West Yorkshire Police and Crimewatch UK were today criticised for allegedly withholding vital information from the local media in the ongoing investigation into the murder of Pudsey pensioner John Nutter.

In a reconstruction on the BBC 1 programme, screened on Tuesday,, it showed the raid on Mr Nutter's home in which he died and his sister-in-law Mary Skilton was badly injured.

Detectives told local journalists that Mr Nutter and Mrs Skilton were both attacked and sprayed with an incapacitant.

But new evidence was revealed in the show, which included the theories that:

l a police baton, believed to have stolen from a police car in Leeds two weeks before the murder, may have been used in the attack;

l a knife was held to the face of Mrs Skilton while the raiders forced her to open a safe;

l a wrapper from a bakery was found on the floor of the stolen car used in the raid.

Mr Nutter, 68, died after three masked men forced their way into his home in Woodhall Park Crescent West on Monday, July 20. His companion, Mrs Skilton, suffered head injuries.

Two Rolex watches and a gold ring and a glass jar containing £300 was stolen in the raid.

West Yorkshire Police and Crimewatch UK today denied the evidence was held from the media.

The reconstruction was filmed on September 22 and in the two-week period from the reconstruction and the screening, the Telegraph & Argus has contacted the incident room asking for new information. But none of the new evidence highlighted in Crimewatch has emerged.

Bradford South MP Gerry Sutcliffe said today: "This is a murder that shocked everyone in the area and this information should have been forthcoming.

"These are vital clues which would have been helpful for the general public to know about earlier in case anyone had important information.''

Shipley MP Chris Leslie said all the media should be treated fairly by the police.

"While police have to use their judgement, it is important that in such a serious case as much information as possible is released.''

Councillor Frank Robinson (Con, Pudsey North) said: "I would condemn any evidence that is withheld just for publicity purposes.''

He vowed to bring up the issue at the next police community forum meeting.

Crimewatch UK has been under fire in the past for allegedly demanding that evidence is withheld from the local media.

Detective Superintendent Roger Billingsley, of Lincolnshire Police, admitted that evidence was withheld from local media during a murder hunt in 1995 for the purposes of Crimewatch UK and that the decision contravenes the force's open policy.

A West Yorkshire Police spokesman added: "There is an agreement drawn up between the Association of Chief Police Officers Media Advisory group and Crimewatch UK that the release of new or exclusive information is not a condition of featuring a crime on the programme. We adhere to this agreement."

A spokesman for Crimewatch UK denied that the programme makers demanded exclusivity and said the information supplied was a matter for the police.

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