A MAN murdered in a brutal execution-style shooting was dumped near a notorious public sex spot.
The unidentified man, in his 40s and believed to be from Wakefield, was discovered by a member of the public. His body was lying in the road at leafy Litherop Lane, in the village of High Hoyland, near Clayton West.
Det Supt Chris Thompson, of the homicide and major inquiry team, said police got the call at about 10.30pm on Tuesday.
He said: “They discovered the body of a man in his mid-40s. He had sustained fatal gunshot wounds and a murder inquiry has commenced and a detailed forensic inquiry is ongoing.
“This would appear to be a brutal execution-style murder and I would appeal for anybody who was in the Litherop Lane area who may have seen anything suspicious or anybody who has any information regarding this murder to contact the police.”
Ballistics and forensic experts were combing the area for clues yesterday.
Officers used wooden poles and machetes to search undergrowth.
Det Supt Thompson said there was no clear motive and would not say if the man had been killed elsewhere or was murdered at the scene, which is on the West Yorkshire/South Yorkshire border.
Inquiries are taking place into a dark blue Jaguar XJ Sovereign car, which was also found at the spot.
A postmortem was being conducted yesterday afternoon. The results were expected today.
Jo Roberts, clerk to the High Hoyland parish, said Litherop Lane was notorious for seedy sex gatherings.
She said: “It’s well known for open air sex and has been for quite a number of years.
“You can have up to a dozen cars parking down there at any one time and you know full well that they aren’t there for a picnic.
“There are times when you can have difficulty getting past because there are so many parked up.”
Residents have passed registration details of cars seen gathering on the road to the police.
Det Supt Thompson said he was aware of the area’s reputation. He added: “All aspects of this area are being looked at as part of the investigation.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact West Yorkshire Police on 0845 6060606 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
