A KEY witness in a Newton Abbot murder inquiry, has been arrested for perverting the course of justice.
Police arrested the 19-year-old man on Tuesday as part of ongoing investigations into the suspicious death of 93-year-old Bertram Barber, whose body was found in the River Teign on August 14 last year.
It has been confirmed that the man's initial statement, made a week later, in which he claimed to have seen Mr Barber being assaulted on the quayside, led police to arrest 22-year- old local man Damian Janes on suspicion of murder.
Mr Janes has always denied involvement and claimed he was being framed.
Detective Sergeant Maggie Wayte of Newton Abbot CID, who has been involved with the inquiry from the outset, says she is pleased that their continued investigations have paid off.
'We were led back to this man following our enquiries and further witness statements,' said Ds Wayte. 'When we challenged him, he basically changed his story and admitted that some of what he said was not true.
'He certainly knew Mr Janes, though we don't know how well. As far as I am concerned now, Janes did not do anything.
'This 19-year-old man, who has learning difficulties, was arrested on Tuesday and interviewed over two days. He has now been released on police bail while the file is handed to the Crown Prosecution Service.
'Perverting the course of justice is a difficult charge to prove. There are alternative charges such as wasting police time.'
Ds Wayte said that with no evidence that Mr Barber was assaulted prior to going into the water at Town Quay, CID officers are returning to their initial conclusion: that he committed suicide.
'Mr Barber didn't die accidentally and we believe he killed himself. He was once a fit man and having reached 93 he was sick and not so healthy. However, it will be up to the coroner to determine cause of death officially.'
The inquest, led by South Devon coroner Hamish Turner, will be held in Newton Abbot court on March 23.