In October 1997 three teenagers discovered the body of Samantha Class (29) on the shore near North Ferriby (River Humber). Samantha was found half-naked and she had been badly beaten and strangled. Samantha was a mother of three from Hull who had turned to sex work in a time of need.
It was theorised by police that Samantha had been assaulted, strangled with a ligature, and then dumped in the River Humber.
The Investigation
In July 1998 police arrested a man in Boulevard, West Hull for drink driving. Gary Allen's DNA was taken and It matched a sample found on Samantha's body. He was charged with her murder in October 1998.
Gary went on trial in 2000 at Sheffield Crown Court, where a jury was told evidence proved Allen had sex with Miss Class on the night she was killed. He had scrapped his car the following day. Gary Allen was found not guilty by majority verdict. After his acquittal, Humberside Police said they would not be reopening the investigation and were not looking for anyone else in connection with Miss Class' murder.