A MURDER investigation was under way last night as a body discovered in remote mid-Norfolk woodland turned out to be that of a convicted paedophile.

A MURDER investigation was under way last night as a body discovered in remote mid-Norfolk woodland turned out to be that of a convicted paedophile.

Police last night identified the man found dead at Great Witchingham on Monday as Gordon Boon, 73, of Norwich.

He had blood around his mouth and nose and one sock and a shoe missing and is now understood to have been strangled and dumped at Rabbit Lane.

In December 2001, Mr Boon, then 66, was jailed for six years and put on the sex offenders' register for life after he carried out indecent assaults and serious sexual offences involving an eight-year-old and two 13-year-old girls.

Norwich Crown Court heard he took pornographic pictures of one of his victims after plying her with alcohol and playing a game of strip poker.

The police major investigation team was last night following up a number of lines of inquiry and is trying to piece together Mr Boon's last movements.

He was last seen alive in the area of the Maids Heads Hotel in Norwich last Friday and it is understood his son alerted police on Saturday after he failed to meet him for a drink.

His body was discovered on Monday lunchtime at a spot used by dog walkers and the occasional fly-tipper.

Det Chief Insp Steve Strong said: “We would appeal for anyone who may have seen anything suspicious in the Rabbit Lane and Porters Lane areas of Great Witchingham to come forward with information that might prove useful to our investigation.

“We are also very keen to trace the final movements of Mr Boon and would like to hear from anyone that may have seen him since October 2.”

- Anyone with information is asked to contact the Major Investigation Team on 0845 4564567.