Age: 45
Sex: male
Date: 22 Nov 1988
Place: New Park Court, Brixton Hill, Brixton
Bernard Cole was shot in the face in New Park Court, Brixton Hill in the early hours of 22 November 1988.
A 25-year-old unemployed heating engineer was tried twice for his murder but found not guilty. His first trial ended in a hung jury whilst he was acquitted of both murder and manslaughter at the second trial.
Bernard Cole was a nightclub bouncer and was shot at point blank range in the face as he was getting into his car in New Park Court after finishing work.
It was said that the man had confessed to the murder twice, but he denied that saying that the confessions were completely false and that at the time of the murder he had been at his parents’ house asleep.
The court heard that the man tried, described as a frail 5ft 2in tall man had shot Bernard Cole with a primitive highwayman's gun after he had failed to kill him with poison and a hand grenade. It was claimed that the man had shot Bernard Cole after Bernard Cole, who was described as a womaniser, had sexually assaulted his girlfriend and tried to seduce his girlfriend's sister.
Bernard Cole had lived in Holmwood Road in Brixton Hill, London.
