A SCOTTISH man has been charged with murder in a case Bournemouth dating back over 17 years.

The charge follows a review into the killing of Samuel Graham Williamson who was found dead at an address in Cotlands Road, Bournemouth on August 10, 1988.

Detectives from Dorset Police's major crime unit have charged Francis Joseph MacDonald, 54, from Glasgow, with his murder.

He was due to appear before Bournemouth magistrates this morning after being charged last night.

Mr Williamson who was aged 58, had been strangled and punched and his head had been hit against concrete posts.

His body was then set alight.

He was found outside the former DHSS offices at Cotlands Road in the Lansdowne area of the town.

Officers have not revealed where the man was arrested.

A number of unsolved cases have been looked at again by Dorset's Major Crime Investigation Team.

Huge advances in forensic science have enable police forces across the country to re-examine cold cases for new evidence.

At the time MCIT was set up in 2002, officers said they would look particularly at cases where there was potential for forensic evidence.

The MCIT operation was established to ensure that investigations into major crimes do not adversely affect the force's territorial divisions.

Major crime is defined as murder, stranger child abduction, blackmail, kidnap, extortion, stranger rape and any offence grave enough to require the input of the specialist team.

First published: September 22