A top police officer has revealed he ordered the destruction of documents and other material connected with the investigation into one of Shropshire’s most notorious crimes – the kidnap and murder of heiress Lesley Whittle – to stop them ever reaching the public domain.

Alex Rennie, who was Chief Constable of the West Mercia force, says he took the action to ensure guarantees of confidentiality which had been given could never be broken.

The 1975 kidnap of 17-year-old Highley girl Lesley by Donald Neilson, a serial killer dubbed “The Black Panther”, shocked the nation. Neilson was later caught and given multiple life sentences.

Given a whole-life tariff, he is expected to die in prison.

Mr Rennie, who is now 92, took up his appointment only a fortnight before Lesley was kidnapped. He retired in 1981.

Writing in his newly-published autobiography Farmhand to Chief Constable, he says: “The usual practice in murder cases is to retain the papers and exhibits for unlimited periods of time.

“In this instance case papers and other materials were spread about in other forces. In West Mercia we had a cell half full, kept doubly locked, containing thousands of statements and other documents gathered in the course of inquiries.

“Over the years I had been pressed by journalists, authors and others, including police officers, to give them access to the material, no doubt to write and, hopefully, make money.

“Some of the information was of a sensitive and highly-confidential nature which was given by people on the promise that it would remain so. I was concerned that on my retirement the information might in course of time reach the public domain.”

He adds: “I had been responsible for the assurance of secrecy given so I decided the honourable course was to destroy the material.”

In his book Mr Rennie charts his life from his early days on a Scottish farm through to an eventful police career.

• “Farmhand to Chief Constable” costs £13, which includes postage, and is available from Mr Rennie at 1 Rowan Court, Worcester Road, Droitwich Spa, Worcestershire WR9 8AH.

By Toby Neal