Blackpool killer William Wilkinson to be sentenced for murdering Eddie Forrester in Seafield Road

A 65-year-old Blackpool man who murdered his neighbour before dismembering his body and scattering his remains across the resort will be sentenced today (Friday, January 19).

William Wilkinson will appear before Judge Robert Altham at Preston Crown Court to be sentenced for murdering Eddie Forrester, 55, at his flat in Seafield Road last September.

The sentencing is due to take place at 11am. We will provide full details from the sentencing shortly afterwards.

What happened?

Edward Forrester, 55, was last seen in Seafield Road, North Shore on September 1 and was reported missing the following day.

Lancashire Police were alerted to the potential foul play when visiting Mr Forrester's flat and noted a strong smell of ammonia which they suspected was evidence of a ‘murder clean-up’.

On investigating the smell, officers discovered blood evidence and started to investigate the flat's owner William Wilkinson.

Wilkinson, also of Seafield Road, was later arrested on suspicion of murder on September 5 as the search for Mr Forrester's body continued.

"Significant number of body parts"

It was found that Wilkinson used his white Peugeot Boxer van to scatter his victim’s dismembered body around Blackpool the day after Mr Forrester was last seen alive, and again in Blackpool and then Cumbria over the days that followed.

Tracing Wilkinson’s movements based on his mobile phone data, detectives were able to recover partial human remains found scattered on land off Ashes Lane, Staveley - near Lake Windermere - on September 13. Other parts were discovered around Blackpool.

Mr Forrester was identified using DNA profiling based on a sample of his tissue, with forensic experts confirming remains found in Blackpool and Cumbria were a match. Detectives said they were able to recover “a significant number of body parts” from both search areas. But despite further searches, some of Mr Forrester’s remains have yet to be found.

Prime suspect Wilkinson was subsequently charged with murder following consultation with the Crown Prosecution Service.

It is understood that the 65-year-old killer refuses to say where his victim's last remains are to be found.

Wilkinson admitted to murdering Mr Forrester after appearing in the dock at Preston Crown Court on November 17. He also pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice.

Police statement - "overwhelming evidence"

Det Chief Insp Mark Haworth-Oates, of Lancashire Police said: “William Wilkinson’s plea is in the face of overwhelming evidence against him.

“Thankfully, his plea will spare Edward Forrester’s family and friends the ordeal of sitting through a trial and listening to the graphic details of how Edward was murdered, and in particular the way in which his body was then dismembered and deposited throughout the Blackpool and Kendal area.

“I hope the guilty plea brings them some small comfort and they will look forward to the case being concluded at sentencing.”

He was remanded into custody to be sentenced at the same court today (January 19, 2024).