Perranporth beach body: Appeal to gay men on Alan Jeal death

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-26953965

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Police investigating the death of man whose body was found washed up on a Cornwall beach have appealed to the gay community for information.

Alan Jeal, 64, was found naked and with a sock his mouth, on a part of Perranporth Beach known as a gay cruising site.

Detectives said they had no evidence Mr Jeal was gay, but they were appealing "particularly to the gay community".

Officers are also trying to trace missing bank cards and an iPod Shuffle.

Mr Jeal's body was discovered on 25 February.

Police said a jacket found nearby containing his wallet was not the one he was wearing in CCTV footage on the day before he died.

Officers said they wanted to know where Mr Jeal was going on Monday 24 February when he was filmed on CCTV in Truro and Wadebridge, and who he met.

Det Ch Insp David Thorne, senior investigating officer, said police wanted to talk to anyone who knew Mr Jeal, or might have more information about his lifestyle.

'Mild-mannered'

He said officers had been in contact with Mr Jeal's younger brother, Derek, who was "clearly traumatised by the whole thing".

"Derek has given us some information about Alan's lifestyle and that he was quite a solitary character," he said.

"But, unfortunately it doesn't move us forward in finding out what happened on the evening he disappeared."

Mr Jeal has been described by his family as a "mild-mannered, gentle man who was very interested in minerals, mining and surfing".

Det Ch Insp David Thorne said detectives were trying find Mr Jeal's bank card and credit card from Barclays.

A post-mortem examination found multiple injuries on Mr Jeal's body that were inconsistent with drowning.

Police said murder, suicide and an accident were the three possibilities they were looking at.