Child murderer who abducted and killed schoolboy 50 years ago dies in prison of old age

A child killer who was jailed for life for murdering a schoolboy 50 years ago has died in prison of old age, it has emerged. 

Brian Field, 87, from Solihull, was jailed for life in 2001 after admitting the 1968 murder of 14-year-old Rory Tutill.

Rory was abducted, raped and strangled in 1968 as he hitch-hiked home from school. His murder remained unsolved until DNA evidence connected Field to the case 33 years later. 

Field was pronounced dead at HMP Full Sutton in Yorkshire in February, the Ministry of Justice confirmed to BBC today. 

The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman will carry out an investigation into Field's death, as is standard procedure for all deaths in custody. MailOnline has approached the department for comment. 

The Kingston Grammar School pupil, known to his friends as Tutts, went missing after leaving the school on April 23, 1968 at 3.30pm.

He boarded a bus with friends for the start of his 15-mile journey home - but hitch-hiked after a few miles as he was saving towards a new bicycle.

He was last seen trying to stop a car in Chessington, close to his home in the village of Brockham Green, near Dorking.

Field was linked to Rory's case in 1999 after police stopped him for drink-driving. A DNA sample collected during the checkpoint was then matched to one collected during the investigation into Rory's murder.

Field, a loner with previous convictions for attacking boys, pleaded guilty to murder but not sexual assault before being jailed for life. 

After his conviction, police looked at several unsolved child disappearances and murder cases to see whether he was connected to them. 

Field was believed by detectives to have been one of Britain's most dangerous paedophiles.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.