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AN INVESTIGATION by the Daily Record has identified the prime suspect for an unsolved murder in 1968.

Catherine Duncan was molested and bludgeoned to death in her home.

Today, we can reveal a petty criminal called Thomas Edgar Gauson confessed to killing the 46-year-old housewife – but was never prosecuted.

Catherine's son Thomas is still haunted by her brutal murder.

Aged 70, he is still desperate for answers about his mother's killing.

Just over a week ago, the Daily Record revealed his pain for the first time. No one had highlighted unsolved Catherine’s murder for almost half a century.

When his father died in 1982, Thomas thought any chance of justice was gone.

But our exclusive report on the case resulted in several leads, which, on further investigation, put trouble-maker Gauson in the frame for murder.

Housewife Catherine was in her house in the village of Wallyford, East Lothian, on February 2, 1968, when she was killed.

Her husband, also Thomas, was working nightshift down the local coal mine.

Our article, one of a series shedding fresh light on Scotland’s unsolved murders, had the community talking about the crime once more – and producing fresh information.

We were told an elderly local recalled a man “bragging” about the killing during a night out at a social club in Wallyford.

Then, we were approached by a police source close to the original investigation who told us Gauson had confessed to murdering Catherine – but was never prosecuted.

The retired police officer said the thug had owned up while he was in a police cell in Dalkeith in connection with a violent attack.

Gauson made the confession to Andrew Brown, the detective in charge of the investigation into Catherine’s murder.

The late Brown was the top detective of his day, with a record of 26 solved murder inquiries to his name. Our source, who was a lifelong friend of Brown’s, said the detective believed Gauson’s confession and charged him with the killing.

He claimed Brown and his team were convinced they had the right man and they were frustrated when the case was dropped.

Further inquiries led us to a second police source, who backed up the story.

The retired officers we have interviewed, who were involved in the initial murder inquiry, were at a loss to explain why Gauson was not prosecuted.

Police records confirm his confession but the 48-year-old files contain no details of him being charged.

The case may not have been taken further because it was believed there was insufficient evidence.

Scots law demands corroboration – the existence of more than one piece of evidence – to achieve a conviction. A confession on its own would not have been enough.

A senior legal source told us: “The old Lothian and Peebles Constabulary, as it was known then, was very capable.

“But the confession would not have been enough on its own to secure a conviction without physical evidence like fingerprints, which were pretty much all you had back then.

“My betting is lack of corroboration would have seen it shelved.

“However, it could also be the case that this individual later recanted his confession, which would have left the authorities with nothing.”

As we dug deeper into Gauson’s background, we formed a picture of a chilling individual.

We have established that he vanished without a trace - and may have me to a grisly end.

Gauson was a year old when he was adopted by Thomas and Elizabeth Gauson from nearby Musselburgh.

A longed-for baby, the couple were stunned when shortly after his birth, Elizabeth conceived naturally and went on to have four children.

Gauson was an unruly child and sources said he caused his parents repeated pain and anguish and often felt bitter about his adoption.

One source said: “Some people are just born bad. It could be he was bitter about his heritage. Perhaps he felt like the odd-one-out and his behaviour was a way of gaining attention from his parents.

“The police visited them often back then.”

Another person described Gauson’s behaviour as “sinister” at times, with sexual and menacing overtones.

We could find no evidence of the thug’s existence except his adoption certificate.

Police sources told us he was a petty criminal who was often in fights. On many occasions, he was picked up by officers and spent the night in cells.

The source said Gauson was a “pest” after he returned from the army.

They added: “He joined up, probably aged around 18, and was in Germany for a while. Life around Musselburgh was quiet without him. When he returned, he was such an attention-seeker you couldn’t fail to know he was back.”

A few days after Catherine was killed, Gauson was said to have been in the Wallyford Miners’ Welfare Society social club, where he laughed and joked about the murder.

Catherine had last been seen alive playing bingo in the club and locals were shocked and upset.

Some time later, Gauson was arrested following a vicious attack.

While he was in custody, he made his dramatic statement.

The police source said: “Gauson asked to speak to Andrew Brown in person. He made a full confession to him.

“Gauson appeared to know things only the killer would. He was charged with her murder but it didn’t proceed. We think because they couldn’t corroborate what he was saying.”

After Gauson was released, he went on live with a girlfriend in Musselburgh. He vanished under a cloud.

Another police source said: “While living in this house, which was the home of a well-known crime family, we were told he tried to rape a young girl.

“We were told Gauson had run away down to England. Rumours emerged over the years that he was murdered and buried near to the M6.”

Our investigation has established that Gauson was never formally reported missing. We have found no trace of him.

His disappearance means Catherine’s family may never get justice. But her son Thomas said: “I have lived with this for 48 years and wondered on a regular basis who killed my mum and why.

“It’s a little bit of comfort to finally have a name and to know police back then thought they had the killer.

“Nothing will bring back my mum but after all this time it’s a relief to know something about it and him.

“The killer destroyed my dad and took my mum from her family way too soon”

Detective Superintendent Jim Kerr said: “The death of Catherine Duncan is recorded as an undetected murder.

“As such, it is subject to regular and ongoing review to identify any new available investigative opportunities.”

The Crown Office, who prosecute cases, said they could not comment for fear of prejudicing fresh cases.