Police Think Man's Death Was Murder

22 September 2010, 17:25 | Updated: 22 September 2010, 17:32

Officers from Norfolk Police investigating the death of 30-year-old Derick Tempest in Great Yarmouth have today given evidence at his inquest.

The hearing was held alongside the inquests of James Hall and Andrew Ventham at the town’s magistrates today.

Information gathered during enquiries has led detectives to believe that Mr Tempest was murdered by Mr Ventham and Mr Hall before they took their own lives.

As a result the investigation into Mr Tempest’s death is being closed.

Det Insp Marie James, from Norfolk Police said: "Following our investigations there is strong evidence to suggest that Andrew Ventham and James Hall were responsible for the murder of Derick Tempest.

This is a line of enquiry we would be pursuing with the view to prosecuting had they been alive today.

Our thoughts are with the families of those affected by the deaths."

Mr Tempest was reported missing in October last year and was last seen at around 4pm on Wednesday, October 28, 2009, in the Blackfriars Road area of Great Yarmouth.

One line of enquiry had been the relationship between Mr Tempest and the owners of a garage at Camden Place in Great Yarmouth where the bodies of James Hall, 60, and Andrew Ventham, 49, both of Queens Road, were discovered on Monday, November 2.

Their deaths were treated as unexplained but were not suspicious.

The body of Mr Tempest was found on April 16 this year having been discovered by a member of the public in the river near Great Yarmouth close to the Berney Arms public house.

A post mortem examination was unable to establish the cause of death due to the circumstances in which the body was found.

However, forensic examinations conducted earlier on in the investigation led to evidence which suggested that Mr Tempest came to serious harm at the garage.