THROUGHOUT history there have been many events including crimes and disappearances that have been solved and just as many that have yet to be solved.

Here we take a look at some of the interesting or unsolved historic cases from Barry.

Sidney Dyas

Sidney Dyas was a 47-year-old precast concrete factory foreman when he was found dead on the railway line near Riglis in Cadoxton on Sunday, August 7, 1955.

His decapitated and legless body was found by a passing engine driver and informed the police.

On August 9, an inquest into Mr Dyas’ death was held in Barry where the coroner recorded an open verdict on the father-of-three’s death.

Coroner Col. Harold Rees said “while it seemed odd that Dyas was on the line and the circumstances certainly unusual, the evidence was not sufficient to justify a decision that he had taken his own life.”

Patrick Wilson

Patrick Wilson was just five months old when he died on Monday, January 29, 1951.

23-year-old Aubrey Wilson, father of the baby, was tried at Penarth for his murder. The family had only been in Barry for four days after moving from Redruth in Cornwall.

Wilson’s partner had left the house on the night of Patrick’s death to go to the cinema around 7pm. She is said to have returned around half hour later and she found her baby son dead.

The court heard from Inspector Norman Davies about his discussion with Aubrey Wilson on the day of his son’s death.

The inspector said he saw the defendant at 11.30pm and asked him what happened and the defendant is said to have replied: “I had better tell you the truth. I banged his head on the chair. I lost my temper, but I didn’t mean to kill him sir. It is my nerves.

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“I knew what it would be when the wife went out. I wanted to go to the pictures with her.” However when he was charged with murder, he replied: “I didn’t murder him.”

On Friday, February 16, the waiter was sent to trial at Glamorgan Assizes. The court heard how the baby had six broken ribs and marks on the right thigh and arm which was consistent with the baby being held “by the limbs and the body crashed against a hard object.” Patrick’s spleen was torn and he had a laceration on the brain.

Wilson also told the police in a statement that the baby was ‘crying like mad’ which led to his actions. He had previously tried to say he slipped on a mat and fell into the chair while he was holding the baby.

Wilson also told police how he ‘realised I had been a bit of a brute’ and started to rub Patrick’s back and stomach to try and help him. He said: “The baby had gone limp, his eyes were staring, and I tried to feel his pulse. I gave him a shake hoping it would revive him but I knew it was no good.”

At a later court date, he told the court he didn’t remember the assault and said he remembered ‘picking him up’ and then the next thing he remembered was Patrick squirming in the chair. It is said that he then realised Patrick was near to the end and went to fetch his wife from the cinema.

He also explained how he suffered dizzy spells after falling off his bike in December 1950.

On Thursday, March 16, the jury at Glamorgan Assizes failed to return a verdict after three hours of deliberation.

Mr Justice Pritchard told the court “I think you must proceed on this basis – that as your verdict must be one according to the evidence, there is no evidence of anything in the nature of a black-out. Beyond that I cannot give you further assistance.”

The jury re-retired for a further hour and 20 minutes but still could not reach a verdict on whether he was guilty of murder or manslaughter.

Mr Wilson was then discharged.