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In January 1986, when Matt Skilbeck was arrested under suspicion of the murder of Harry Mowlam, a detective superintendent came to see Matt at Hotten police station. He quizzed him. The Superintendent knew that Mowlam was stealing sheep from Matt, and that Matt had made a statement mentioning that Mowlam had given Matt's pregnant wife Dolly Skilbeck a fright a few months back, and had threatened her. When the Superintendent asked Matt what happened to the baby, Matt refused to answer so after a few times the superintendent lost his temper and asked again what happened to the baby. Matt said they lost the baby, then broken down crying. Matt explained his version of events, and how Mowlam got him in a bear hug during the fight. Matt explained that he got his hands round Mowlam's neck to get free. As Matt had a blackout after the fight, he was not sue if he killed Mowlam.
The superintendent thought that Matt went down the river bank, struck him several times in the head, causing severe injuries, then grabbed Mowlam by the neck and held him under the water until he finished him off. The Superintendent knew that as Mowlam had threatened Dolly, and made her have a miscarriage, that Matt had a motive to kill Mowlam so was charged with his murder.
However, later on, it was revealed that Mowlam's body had been found a few metres away from where Matt last saw him, and that neither Matt nor the mild current from the river would have carried Mowlam's 18 stone body downstream. It was revealed that Mowlam had been involved in a recent robbery with Derek Warner, who was his partner in crime. Derek and Mowlam had warred over how Mowlam was always bragging about his newly found riches. Derek later confessed to Mowlam's murder.