Almost half a century ago Anthony Hall told an inquest that he had nothing to do with the murder of a 15-year-old girl whose body was found lying in a Birmingham allotment.

Yesterday Mr Hall, 70, stood in the dock at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court, charged with killing the teenager, Jacqueline Thomas, who is believed to have been sexually assaulted and strangled. It is one of the oldest cases to reach court.

In August 1961 Jacqueline, from Alum Rock, had gone to a funfair near her home with her younger sister, Dorothy, but the two girls became separated and Jacqueline disappeared.

Seven days later, after a week of searching and a poster appeal by police, her body was discovered by a boy walking his dog in a disused part of the 50-acre allotment in Bordesley Green. She was a few hundred yards from her home.

When Jacqueline, one of eight daughters, was found, she was wearing white jeans, a black jumper and a green half-length coat.

At the time Mr Hall was 24 and married, and his wife was expecting a baby. At Jacqueline’s inquest he was questioned by the coroner and told that he need not answer any questions that might incriminate him.

However, his solicitor said that he had insisted on giving evidence so that “though he may not be an angel, this finger of suspicion which has lain over him can be cleared up”.

Media reports show that the coroner, George Billington, was told by Mr Hall that he had been “larking about” with Jacqueline but had lied about seeing her at first because he did not want his wife to find out.

During 40 minutes of questioning Mr Hall, witness number 53, told the coroner: “When I left the girl that night she was alive and well.”

Seven witnesses are said to have told the inquest that they saw Jacqueline after she failed to return home from the fair and she looked as though she had been sleeping rough.

After deliberating for 55 minutes, the inquest jury found that she had been “murdered by a person or persons unknown”. As he left the court, Mr Hall told reporters that it was a load off his mind: “I know I was the main suspect in this case. Now all I want to do is find the man who killed Jackie.”

After the murder a file was sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions but no one was charged. Until now.

Weeks after the inquest, Mr Hall gave an interview with his wife, saying that he had sat on the grass with Jacqueline. “Jackie didn’t speak much. We both just sat there in the warm night. I began thinking about my wife.

“Then suddenly Jackie jumped up and said she must be off as she had someone to meet at the fair. The last I saw of her was the flash of her white jeans as she hurried back towards the lights and the music.”

Yesterday Mr Hall, of no fixed address, stood in the dock wearing a blue short-sleeved shirt and nodded to indicate that he understood the proceedings. He spoke only to confirm his name at the five-minute hearing.

He was remanded in custody to appear at the city’s Crown Court on December 6.

Mr Hall was arrested on Wednesday by officers from West Midlands police after a general review of the case by officers from the cold case review unit within the major investigation unit, and charged later that day.

It is thought that advances in DNA techniques allowed those officers to pass the case on to an investigation team several months ago.

Since the reinvestigation started, members of Jacqueline’s family have been kept informed of developments by a family liaison officer appointed by the force.

Crown Prosecution Service lawyers decided to charge Mr Hall with murder after reviewing the case papers over several months.

A police spokeswoman said: “A 70-year-old man has been arrested and charged with murder. This follows the review and investigation of the murder of Jacqueline Marie Thomas, whose body was found in allotments in Bordesley Green, Birmingham, on August 25, 1961. It was believed she had been sexually assaulted and strangled.”

The police spokeswoman said: “West Midlands Police regularly review unsolved murder cases. As part of any review we may revisit evidence and speak to witnesses from the original inquiry.”

The cold case trail

— Robert Napper, 41, was charged this week with the murder of Rachel Nickell on Wimbledon Common in 1992. During a review of the case forensic science experts identified microscopic DNA traces thought to belong to her killer

— In October 1975 Lesley Molseed, 11, disappeared. Three days later her body was found. This month Ronald Castree was sentenced to at least 30 years for her murder. An innocent man, Stefan Kiszko, had served 16 years in jail

— Wayne Doherty, 50, a builder, was trapped by DNA evidence more than 25 years after he raped and murdered Norah Trott, 63. He was jailed for life in November 2005

— Peter Tobin has been charged with the murder of Vicky Hamilton, 15, from West Lothian, who disappeared 16-years ago. Her remains were found in a house in Kent during a search by Essex police. They also found the body of Dinah McNicol, who went missing in 1991

— This year Stanley Atkinson was jailed for sexually assaulting a schoolgirl 12 years ago. He was caught after DNA particles were found on his victim’s clothes

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