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  • 2 days ago
On the evening of May 2, 1997, seven-year-old Joe McCafferty went for a sleepover at his aunt’s house, in Huddersfield.
Just hours later, a serious fire broke out at the property after an accelerant was poured through the letterbox of the front door and set alight.
Joe was taken to hospital along with his brother Nicky, but died a short time later.
A new appeal has been launched urging anyone with information to come forward.
The appeal features a new video from Senior Investigating Officer Detective Chief Inspector Damian Roebuck on the street the fire was started.

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Transcript
00:00Today is 28 years since Joe McCafferty, aged 7 years old at the time, came to stay at his
00:09auntie's address here on Hayward Avenue. In the early hours of that morning, approximately
00:145am, emergency services were called to the address due to a fire which is started by
00:19the front door. Joe was found lifeless inside the address and was rushed to hospital by
00:26officers in a police vehicle. Our investigation established that accelerants had been poured
00:32through the front letterbox of the home address and deliberately set alight. I am appealing
00:38directly to the residents of Huddersfield to come forward and tell us what the motive for
00:43such a horrendous murder was. Who poured the petrol through that letterbox and set it alight,
00:50killing Joe. Any small piece of information and intelligence could be paramount to our investigation.
00:58So no matter how small you think it is, please make contact with us and tell us who committed
01:03this horrendous crime.

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