of blood leading into the buildings and neighbouring allotments where Andrew’s body was found between two sheds within the allotment.

“Absolutely no-one deserves to die in the way that Andrew did.

“He was assaulted and had been stabbed multiple times.

“He would have lost a lot of blood and I have no doubt he would have been scared and confused prior to his death.

“Finding who was responsible for Andrew’s death is an absolute priority for the force.

“Staff continue to work on the investigation and will continue to do so until it is resolved.”

Police are offering a £10,000 reward for any information that leads to the conviction of the person responsible for the 55-year-old’s death.

Residents came together to organise a number of fundraising events to raise money for the gardener’s funeral costs.

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In a tribute after his death, Andrew’s family said: “He was a very clever guy and could make something out of nothing.

“Around the Netherfield area where we grew up he had a lot of friends and if anybody wanted anything fixing, our Andy could do it.

“Sometimes some of the projects that Andy had been asked to build for people would amaze them.

“Over the years, we unfortunately lost contact with Andy but I know he used to visit our dad occasionally, turning up on his rusty old motorbike.

“It is of great comfort to us to know that he was well thought of where he lived and that he had made so many great friends.

“Our greatest regret is that we were unable to find him, despite searching, and that we never had the chance to talk together again.

“Andy will be sadly missed by all who knew him.”

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