• A witness, Mr. Dawson, saw a man with a car that was identical to the deceased's car at 4.30am on 9^th October on the A540 Chester High Road. It was parked at the identical spot where Mrs. Bolshaw’s car was later found abandoned, about 5 miles away from the deceased’s home. (See appendix 2)

• He was travelling at about 40 mph, and his car lights were on full beam.
  
  
• The car was backed into a gateway at an angle to the road. It had no lights on.
  
  
• He gave a statement to the police on 12.10.83 with a clear description of a man he saw next to the car.
  
  
• Mrs. Bolshaw’s car was spotted by a police officer on his way to work at 5.45am on the same morning in the same place where Mr. Dawson had seen the car.
  
  
• He returned with a colleague to check the vehicle at 7.45am. It was backed into a field entrance across the grass verge where Mr. Dawson had seen it. It was unlocked, the keys were in the ignition and there was a full tank of petrol.
  
  
• The prosecution referred to a new statement taken by the police in 1999 from Mr. Dawson, in which he said he would not be able to recognise the man again due to the time lapse.
  
  
• The defence pointed out that, in 1983, the very definite and confident description he had given of the man proved it could not have been John.
  
  
• The man was described as wearing a long Crombie style overcoat, with dark hair, and wearing glasses.
  
  
• John’s ex-wife said he never owned an overcoat, did not wear glasses, had fair hair which, in 1983, was greying. (This corresponds with other witness descriptions.)
  
  
• In fact, at the police station, Mr. Dawson pointed out someone (not connected to the offence) who he said closely resembled the man at the car. Again, the evidence was that the man could not have been John. He had black wavy hair and was wearing gold rimmed spectacles. (See appendix 5)

The prosecution did not refer to Mr. Dawson, his evidence, or the man seen by the car again after the defence, in cross-examination, was able to clearly show that the man (who has never been found) was not John