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Crime in the News

This page is for discussion of events happening in the news which relate to crime. I will try and update it most days in order to cover cases and issues as they are taking place. Keep returning to this page if you are interested in reading about crimes. To make sure you can see the latest news refresh this page by hitting your F5 key. I would appreciate it if you could take the time to let me know what you think about this page. For details of my books please click here.

Rapist Allowed into Britain to Kill (30 March 2006)
Viktors Dembovskis has been convicted of the murder of Jeshma Raithatha. Dembovskis is a Latvian who had been allowed into Britain after having served a sentence for rape in his own country, angering his victim’s family who say that checks should have been made as to his background before he was allowed into Britain. Dembovskis came to Britain to work in 2004, having been convicted of two counts of rape. Jeshma was attacked in woodland three days before her 18th birthday. She was raped and stabbed to death.

Dembovskis will spend the rest of his life behind bars. He has shown no remorse for his appalling crime.


Comment on the Sion Jenkins Outcome (February 2006)
Sion Jenkins has been formally acquitted of the murder of his foster daughter Billie-Jo after a jury yet again failed to reach a majority verdict. he was attacked by relatives of Billie-Jo's family as the judge ordered him to be formally cleared of the murder charge, with the words "murdering scum" being exclaimed from the public gallery.

Since his acquittal new claims have been presented suggesting that bone fragments from Billie-Jo were found on the former Deputy Headteacher's clothing, suggesting he must have been responsible for her death. The bloodstains which were found on his clothing, which had been the totality of the forensic evidence at his original trial, were undermined by new evidence at the Court of Appeal. The problem is that the prosecution wee fully aware that Jenkins stood a good chance of being acquitted and that the case hung in the balance, for the simple reason that the Court of Appeal had expressed doubts and the jury at a previous retrial had failed to reach a verdict and so the chances of him being convicted were not particularly strong. So the prosecution's claim that they did not use the bone fragment evidence because they did not want a delay is not very strong because it was in their interests to get a conviction and they would surely have done everything in their power to get that conviction if the evidence was compelling, rather than risk the chance of them losing their case. Therefore one has to question whether the evidence was considered compelling by the prosecution.

It is interesting to note that since Jenkins' acquittal a man has confessed to the murder and the police have failed to question that man.


Bradley Murdoch, Guilty of Falconio Murder (13 December 2005)
The jury at the trial of Bradley Murdoch, who stood accused of the murder of British backpacker Peter Falconio, and the attempted abduction of his fiancé Joanne Lees, has today been found guilty on both charges.

It took the jury at a Darwin court eight hours to reach their unanimous verdicts. But have they reached the right verdicts? A questionable key witness, new forensic techniques that have not stood the test of time and the portrayal of Murdoch as a drug pusher (which in no way makes him a murderer – both Falconio and Lees used drugs and in fact had been smoking drugs that night) were used by the prosecution. The defence were able to offer evidence suggesting Falconio was very much alive, they alleged the police had planted DNA evidence (which is not unheard of in Australia) and accused Lees of being responsible for Falconio’s disappearance, suggesting that her affair with another man and Falconio’s life insurance policy gave her the ideal motive. In so many respects Joanne Lees’ evidence was flawed. At no point in time has it been shown how Murdoch, if responsible, moved both his own vehicle and the Kombi vehicle in which Falconio and Lees had been travelling. More importantly the lack of forensic evidence, from Falconio, in either vehicle is most significant, especially when one considers a quantity of his blood was found on the road. Surely he would have been bleeding and would have left his DNA in one of the vehicles.

Unsurprisingly Murdoch is appealing against his conviction. I am not saying he is innocent but in my mind this case is far from being closed. I look forward to the appeal and hope that it will see justice being achieved.


Paul Dyson Attempts to Appeal Against Sentence (November 2005)
Lawyers representing Paul Dyson, who was recently convicted of murdering his fiancé Joanne Nelson, has unsuccessfully appealed against his sentence. It was argued that his sentence was too lengthy. However, when one considers that he murdered Joanne, dumped her body and pretended she had gone missing, even appealing publicly for people to come forward with information about her whereabouts, it is clear that Dyson is an evil man who should never be allowed to mix with the public again. I hope he spends his entire life in prison but sadly I doubt this will be the case.


Update on the Murdoch Trial (end of November 2005)
I would like to apologise for not having kept up to date on the developments in the trial of Bradley Murdoch who, it has been publicly said (wrongly) that I support. I remain undecided about his guilt.

The jury at his trial in Darwin have heard that following Falconio's alleged murder, the victim was seen in a service station where he bought food. He had, it is claimed, changed his hair colour to blonde but was, allegedly, certainly the missing backpacker. He was seen by two separate witnesses who were convinced the man was indeed Peter Falconio. The man left the shop and was driven away in a truck driven by a man with a dog.

Falconio's father has testified to say his son has not faked his death but how could Falconio's father know this? Another recent case in Australia involved a girl who faked her death and she only revealed the truth during the murder trial of her alleged killer, when she phoned her father to say she was alive.

I have been asked to explain my views over the issue of Lees being able to bring her hands in front of her. She had her hands tied behind her back, she claims, but was found with her hands in front of her. I have already explained this below; Lees did demonstrate her ability to do this in court, managing to bring her hands in front of her within a matter of seconds, but she has publicly admitted to having practiced doing so prior to the trial (source - the Martin Bashir interview). Consider the fact that Lees escaped the alleged attacker's vehicle with her hands behind her back, if her statement is truthful. It would be difficult to move very fast or very far with her hands in such a position yet she managed to escape, moving through the vegetation without making a noise as to give away her location. It may be truthful but it sounds suspect.

So far nothing proving Murdoch's guilt has been presented. It has been shown his DNA was present at the scene of the crime but there is a lack of forensic evidence for someone who would be responsible for this murder. How did he dispose of the body without leaving Falconio's DNA in his truck when Falconio was allegedly bleeding heavily, having sustained a gunshot? And how did Murdoch move both vehicles when he did not return to the scene of the crime at any point after he left dragging something along the gravely road? And if Murdoch had dragged Peter Falconio's body along the gravely road how come Falconio's blood was confined to a small area?

Murdoch's trial continues. He denies killing Falconio and attempting to abduct Joanne Lees.


Latest in Murdoch Trial (11 November 2005)
Yesterday the jury at the trial of Bradley Murdoch, who stands accused of killing missing British backpacker Peter Falconio, heard that Murdoch allegedly went for days without sleep, driving around the Australian outback on “drug runs.”

At the time of the murder Murdoch had been on one such run, it is claimed, and, according to one of his friends, was “fairly scattered.”

Murdoch allegedly told the friend, James Hepi, that drainage trenches at the sides of many Outback roads were good places to hide bodies. Searches of vast amounts of land in the area where Falconio disappeared, including the use of heating detecting technology, failed to locate Falconio’s body.

To a certain extent Murdoch’s ability to go for days without sleeping, whilst high on amphetamines, is irrelevant. It does not make him any more or any less of a killer.

The witness did, however, claim Murdoch shaved off his moustache and cut his hair following the incident. This could mean he was involved or it could mean that he feared he would be blamed for the crime.

Murdoch denies murdering Peter Falconio and attempting to abduct his fiancé Joanne Lees. His trial in Darwin continues.


Life For Paul Dyson (9 November 2005)
The killer of Joanne Nelson (see earlier postings from February onwards on this site) was today jailed for life.

Paul Dyson killed his fiancé on 13 February this year. He hid her body in woodland more than two hundred miles away from their home in Hull. He then reported her missing the following day and claimed he had last seen her on Valentine's Day, even showing detectives a forged Valentines Day card which he alleged she had given him. It is understood that he murdered Joanne because she had taunted him over his inability to use the washing machine. His inability to perform domestic chores had been a major cause of trouble between the couple.

Dyson, whose father himself had been convicted of murder after killing two people, and who had attacked his first wife on their wedding night, admitted responsibility for Joanne's death but argued he had committed manslaughter rather than murder. A jury at Hull Crown Court dismissed this claim. He had made public appeals for Joanne, or anyone knowing her whereabouts to come forward, but soon after her disappearance he admitted to a friend that he had killed her. Joanne's body was discovered six weeks later.

Dyson will serve at least sixteen years before being considered for parole.


Third Sion Jenkins Trial Begins (November 2005)
The third trial of former deputy headteacher Sion Jenkins, who stands accused of the murder of his foster daughter Billy-Jo, has begun. Jenkins stood trial earlier this year but the jury failed to reach a verdict and so a new trial was required. He was convicted of the murder but his conviction was quashed by the Court of Appeal last year after new evidence seriously undermined the prosecutions case against him.


Police Officers Get Away With Murder (20 October 2005)
Today the two men who had been arrested in connection with the murder of Harry Stanley, shot dead whilst carrying a table leg in a carrier bag in 1998, have been told they will NOT be charged in connection with their crime.

This is a devastating blow to justice in this country. It is an ascertained fact that Harry Stanley was murdered when he was shot. The police officers who fired the fatal shots did not should to him to warn him to drop what they believed was a weapon. They did not speak to him at all. Why is it that the Metropolitan Police offered the officers "full support during this difficult time"? The men were murder suspects. The men killed an innocent man. I expect a similar whitewash will occur for the 'independent' investigation into the murder of the Brazilian man Jean Charles Menenzes, who was shot eight times by officers from the Metropolitan Police in July this year because they wrongly believed he was a suicide bomber. He was totally innocent but lost his life because of illegal actions carried out by the Metropolitan Police Force.

The police should act within the law and not be above it. It is outrageous that police officers can commit murder, not be prosecuted and, more scandalously, be offered "full support." Both Harry Stanley and Jean Charles Menezes deserve justice and the officers concerned deserve lengthy jail sentences.


Update on Murdoch Trial (20 October 2005)
Joanne Lees, the girlfriend of missing backpacker Peter Falconio, has today been cross examined by the defence team of Bradley Murdoch, the man accused of Falconio's murder. A key point for the defence was how, in her statement to the police, Lees claimed she had had her hands tied behind her back by her alleged attacker, but when found her hands were tied in front of her. She was asked to demonstrate how she got her hands in front of her and did succeed in the task. This is all very well until one considers she admitted in the televised interview with Martin Bashir that she had practiced doing this on numerous occasions with Falconio's brother after the 'murder.'


Police Charge 'Weirside Jack' (20 October 2005)
John Humble, 49, has today appeared in court charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice. The police in Sunderland are convinced he was the man responsible for the 'Weirside Jack' hoax which, they maintain, was the reason why it took so long to catch Peter Sutcliffe. That is, of course, complete rubbish. They had spoken to Sutcliffe so many times but archaic police procedures prevented them from realising he had matched so many of the clues. Plus they should never have put so much emphasis on the tape. In almost all serial murder investigations hoax letters are sent. Even the experts consulted by the police informed detectives not to concentrate solely on the Sunderland area. It is therefore as much the police's fault that three more women died following receipt of the tape and letters.

Police officers are continuing their search of Humble's house in Sunderland.


'Weirside Jack' Suspect Arrested (19 October 2005)
Detectives are today questioning a 49 year old man in connection with attempting to pervert the course of justice. The man is believed to be the infamous 'Weirside Jack' who sent numerous letters and audio tapes to George Oldfield, the man leading the hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper in the late 1970s. The foolish detectives were taken in by the letters and audio tapes, which turned out to be a hoax, and so concentrated their search for the killer in the Sunderland area. 'Weirside Jack', experts determined, came from Castletown in Sunderland. Consequently the police did not arrest Peter Sutcliffe, who was responsible for the murders and attempted murders of several women, until 1980.


Lees Identifies Murdoch as Her Boyfriend's Killer (18 October 2005)
Today Joanne Lees, girlfriend of the missing (presumed murdered) British backpacker Peter Falconio, was asked if the man responsible for her boyfriend's murder was in the courtroom. She turned to Bradley Murdoch, the defendant, and replied "I am looking at him."

It is hardly convincing testimony seeing as though it wa shard not to identify the man in the dock whose face has been in the media over the past two years. It is surprising that if she knew who was responsible for the alleged crime she failed to identify Bradley Murdoch at an identification parade.

Murdoch denies murder and attempted abduction of Joanne Lees. His trial continues.


Cocaine Smuggling Trial Begins (18 October 2005)
Three men stand accused of smuggling large amounts of cocaine in coconuts via a fruit and veg business in London's East End.

Simon Howlett, it is alleged, ordered a shipment of coconuts and pineapples from the Caribbean and 498kg of cocaine from Guyana, it was today claimed. The cocaine seized amounted to 389kg.

Customs and Excise officers discovered the drugs as they entered Britain and replaced the coconuts with wooden blocks. They then waited at Spitalfields Market for the goods to be collected.

Six men were arrested at the market, but Howlett escaped. He was arrested two days later. A second shipment of pineapples, containing cocaine worth £1.75 million was later found at Felixstowe Port.

Howlett and his co-defendants; Fitzroy Farrell, 34, Oran Melin, 29, Gavin Hunt, 37, Scott Lomax, 29 (not me and no relation to myself!), Andrew Pritchard, 39, and Robert Moynaihan, 36, appeared at Blackfriars Crown Court. They deny conspiring to import 389kg of cocaine hidden in the coconuts. Howlett also denies one count of attempting to import 29.17kg of cocaine in the pineapples.

The trial continues.


Bradley Murdoch’s Murder Trial Begins (17 October 2005)
Today Bradley John Murdoch has taken to the dock accused of murdering the British backpacker Peter Falconio, who disappeared whilst travelling in the Australian Outback during the summer of 2001.

Mr Falconio’s girlfriend, Joanne Lees, maintains that a man motioned for their Kombi van, in which they were driving in a remote location near Alice Springs in the Northern Territory, to stop. Falconio, it is claimed, left, believing that the man was experiencing difficulties with his 4-wheeled drive vehicle. A sound was heard, which Lees believed was the sound of an exhaust backfiring. Falconio was, she says, never seen again. His body has not been found but the police are under the impression he was murdered.

The Australian court has today heard how Lees escaped from the alleged assailant’s truck, in which she had been forcibly taken, and hid “like a rabbit” amongst bushes and trees. The court has also heard how three pieces of DNA allegedly link Murdoch to the crime. Joanne Lees told the court she believed Murdoch was the man who murdered Falconio. This, in my opinion, should not have been allowed. At no point during the incident did she think Falconio had been killed. She did not even realise the sound was that of a gunshot as evidenced in her statement to the police, contrary to what she said in court today. Furthermore she did not believe, or at least outwardly express her belief, Falconio had been killed until many weeks later. She reluctantly made a press statement in which she said she hoped Peter Falconio would still be alive. Therefore it was wrong for her to say she believed Murdoch killed her lover when in reality she had no idea he had been killed. Also it remains to be proven that Falconio is dead and at least two witnesses are due to testify that they are certain they met Falconio days after his alleged murder. It is the defence’s case that Falconio is still alive and that Joanne Lees played a part in his disappearance, motivated by Falconio’s travel insurance policy. Their alternate hypothesis is that Lees murdered Peter Falconio.

Joanne Lees will give her full testimony tomorrow as she takes to the witness stand. It should prove to be very interesting. Bradley Murdoch denies murdering Peter Falconio.

I will be writing regular updates as this case unfolds. I am studying it very closely because I have serious concerns about the prosecution’s belief that Bradley Murdoch is guilty. I have shared my views with Mr Murdoch’s defence barrister and have contact with experts involved in this case who, like myself, are suspicious of the ‘star witness’ Joanne Lees.


Thirty Two Years For Danielle's Killers (9 October 2005)
Two men today convicted of murdering fourteen year old Danielle Beccan have been sentenced to thirty two years imprisonment.

Danielle was shot dead as she walked home in the early hours of the morning last October. She had attended a fair at the Nottingham Goose Festival, with friends. When she was only five hundred yards from her Nottingham home she noticed a car pull up beside her. A passenger in the vehicle pointed a handgun towards her and fired a single shot, hitting her in the stomach. She died in hospital a few hours later.


Comment on Absence of Recent Entries on This Page (17 September 2005)
I apologise for the lack of crime in the news entries on this page over the last month. This is due to me having been unable to update this website since early August. I shall, however, soon resume writing updates on a regular basis. Thank you for your patience.

Two Charged With Anthony Walker's Murder (6 August 2005)
Two of the men arrested yesterday have today been charged with murdering Anthony Walker who was violently killed last week.


Three Arrested in Anthony Walker Murder Hunt (5 August 2005)
Three men have today been arrested in connection with the racially motivated murder of Anthony Walker. It is understood that they left England, for Amsterdam, following the vicious attack in which Anthony had an axe embedded in his skull. They surrendered themselves to police in Holland and were today flown back to Britain where they were immediately arrested as soon as they stepped off the plane.


Racially Motivated Axe Attack Leaves Teenager Dead (30 July 2005)
Detectives in Liverpool are today investigating a brutal "unprovoked and vicious" murder on a Black eighteen year old A Level student.

Anthony Walker was enjoying an evening out with his girlfriend and cousin when he was approached by a white youth who began intimidating him at a bus stop. The three walked away to another bus stop to avoid confrontation but the white youth followed, with two or three other white youths.

In what appears to be a crime motivated solely by racial hatred the youths viciously attacked Anthony with an axe, which was embedded into the teenager's skull. He was rushed to hospital where he died hours later.

Detectives are appealing for anyone who knows the identities of these callous men to contact them.


Trigger-Happy Police Officers Kill Innocent Man (23 July 2005)
For more details about this worrying incident please click here


Claim That Jill Dando Was Killed By Jeffrey Archer Hitman (11 July 2005)
Two national newspapers have today claimed that the television presenter Jill Dando might have been killed by a hit man hired by disgraced peer Jeffrey Archer.

The revelation follows an announcement by Archer that he will be appealing against his conviction for perjury because allegations were made against him that he had hired a hit man, who mistakenly killed Jill in 1999. Archer apparently hired someone to murder a witness in his earlier libel case, who lived on Gowan Avenue (the street where Jill Dando was shot dead in broad daylight). The witness, Angela Peppiatt, drove the same type of vehicle as Jill (a blue BMW) and was blonde, just like the television star. It is suggested Archer’s alleged hired hit man killed Jill after she left her BMW, mistakenly believing that it was Peppiatt.

The Criminal Cases Review Commission has been asked, by the man who runs the Justice for Barry campaign, to study the claim Archer was responsible, when deciding whether they should refer Barry George’s conviction to the Court of Appeal. George, whose innocence I am one hundred percent certain of (read my book ‘Who Killed Jill Dando?’ for my full demolition of the case against him), was jailed for life in 2001 after a jury found him guilty by a majority of ten to one. The case against him was incredibly weak and his conviction has remained controversial, although I am the only author to argue a miscarriage of justice has certainly occurred.

Personally I doubt Archer was responsible for Jill’s death. A professional hit man would not have made such a simple mistake regarding identification. Peppiatt and Jill do not look alike and Jill was shot quite a distance away from Peppiatt’s home.

However, this is an important issue, in conjunction with the possibility Jill’s cousin could have been the intended victim. The important point is that if the police did not disclose to the defence the claim Archer was responsible, and the information relating to Jill’s cousin, what else did they keep secret? If the information had been made available to the defence at trial then Michael Mansfield QC could have introduced the credible argument that Jill Dando was not the intended victim and therefore the police had been on a wild goose chase by searching for those who had motive to murder her.

I have no doubt whatsoever, having studied evidence the jury never heard and having consulted those who know Barry George, and the man himself, that George did not murder Jill Dando and that a dangerous killer is still on the loose. I hope that the Criminal Cases Review Commission refers his case to the Court of Appeal before long so that he can regain the freedom he rightly deserves.


Burglars Murder Householder in a Savage Attack (11 July 2005)
A man has been murdered by burglars who broke into his home in Kensington, South London.

The fifty five year old victim died as a result of injuries sustained in a violent attack in the early hours of Thursday morning. The victim’s partner was awoken by the sound of two white men, of Caucasian appearance, savagely attacking the victim in a room that appeared to have been ransacked. The two men soon fled the scene, with a number of belongings. The victim was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Two men, aged 26 and 39, were last night being questioned in connection with the murder. The victim’s name has not yet been revealed because a formal identification has not taken place.


Boy Admits Stabbing His Nephew "Without Realising" (6 July 2005)
A twelve year old boy has admitted to stabbing his seven month old nephew, “without realising”.

The boy, who was only eleven at the time and who cannot be named for legal reasons, was playing on his Playstation when the incident occurred.

”I kept dying on the Playstation and that made me a bit mad.”, he told Hull Crown Court, “I only had a bit left to do.”

After the baby began “whingeing” in the next room he paused the game, went to the kitchen and picked up a knife, allegedly to fix a toy (why would he fix a toy if he was playing on the Playstation and wanted to finish his game?). At this point in time the baby started screaming. Continuing his testimony the boy described the attack: “I walked to the pram and [the baby, which also cannot be named] was still crying, so without realising I just stabbed him. The blade came out of the wooden bit. I realised what I had done, so I put it in the room underneath the telly.” The baby’s eyes went “de3ad wide, like an owl”, he had told police officers after the incident.

Although no blood was found on the knife, fatty deposits from the baby were. According to Nicola Taylor, a forensic scientist, no forensic evidence was found on the knife to suggest the boy had used the knife.

The baby suffered life threatening injuries but recovered after undergoing surgery. The boy denies charges of attempted murder, wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and wounding.


Man Who Shot Police Officer Is Found Dead (6 July 2005)
A man who shot a police officer has been found dead inside his home following an eighteen hour long siege.

Officers were called to the house in Rawtensall, Lancashire, on Monday, following reports that the occupant, Stephen Hensby, has been involved in anti-social behaviour. He has been involved in an eviction dispute.

When officers arrived at the scene they were bombarded with petrol bombs and Hensby, aged 54, opened fire on them. PC David Lomas was shot in the upper body. He was airlifted to the Royal Preston Hospital, where his condition is described as “comfortable.”

At 06:30, yesterday morning, officers stormed the building and found Hensby’s dead body in an upstairs room. A dead Rottweiler was found nearby.


Man Who Killed Girlfriend Arrested After Six Hour Siege (6 July 2005)
A man who held his girlfriend and child hostage at a house in Liverpool, has been arrested following a six hour siege.

Officers were called to the Merseyside house after reports that John Kerfoot was holding his former girlfriend, Janet Kilty, and their five year old child at gunpoint. The couple had separated shortly before. During the course of the incident Kilty was stabbed and died from her injuries. The child was recovered physically unharmed.

Kerfoot has been arrested on suspicion of murder and will be interviewed after he has been declared fit for questioning.


Public School Boy Admits Murdering Parents (29 June 2005)
A public schoolboy has admitted killing his elderly parents before using their credit cards to fund a £30,000 spending spree.

Brian Blackwell, 19, bludgeoned Sydney Blackwell, his 72 year old father, and Jacqueline, his 61 year old mother, to death at their £350,000 bungalow in Melling, Merseyside in July last year. Both had been repeatedly hit with a claw hammer and stabbed multiple times with a kitchen knife.

Blackwell has pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility and will be sentenced at a later date.

Those who know Blackwell have been shocked by his crime. He was referred to as an “exemplary” student by staff at a £7000 per year college in Liverpool where he studied hard, achieving four A Levels, all grade A. In fact it was only after killing his parents, and returning to college, that Blackburn learnt of his success. His parent’s bodies lay undiscovered whilst Blackwell claimed they were on holiday in their villa in Majorca. He stayed, after returning from an expensive holiday in the USA, with his girlfriend’s family, telling them that he had been locked out of the bungalow. He then engaged in a £30,000 spending spree.

Blackwell suffers from Narcissistic Personality Disorder, which resulted in him living a fantasy lifestyle. He pretended to be a professional tennis player and applied for thirteen credit cards in his father’s name to fund the lifestyle of a professional player. He spent £2,200 on a three night stay in the Presidential Suite of the Plaza Hotel in New York, where he travelled to immediately after the murders.


Judge in Sion Jenkins Trial Begins Summing-Up (23 June 2005)
Mrs Justice Rafferty has today begun her summing-up of the case of Sion Jenkins, the former deputy headmaster accused of killing his foster daughter Billie-Jo.

Jenkins was originally convicted of murdering Billie-Jo, with a tent peg, in 1998 but his conviction was quashed last year after new forensic evidence seemed to offer an innocent explanation for the presence of microscopic droplets of Billie-Jo's blood on Jenkins' clothing. It was argued, at appeal, that the blood came to be on his clothing because Billie-Jo was coughing up blood and one of her nostrils was blocked with a piece of bin liner, causing a fine spray of blood. Other evidence at appeal argued a schizophrenic tramp, found in possession of a bin liner, who was arrested soon after the murder, was responsible. Jenkins' daughters also provided him with an alibi.

The judges ordered a retrial which commenced earlier this year. The retrial has heard evidence showing Jenkins to be a liar, simply because he lied on a job application (is this not fairly common?) and that he had once kicked Billy-Jo.

The jury are expected to be sent out to consider their verdict in the next few days.


Caroline Dickinson Appeal Begins (23 June 2005)
Francisco Arce Montes, the man jailed last year for the rape and murder of Caroline Dickinson, a thirteen year old British girl killed in a French youth hostel in 1998, has today begun his appeal against conviction.

Montes, aged 55, claims he did not intend to murder Caroline, only wishing to cover her mouth with a pillow so that her screams could not be heard as he raped her. What i find interesting is that although several fellow pupils in the hostel admit to having heard Caroline wheezing, coughing and calling for help, no one actually did anything. One woman admitted hearing Caroline call for her mother but simply thought she was dreaming. This woman also admitted seeing Caroline "wriggling" whilst this was happening. So why did she not or hear Montes?


Michael Jackson: Not Guilty (13 June 2005)
Tonight (British time) Michael Jackson was found not guilty of all ten charges which he stood accused of. Upon hearing the first verdict Jackson is said to have expressed no emotion but upon the second he raised his hand in the air and wiped a tear from his eye, with he repeated on each subsequent 'not guilty' verdict.

What do you think of the verdict? Has justice been served? Personally I was surprised he did not get convicted of something but I do agree with the jury that he should be found not guilty of the child molestation charges. That is not to say he did not commit those offences but there was just too much doubt surrounding the testimony of the boy and his family. It is, in my opinion, a shame Jackson's bleak finances will prevent him from being able to take legal action against his accusers.


Girl Charged in the 'Hanging' Boy Case (3 June 2005)
A twelve year old girl arrested in connection with the attempted murder of five year old Anthony Hinchcliffe, in Dewsbury earlier this week, has been charged with causing grievous bodily harm and attempting to pervert the course of justice. She has been handed over to the youth justice team and will appear at a Youth Court in the very near future. It is understand she will deny the charges.

Although the police originally believed eight individuals were involved, they have announced they are no longer looking for other suspects. Presumably they believe the five they arrested are the only perpetrators of this horrific crime. Police have not yet confirmed whether Anthony was hung but a noose was tied around his neck.


Man Charged in McCartney Murder (3 June 2005)
This afternoon a man was charged in connection with the murder of Robert McCartney who was beaten and stabbed to death outside a Belfast bar by members of the IRA. A second man has been charged with the attempted murder of Mr McCartney's friend who was viciously assaulted.


Jury in Jackson Trial Begins Deliberating (3 June 2005)
The jury at the trial of Michael Jackson, who stands accused of child molestation, false imprisonment and plying a minor with alcohol, has been sent out to consider their verdicts.

After counsel presented their closing speeches, in which the defence maintained this was a case based on lies, spoken by family taught to lie, the judge provided his summing up. The jury were then sent to a room at the rear of the court to elect a foreman.

It is anticipated that it will take several days for the jury of eight women and four men to reach a verdict because of the large amount of complex evidence involved.


Man Arrested Over Jeshma Raithatha's Murder (3 June 2005)
A man has been arrested in connection with the rape and murder of seventeen year old Jeshma Raithatha who was killed in London last month.

The man is currently in Latvia and will face extradition back to Britain to face questioning by the Metropolitan Police.


Latest on Attempted Murder of Five Year Old Boy (2 June 2005)
Police in Dewsbury today released all five suspects in the attempted murder discussed below, after magistrates refused to grant an extension to question the suspects further. However, the police decided to re-arrest one of the suspects, a twelve year old girl, thus getting round the magistrates' decision.

The victim's mother has described to police how her son was playing with the girl, in the garden of the boy's home. When the mother called for her son, when his dinner was ready, he had already gone. It is believed the girl took him to local woods and there a gang of eight attempted to hang him. They succeeded in tying a noose around his neck but the boy was later discovered walking around on his own.


Two Police Officers Arrested For Harry Stanley's Murder (2 June 2005)
Two police firearms officers have today been arrested in connection with the murder of Harry Stanley who was shot dead as he walked in a London street seven years ago. He was carrying a table leg in a carrier bag, which two police officers mistook for a sawn-off shotgun. He was shot dead without either of the police officers speaking to him.

An inquest after the incident recorded an open verdict. A second inquest determined Harry Stanley died as a result of unlawful killing. This verdict was then overturned by a High Court ruling which said there was 'insufficient evidence' against the two police officers. The Crown Prosecution Service was then asked to investigate and today, after new forensic evidence was discovered, the two men were arrested on a charge of murder. They also face charges of neglect of duty and manslaughter.

The Metropolitan Police has said it will continue to help the officers during this 'difficult time' (they were suspended on full pay following the second inquest). Would the Met give the same support to other murder suspects?


Five Children Arrested For Attempted Murder (1 June 2005)
Five children, aged eleven and twelve, are today being questioned in connection with the attempted murder of a five year old boy in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire.

The victim was found by a twenty two year old cousin, walking around confused and frightened. It has emerged that he was taken into woods, viciously beaten, so much so that his body is covered in bruises, and a noose tied around his neck. He is currently in hospital undergoing treatment.


Two More Arrests in Robert McCartney Murder (1 June 2005)
Two further arrests have been made by detectives hunting the killers of Belfast man Robert McCartney. McCartney was murdered by IRA members outside a Belfast bar earlier this year. A friend was also seriously attacked. Since the murder his sisters have appealed extensively for witnesses, and the killers themselves, to come forward, even taking their quest for justice to the White House. The McCartney sisters have, as a result, received several death threats.


Jeshma Raithatha Update (30 May 2005)
Detectives hunting the killer of Jeshma Raithatha have renewed their appeal for anyone who saw Jeshma, during the week before her death, to come forward. They have also revealed Jeshma was subjected to a serious sexual assault before her death.


Mark Hobson Jailed for Life (27 May 2005)
Mark Hobson, a former binman who lived near Selby, has today been jailed for life for the murders of Claire and Diane Sanderson and James and Joan Britton. His barrister spoke for around an hour to argue Hobson had schizoid traits but the judge was under no illusion that Hobson should serve his sentence in prison. Hobson pleaded guilty to the murders last month and today learnt that he would spend his entire life in jail. Upon hearing the sentence some of the relatives of Hobson's victims leapt into the air and began swearing at him. One relative shouted "I hope you rot in hell."


Jeshma Could Have Been Kept Hostage (27 May 2005)
Detectives investigating the murder of Jeshma Raithatha have revealed that she died days after she went missing, suggesting the possibility she was kidnapped and held against her will for a number of days before her death.


Model Found Murdered Near Her Home (26 May 2005)
Two days ago the body of Jeshma Raithatha, who was aged seventeen, was discovered in bushes around a recreation park in Greenford, Middlesex. She had been repeatedly stabbed in the heart.

Jeshma was last seen alive last Monday when she was dropped off at school by her parents. She was described as being happy at that time, looking forward to a holiday.

Jeshma was an aspiring singer who had posted messages on the Internet advertising her musical talents. Police are investigating the possibility she was killed by someone she met over the Internet, but this is only one line of enquiry.


Death Row Inmate's Donation Reprieve Attempt Fails (26 May 2005)
A Death Row inmate in the USA, who sought a reprieve so that he could donate part of his liver to a dying sister was executed yesterday.

Medical experts said Gregory Johnson, aged forty, was suffering from Hepatitis B, which damaged his liver. Therefore any transplant would not assist Johnson's sister, who suffers from cirrhosis.

Johnson was convicted of murdering an elderly woman, during a burglary, in 1985. Yesterday he received the lethal injection at Indiana State Prison.


Paul Blackburn's Conviction is Quashed (25 May 2005)
Judges at the Court of Appeal in London today quashed the conviction of Paul Blackburn, who was jailed in 1978 for the attempted murder of a nine year old boy.

Blackburn always denied being involved, although at trial a confession statement was produced. The appeal judges today said new evidence suggested the police had lied when they claimed Blackburn had written the statement himself. In a book by L.A. Naylor, Blackburn described the police interviews and said that he had been bullied into a confession and that he would have written anything. He claims the police dictated a confession and that he wrote it down. He was young and scared, he alleges.

Blackburn was released from prison two years ago, on parole, but it was only today that his name was cleared. Speaking outside the Court of Appeal Blackburn told journalists: "I haven't been able to pick up the pieces and I don't know if I ever will be."


Two More Men Charged Over Mary-Ann Leneghan's Death (18 May 2005)
Two more men have been charged over the death of sixteen year old Mary-Ann Leneghan who was stabbed once in the neck in Reading, with her eighteen year old friend being raped before being shot once in the head. One of the men was charged in connection with the murder of Mary-Ann Leneghan, the attempted murder of the eighteen year old woman and the abduction of both women. The second man has been charged in connection with possessing a prohibited weapon.


A Trail of Blood Links Defendent to the Crime (16 May 2005)
A man who stands accused of murdering a priest, was linked to the crime after police officers followed a trail of blood from the scene of the crime to the defendant's home, a court has today been told. The defendent allegedly cut his finger breaking into the home of the priest.


A Fourth Man Charged in Connection With Mary-Ann Leneghan's Murder (16 May 2005)
Today a fourth man has appeared at Reading Magistrates Court charged with the murder of Mary-Ann Leneghan, abducting Mary-Ann and her friend and for raping the eighteen year old friend. The man is 23 years old and from London.


Three Men Charged in Connection With Mary-Ann Leneghan's Murder (14 May 2005)
A 21 year old man from Balham, south-west London was last night charged with the murder of Mary-Ann Leneghan. He appeared in Reading Magistrates Court earlier today and is currently in hospital suffering from injures, reportedly self-inflicted, sustained in the cells of the Magistrates Court.

Tonight two more men have been charged in connection with the murder and attempted murder. Four others are still being interviewed, including two women who have been arrested in connection with assisting offenders.


Detectives Fly to Australia to Question Abigail Suspect's Ex (12 May 2005)
Detectives searching for the identity of the man who left the young mother Abigail Witchalls paralysed, have flown out to Australia to speak to a deceased suspect's ex-wife.

Following the apparent suicide of a suspect in the investigation (see yesterday's entry) the investigating team wish to question the former wife of the suspect in a bid to determine whether he could have been the man who viciously attempted to murder Abigail last month.

Unless the suspect, who I still shall not name at this stage, spoke to his former wife about the incident it is unlikely she will be able to offer any real assistance. Even if she claims he was violent this does not mean he carried out this crime. Without a confession, a positive identification by the victim or compelling forensic evidence his involvement cannot be proven. I fear that even if this man is innocent the police might, if they struggle to find anyone else who could be considered a significant suspect, will simply find it is more convenient to put the blame on the dead man - the easy target. Of course, I am not saying he is innocent, but it is always so much easier to blame someone who cannot defend themselves.


Latest on the Hunt For Mary-Ann Leneghan's Killers (12 May 2005)
A woman has been arrested in connection with the hunt for Mary-Ann Leneghan's killers. It is probable she has not been arrested for the murder itself, as the surviving victim has not provided any details relating to a woman being present. Perhaps the woman has, in the opinion of detectives, helped pervert the course of justice or has wasted their time. I will provide more details when I find out what has happened.


Officers Search a Flat in a Bid to Catch Mary-Ann Leneghan's Killers (12 May 2005)
Police officers in Reading are today searching a flat above a massage parlour to find clues relating to the murder of Mary-Ann Leneghan and attempted murder of her eighteen year old friend, who cannot be named for legal reasons.

The property is the home of one of the men being held in police custody in connection with the incident. A local woman has told investigating officers that she saw the two women in the vicinity of the property on a frequent basis, late at night and in the early hours of the morning.


Abigail Murder Suspect Commits Suicide (11 May 2005)
Detectives hunting the attacker of Abigail Witchalls have revealed that one of their suspects has died in a Scottish hospital after taking a suspected overdose.

The suspect fled to Scotland days after Abigail was stabbed in the neck in Surrey village of Little Bookham, in broad daylight after collecting her two year old son from nursery, on 20 April. The single stab wound has left her paralysed although she is conscious and has provided a detailed description of her attacker.

The suspect, who I shall not name at this stage, was admitted into Raigmore Hospital in Inverness on 28 April, before being transferred to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, where he died on 30 April.

The man, who lived in Little Bookham, is only one of many suspects, detectives have stressed.


Culkin Rejects Jackson Abuse Claims (11 May 2005)
The Home Alone actor Macaulay Culkin has rejected claims that he was abused by Michael Jackson, although he has admitted having slept in the singer's bed, whilst he was a child, on many occasions. Culkin, a good friend of Jackson, who allows his own children to stay at the Neverland Ranch, claimed the allegations he had been abused were "absolutely ridiculous."

Michael Jackson's trial, for child molestation and false imprisonment, continues.


Two Arrests in Mary-Ann Leneghan Murder Investigation (11 May 2005)
Detectives investigating the brutal murder of Mary-Ann Leneghan, and attempted murder of her friend, have arrested two more men in connection with the crime. According to Superintendent Mark Warwick, of Thames Valley Police, the arrests are a "significant" development.

Mary-Ann, aged sixteen, and her eighteen year old friend, were abducted by a group of six men and sexually assaulted before being left in a park in Reading. Mary-Ann was stabbed once in the neck and died from her injuries. My understanding is that the friend, who is seriously ill in hospital, was shot once in the head.

A third man is also in custody, having been arrested yesterday. Four others have been released on bail.


At Least Thirty Years For The Man Who Killed Pregnant School Girl (7 May 2005)
Philip Powell, a 43 year old father of four, has today confessed to the murder of pregnant fourteen year old Amy Williams, at the Old Bailey. He told the court how he confronted the school girl before forcing her to walk for half an hour to a graveyard. He then raped and strangled the girl. Her body was later found seated upright on a bench at the graveyard.

Powell was arrested after DNA found on the victim matched that held on a database of offenders. Powell had a previous conviction of possessing an offensive weapon. It is normal procedure to take DNA samples from criminals and store them in the database.

Mr Justice Wakerly set a minimum tariff of thrity years. "What you did was a terrible thing.", he said, "You terrified a young girl. Your mind was on one thing and that was sex."


Dyson Admits Responsibility For Death of Joanne Nelson (3 May 2005)
Paul Dyson, the man charged in connection with the murder of Joanne Nelson who disappeared on 14 February this year, has admitted he did kill his fiance. Joanne's body was found in remote countryside in north Yorkshire last month, whilst Dyson was on remand. He has not yet entered a plea of guilty or not guilty to the charge of murder but has admitted responsibility for causing Joanne's death. It is, of course, possible he could deny murder and claim his crime was manslaughter.


Former Clerk Carries Out Killing Spree (26 April 2005)
A former bank clerk at a Chinese credit co-operative has shot five people before turning his gun on himself.

Wang Yanjun stole 10,000 yuan (approximately £6,300) from his former workplace, thne Xiangchenggu Credit Co-operative in the Hebel province of northern China, before killing five employees of the company. He then killed himself, the reasons for which are currently unknown.


Michael Jackson is a 'Good Father' (26 April 2005)
An ex-wife of singer Michael Jackson has today praised him for being a good father and humanitarian. It was expected, by the prosecution, that Debbie Rowe would provide damning testimony of her former husband's unusual behaviour and lifestyle but sadly, for them, she had nothing but good to say about the man accused of child molestation and false imprisonment. Of course, how he behaved with his own children does not necessarily prove anything because many paedophiles have children of their own and yet are above suspicion. Rowe's evidence would not, realistically, have proven anything either way because the issue in this case is whether Jackson molested Gavin Arvizo and unless Rowe was present at that time, which she was not, then she cannot provide any conclusive information about the case. Rowe has not even lived with Jackson for a number of years and therefore she does not know what his behaviour was like at that time. As far as I am concerned, a good father does not hold his child from a hotel balcony and he does not cover them with cloths so that they cannot be seen at all. However, it is irrelevant whether he is a good father. The fact is that even good fathers can be child molesters.


Child Abuse 'Expert' Condemned For Distorting the Truth (26 April 2005)
Dr Camille De San Lazaro, a so-called expert in the guessing game of child abuse (I say this because experts have been shown to be completely at odds with the truth, locking up innocent people simply because they believe a young child has been abused with only their opinion to substantiate the claim) has appeared before a General Medical Council hearing to face charges of misconduct after admitting she "exaggerated" and "overstated" accounts of sexual abuse. How many innocent people has she been responsible for sending to prison? Child abuse claims are, in the opinion of those who have studied such cases, the fastest growing area in which miscarriages of justice occur. Often a child will deny they have been abused and the main evidence against a suspect will consist simply of the word of an expert who has decided, without previously knowing the child, that the child's behaviour is consistent with them having been abused. Then there is the word of a parent who might have motive to lie. For example, it is easy for a mother to encourage a very young child to say they have been abused by their father if it would help the mother gain sole custody or if there is a bitter break-up between the mother and father, it might be profitable for the mother to claim the father abused the child in order to gain revenge (I know of a case where this has happened). It does happen, sadly, although of course there are many genuine cases. It is estimated thousands of false claims of child abuse, and abuse of adults, are made each year but there are many, many more genuine claims.


Hobson Pleads Guilty to Four Murders (18 April 2005)
Mark Hobson appeared at Leeds Crown Court today to enter his pleas for causing the deaths of an elderly couple and two twin sisters, one of which was his ex-partner. In February this year he admitted responsibilty for the deaths and today he pleaded guilty to murder on all four counts.

On 18 July 2004 the bodies of Claire and Diane Sanderson and James and Joan Britton, were found. It was determined Claire Sanderson, who had been Hobson's girlfriend, was killed on or around Saturday 11 July at her home in Selby. Her twin sister Diane was killed on 18 July. Hobson then drove to a village north of York where he murdered James and Joan Britton, who were in their eighties. A manhunt eventually resulted in the capture of Hobson.


Shipman's Stolen Goods Given to His Widow (16 April 2005)
Items of jewellery, worth hundreds of pounds, which are believed to have belonged to some of the victims of the killer Doctor Harold Shipman, have now become the legal property of Primrose Shipman, the murderer's widow.

Relatives of the victims had until today to prove their loved ones had owned the jewellery, which was found in Shipman's garage during a police raid on his home. Receipts and/or photograph evidence was required to prove ownership. Primrose Shipman cannot prove ownership and of course the jewellery, which consisted of multiple wedding rings amongst other jewellery types, was found in a garage (hardly the place you would keep expensive jewellery if you legally owned it).

I personally find it disgusting that the widow of a serial killer can legally own items belonging to her husband's victims. She ought to auction off the jewellery and provide the money to a worthy charity, such as one which helps the families of murder victims.


Teacher's Bail Application is Rejected (14 April 2005)
Linda Walker, who was jailed last month for firing a pellet gun at a group of youths she believed were responsible for a hate campaign against her and her family, will remain in prison waiting for her appeal to be heard.


'Prison Responsible For Harold Shipman's Death' (14 April 2005)
It has been claimed that the prolific serial killer Doctor Harold Shipman died partly due to the actions of staff at the prison where he was serving his life sentences.

Shipman, who was considered to be someone who was at high risk of committing suicide, was found hanging in his cell in January 2004. It has since emerged that he was being bullied by a member of staff who kept telling him to go and hang himself. Shipman killed himself after losing many of his privileges. Since his death hundreds more crimes have been attributed to him. He was convicted only of killing fifteen of his patients by injecting them with morphine, but is now believed to have killed up to three hundred and fifty patients over a three decade period, despite there being no evidence to prove many of these alleged victims were murdered at all.


Family of Jackson's Accuser 'Bribed' to Defend Singer (12 April 2005)
The jury at the trial of Michael Jackson has heard that the singer offered the family of his accuser, Gavin Arvizo, a house and college education in exchange for their participation in a documentary arguing against that produced by British journalist Martin Bashir.

Arvizo's stepfather also claims that the family were offered "protection" from some unspecified threat.


Gun Firing Teacher Seeks Bail (13 April 2005)
Lawyers acting on behalf of Linda Walker, a 48 year old special needs teacher jailed for six months for firing a pellet gun at a gang of youths in August last year, are today requesting that she should be released on bail pending her appeal against conviction.

The appeal, which is due to be heard next month, will argue that her conviction is unsafe on the grounds that she had been suffering from abuse at the hands of a number of youths who had caused damage to her garden, garden shed and had made nuisance phone calls.


Jackson 'Took a Shower With Eight Year Old Boy' (6 April 2005)
A former maid at Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch has today told the court at the singer's trial that she once saw Jackson having a shower with an eight year old boy. The prosecution are using this testimony, along with other allegations of abuse and improper behaviour with young boys, to demonstrate that the teenage boy currently accusing Jackson has given an account of Jackson's behaviour that is consistent with what others have said. The prosecution are using the accounts of alleged previous incidents, which it must be stressed were never proven to have occurred, to verify the boy's claims. They are trying to convey the message that one person could lie but it would be farfetched to say multiple individuals could each, independently, provide false stories similar in certain respects.


Fingerprints on a Pornography Magazine - Proof of Jackson's Guilt! (26 March 2005)
The jury in the trial of Michael Jackson has today heard that the star's fingerprints were found on a magazine containing legal pornography and that his alleged victim's prints were also present. This apparently shows that Jackson used the adult pornography to lure the young victim into his bedroom so that he could molest him. Jackson explains the presence of the child's prints by saying he caught his accuser looking through his hoard of magazines and took them away from him. The accuser claims Jackson showed them him and his younger brother and also showed them both Internet pornography. A large number of pornographic images were found on Jackson's computer. Even if Jackson did show the pornography to the boys does this mean he molested one of them? It proves nothing, either way.

Jackson stands accused of ten charges of child molestation and false imprisonment. His trial continues.


A Rape of a Young Child in Her Own Home (25 March 2005)
A young girl has been raped by a stranger in her own home in Basildon, Essex, it has been revealed.

The attack, which happened between 20:00 last night and 07:00 this morning was committed by an intruder whilst her family was sleeping. It is understood the girl, who cannot be named, was woken up by her attacker and subjected to a traumatic ordeal. The girl is under the age of ten but her exact age cannot be revealed in case it leads to her being identified.

A description of the offender has been provided. He is described as being aged between eighteen and twenty (but of course this was someone aged nine or under who made the description and therefore the estimated age might not be too accurate). His skin colour is black, his build described as "skinny" and his hair as of an "Afro style."


Joanne Nelson's Body Has Been Found (25 March 2005)
The detective leading the search for Joanne Nelson's body has confirmed that the remains found yesterday (see the entry below) are those of the missing woman Joanne Nelson who disappeared on Valentine's Day this year. It has been revealed that the body was found 100 to 150 yards from an iron gate, which the police believe is significant because their experts determined that the body could be near a gate.

A post mortem carried out earlier today has shown that Joanne was strangled to death. Her fiancé was charged last month with her murder and has been remanded into custody.

Joanne's parents identified their daughter at Hull Mortuary. They have requested the press to allow them to grieve in private.


A Body Found in the Search For Joanne Nelson (24 March 2005)
A detective involved in the investigation into the murder of Joanne Nelson, who is believed to have been killed on Valentines Day this year, has revealed that the body of a young woman has been found in the North Yorkshire town of Malton. It has not yet been confirmed whether the body is that of the job centre worker. Joanne’s fiancé was last month charged with her murder and a massive police search for her body then commenced.


Open Verdict For Stephen Hilder's Death (23 March 2005)
The death of the twenty year old sky diver Stephen Hilder, who plummeted to his death during a skydiving competition in July 2003, was "unique and mysterious" a Coroner has ruled.

Unable to determine whether the young man was the victim of murder or suicide he had little choice but to record an open verdict.

A murder hunt was immediately initiated upon Hilder's death, and the police even arrested two of Hilder's friends and held them for a number of days, before eventually deciding that Hilder committed suicide.

Coroner Atkinson could not find any evidence to prove that suicide took place although he accepted Hilder's DNA was found on the pair of scissors used to cut the main chute and reserve chute of his parachute. Fibres from the parachute were also found on Hilder's clothing.

Lincolnshire Police ceased their murder investigation last year and will not continue looking for anyone in connection with the death unless new evidence, showing Hilder was murdered, is forthcoming.


More details Revealed about School Massacre (22 March 2005)
Police investigating the terrible massacre at the school in the USA have revealed more details about the perpetrator of the crime, Jeff Weise, who killed himself during the incident.

He was, they say, a neo-Nazi who had spoken of his intention to shoot students at the school for some time. In fact he had been arrested in 2004 for this very reason, because it was known he was intending to kill students on Hitler’s birthday. The police released him and took no further action. Weis also is known to have drawn skulls with bullets in them. A very disturbing young man, clearly, but one has to accept that the police could very realistically have done something to prevent this tragedy.


Another Massacre in an American School (21 March 2005)
Ten people are dead and several injured after a gunman opened fire at a school in the USA.

Jeff Weise, a seventeen year old with mental health problems, killed his grandfather, a veteran police officer, and his grandfather’s partner, after having armed himself with a shotgun and two hand pistols in a Native American Reserve in the state of Minnesota.

After killing them both he travelled to his school shooting a security guard dead before entering. Inside he shot more than a dozen pupils. Six of them died. The gunman then turned one of the guns on himself, ending his own life.

There has been a spate of shootings in recent weeks in the USA. A man entered a church and shot several members of the congregation before killing himself, allegedly because he disliked the sermon, and a four year old boy shot his two year old brother

What can you expect from a country whose citizens are encouraged to own guns? I have several press cuttings of cases where people have used guns for ridiculous purposes. For example one man was in a busy restaurant when he shot at his laptop computer simply because it crashed and another case where gunfire had been exchanged over a snowball fight.


Another Disruption in the Case of Michael Jackson (21 March 2005)
Michael Jackson again arrived at court late, apparently due to medical reasons. He appeared frail and needed the assistance of two people to enter the courtroom. A doctor was present and privately gave the trial judge details about Jackson's health. It is understood that the singer is complaining of severe back pains. He was seen to weep whilst the doctor was speaking with the judge. Is this a foolish ploy on the part of the defendant or is he genuinely ill, through the stress? It is fairly common that during trials, especially those which are high-profile, that defendants will become ill due to stress and often they will imagine symptoms but believe they are actually ill. A classic example is that of Barry George who went blind during part of his trial due to the stress of his trial and the media's role.


Shipman May Have Stolen From His Victims (17 March 2005)
Relatives of Harold Shipman’s victims are being contacted to see whether they can identify a hoard of jewellery found in the serial killer’s garage.

In total seventy items of jewellery, estimated to be worth a total of £10,000, remain unclaimed. It is considered suspicious that the jewellery was hidden in the garage of his Hyde home and so detectives from greater Manchester Police believe some of it could belong to his victims. “It has always been our unsubstantiated belief that some of that jewellery had belonged to Shipman’s victims.”, a spokesperson has said.

At least one hundred and eighty families of Shipman’s estimated six hundred and fifty victims have been contacted by post to see whether they can claim any of the jewellery. They have just under one month to claim before the jewellery is handed to the wife of the killer. Surely, unless she can claim the jewellery, by proving it is hers, it should be sold and the proceeds donated to a charity.


Irrelevant ‘Evidence’ Introduced in the Michael Jackson Trial (17 March 2005)
Police officers who raided Jackson’s home have been giving evidence at the singer’s trial.

The raid on the Neverland Ranch in November 2003 allegedly found his bedroom was “brimming with pornography”, with a number of sexually explicit magazines. Jackson’s attorney has, however, pointed out that all of the magazines were perfectly legal, featuring adults and not children.

This is very poor evidence because it is irrelevant. In fact it is not actually evidence at all because it has no bearing on whether Jackson committed child molestation and false imprisonment. If someone owns pornography of naked women it does not mean they sexually abuse children. It is the prosecution’s job to show that the pornography was used to lure the victim, Gavin Arvizo, so that Jackson could molest him.

In October last year I attended a meeting where the issue of false allegations of sexual assault and child molestation was discussed in detail. The prosecution in Jackson’s case are attempting to show that Arvizo was acting in a way consistent with having been abused; reluctant to talk about the incident and crying. At the meeting I attended an expert in the subject, Dr Bill Thompson, showed that no matter what the individual’s demeanour, paediatricians and prosecution counsels can create the impression that the alleged victim has been abused. It is an impossible situation for a defendant because it all comes down to the defendant’s word against that of the accuser.


Suicide Theory is ‘Illogical’ the Stephen Hilder Inquest is Told (17 March 2005)
The theory that the skydiver Stephen Hilder, who plunged 13,000 feet to his death during a skydiving competition, committed suicide is “illogical” according to a witness at the inquest into Hilder’s death.

The basis of this belief is that examination of Hilder’s body and his equipment, after his death, showed that he had carried out the full emergency procedures to open his chute. Why would he do this, it has been asked, if he was intent on ending his life? Checks on his equipment showed that cords from the main chute and reserve chute had been deliberately cut. A murder investigation was initiated and two men arrested, before police began to accept Hilder had ended his own life on the basis of forensic evidence.

The coroner has correctly pointed out that there is no logic in suicide and therefore just because he carried out emergency procedures does not mean he was murdered. When plunging to his death we cannot know what was going through his mind. Even suicidal people can feel fear as they are about to die.

The inquest at Scunthorpe Coroner’s Court continues.


A ‘Hung’ Jury in the Trial of Andrew Wragg (17 March 2005)
The jury in the trial of Andrew Wragg, who is accused of murdering his severely ill son, have failed to reach a verdict. The jury are always asked to reach a unanimous verdict. If they fail to reach such a verdict then they can be given permission, by the trial judge, to reach a majority where at least ten jurors are in agreement. If ten or more can still not agree then the jury becomes ‘hung’, is discharged and eventually a new trial begins.


Police Link Milly Dowler Murder To Other Deaths (15 March 2005)
Detectives investigating the murder of teenager Milly Dowler, who was killed three years ago, believe there is a link between her death and the murders of Marsha McDonnell and Amelie Delagrange.

It is not known how serious they are treating any link, because they have individually linked these murders to others, only to find they were wrong in their beliefs. Looking at the photographs of the three girls/women there are some similarities in their appearance although their ages vary between thirteen and twenty two. However, there are differences in the location of the crimes and the modus operandi of the attacks. The cause of Milly Dowler's death could never be determined (her body was too decomposed) and so it is difficult to conceive how there can be a defined link between the three murders.

Studies of CCTV footage have revealed a red car where Milly Dowler was last seen alive. She had been friends at a railway station but had decided to walk home. The police are trying to trace this vehicle.

If there are any links between these three crimes then it is a travesty of justice because a man was arrested and charged in connection with the murder of Marsha McDonnell. It was ruled that he was not fit enough for trial and it was ordered he should be detained, indefinitely, at a psychiatric hospital. This happened five months before the murder of Amelie Delagrange, in March 2003. If there is a connection between the crimes then the man currently detained is unquestionably innocent.


Michael Jackson Did Not Abuse Me, Accuser Told School Teacher (14 March 2005)
Michael Jackson's fifteen year old accuser has admitted today that, when asked by a teacher whether the allegations the singer had abused him were true, he told the teacher he had not been abused.

Looking the teenager in the eyes, the teachers asked whether there was any truth in the allegations and the accuser responded "No." It is claimed he made the same admission to others on separate occasions.

It is possible that Jackson did abuse him and that he simply did not want to talk about the issue with his teacher. However, this admission would seemingly undermine much of the prosecution's case. It is difficult to believe Jackson could be convicted of child molestation on the basis of this admission but then so many people doubted Barry George could ever be convicted of the murder of Jill Dando when the evidence against him was pathetically weak.

Michael Jackson continues to deny the charges of child molestation and false imprisonment. His trial continues.


More Drama in the Jackson Trial (10 March 2005)
Michael Jackson came very close to being arrested today, when he failed to arrive in court on time. He claimed he was suffering from back pains when he eventually arrived, one hour late. After his 'severe flu' it is understandable that people will think the pop star is simply trying to delay matters. Dressed in his pyjamas Jackson listened to his accuser provide details of the abuse he allegedly suffered from whilst staying at Jackson's Neverland Ranch.


McCartney Suspect Released on Police Bail (10 March 2005)
A man arrested yesterday in connection with the murder of Robert McCartney has been released on police bail after a few hours of questioning, whilst investigations continue. No further details are available at this time.


A Family Lived With Dead Father For Ten Years (9 March 2005)
The family of a man lived with his corpse for an estimated ten years, it has been revealed.

The three daughters of the man, who are all in their seventies, are being questioned by police in Japan after Kyujiro Kanaoka's body was found on a bed in the family home in the city of Itami.

The daughters have informed the police that they did not realise their father was dead (a very believable story!) but one had consulted a relative about the possibility he could be dead. The fact he was decomposing and had not been breathing, eating, talking or doing anything for ten years is normally quite a good indicator that he is dead.

The fact his death was not reported, and such an implausible story provided, begs the question of whether a serious crime has been committed.


Jackson's Accuser Takes to the Witness Stand (9 March 2005)
The teenage boy who claims he was molested by Michael Jackson has today begun giving evidence against the pop star. He described the events leading up to meeting the star and leading up to the abuse.

A friend of the 'victim' had arranged for Jackson to telephone the boy whilst the boy was in hospital suffering from cancer. They spoke for around five minutes. Further telephone calls were made and eventually Jackson sent a limousine to fetch the boy from his home and take him to the Neverland Ranch. The abuse itself was not discussed, as this will require extensive questioning, but it was said that Jackson had shown the boy and his younger brother pornography and they had slept with the singer in his bed.


'Death Pact' to Kill Terminally Ill Son (8 March 2005)
The trial of Andrew Wragg, who stands accused of murdering his seriously ill son, has today heard that Wragg and his ex-wife had a 'death pact' in which they agreed their son should be killed.

Mary Wragg was, according to the defendant, "completely aware of what was happening that night and it would never have happened if she had expressed concern at any time about what was going to happen."

Wragg killed his ten year old son, Jacob, on 24 July 2004 after eh persuaded his wife to take their other son to Mary Wragg's mother's house. Jacob suffered from a genetic disorder called Hunter syndrome. Wragg had spent three months in Iraq and after his return he realised how fast his son's health was deteriorating, he maintains. He decided he should kill Jacob and arranged to do so after going on holiday but, when discussing this with his wife, she allegedly asked, "Why wait?" On the day he killed his son, Wragg apparently called his wife to tell her, "It's tonight." Mary Wragg knew what he meant, he says, and her willingness to take their younger son away was a sign of her approval to killing Jacob.

After smothering Jacob, with a pillow, Wragg phoned the police to confess to murdering his son. He now denies murder, claiming instead that he is guilty of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility and ended his son's life in a "mercy killing." He told the court today that he had felt great relief upon killing his son. He spent half an hour, he claims, with Jacob afterwards explaining why he had killed him and stroking his hair.

According to many who knew him, Wragg was embarrassed about Jacob's condition and he had an alcohol problem. It is alleged that he had been drinking on the night he ended Jacob's life and that his 'embarrassment' led to him killing Jacob whilst under the influence of alcohol. In the past he had allegedly spoken about how he could not care for a child with a serious illness. It is a fact his wife had had an abortion to terminate the life of another child when they discovered he would have been born with Hunter syndrome. The abortion had been very traumatic for Mary Wragg. Wragg, it has been claimed, murdered his son because he was incapable of caring for him. The trial continues.


The IRA is 'Prepared to Shoot' the Killers of Robert McCartney (8 March 2005)
The IRA tonight issued a statement in which they said they have evidence proving the identities of those who killed Robert McCartney in a Belfast bar on 30 January 2005. Furthermore, they have offered to kill those responsible, in a chilling public statement.

Part of the five page statement reads, 'The IRA is prepared to shoot the people directly involved in the killing of Robert McCartney.' It provides detailed accounts of the crime and those who have made 'voluntary admissions' of guilt. Apparently four men, two IRA members of two non-members, were involved in the fatal stabbing attack. McCartney and three others were chased out of the bar, with one attacker fetching a knife from the kitchen. Another man used the knife to stab McCartney, it is claimed, whilst a third kicked and beat him whilst the dying man was on the ground. A fourth man hit McCartney's friends across the face with a steel bar.

McCartney's relatives, who have met with representatives from the IRA on two occasions, have rejected the offer to shoot those involved. Ulster Unionists have described the offer as "sick and desperate." A cousin of McCartney has said, "I think the feeling is that to shoot and possibly kill these people is revenge and not justice. And revenge is not what the family is looking for." A sister of the dead man has said that you cannot kill someone if they are only a suspect in the murder.

The sisters of Robert McCartney have appealed for more witnesses to come forward. There were large numbers of people drinking in the bar and present outside. Someone must have information, they believe, but they have not come forward because there is a feeling of fear because of the involvement of the IRA. The IRA refused to name those it believes are responsible for the murder but has expelled three volunteers and suspended seven members. It appealed for those responsible to "go forward and give full and honest accounts of their actions."

A number of men have been arrested in connection with the murder but they have all been released without charge. The police are aware of the identities of those the IRA believe were responsible. However, all ten individuals who have been questioned refused to respond to any questions.


The Family of Michael Jackson's 'Victim' Praised the Singer (8 March 2005)
The brother of the boy who claims that Michael Jackson molested him, sent the singer a Father's Day card in which a great deal of praise was written, it has been revealed.

The card reads, 'When we get broken and shattered into tiny little pieces, you always heal us. You are my super, super best friend. I love you. Michael, you are special to us. We love you unconditionally to infinity and beyond forever.'

The 'victim's' brother claims he merely copied the words from another card, even though they sound just like the words of a teenager who has watched Toy Story rather than those used in greetings cards. He also says that the abuse did not start until after the card had been sent, although he earlier stated that the abuse had started after only a few visits to the Neverland ranch.


Update on the Michael Jackson Trial (7 March 2005)
Today the younger brother of Michael Jackson's accuser has given evidence. The brothers both stayed at Jackson's Neverland Ranch and, according to the witness, they both slept in the same bed as the singer. Jackson allegedly gave both boys alcohol, calling it "Jesus juice." On one occasion the boys were both in Jackson's room when the singer entered, naked, the court heard. On another occasion Jackson and his accuser were alone for some time, following which the young boy seemed to be acting strange and was stumbling around. On yet another occasion the accuser was asleep, in Jackson's bed, whilst Jackson was laying beside him. Jackson allegedly had one hand down the boy's pants and another hand down his own. It has also been alleged that Jackson showed both boys Internet pornography, instructing them not to tell anyone.

Last week it was heard that Jackson's staff had sent the accuser's family away to another state so that they would not see Martin Bashir's documentary, although it was argued that Jackson was not responsible for this. Video footage of a police raid on the Neverland Ranch showed the walls of Jackson's bedroom were adorned with images of naked children.

Jackson denies the ten charges of child molestation and false imprisonment. His trial continues.


Fifteen Suspended in Asylum Seeker Abuse Cases (2 March 2005)
Fifteen workers at a detention centre used to remove failed asylum seekers from Britain, have been suspended from duties following allegations of abuse of detainees.

The BBC secretly filmed officers using racist language and physically assaulting those due to be deported from Britain. Whilst this is an issue unlikely to attract the sympathy and disgust that is needed, it is clearly wrong to treat people with such inhumane cruelty as that shown in the footage, some of which was televised today. I hope that the BBC will infiltrate other detention centres because they will certainly find this is happening across the country. Perhaps they should try and film prisons too. Last year The Guardian newspaper exposed the physical beatings, mock executions, sexual assaults, rapes and claims (made by prison officers) that prisoners (some serving sentences for minor offences) had been murdered by staff. These illegal offences (committed in Wormwood Scrubs in London), responsibility for which has been accepted by the prison, show that at the end of a shift many evil criminals leave prison to return to their homes.

Many people will think that asylum seekers and prisoners deserve physical punishment, although I find such a view to be shocking. However, the staff are committing criminal offences. It is wrong to hit, rape and attempt to kill people no matter who the victim happens to be.


Michael Jackson's Trial Begins (1 March 2005)
Michael Jackson's trial, in which he faces charges of child molestation, has finally got underway. The prosecution called the British television journalist, Martin Bashir, to testify against the singer. Bashir filmed a documentary for the Tonight With Trevor MacDonald programme in which Jackson was interviewed. Bashir had lived with Jackson at the Nerverland Ranch for a few months during filming. In the documentary, which shocked the British public, Jackson admitted he slept with boys and was unable to see what was wrong with doing so. The singer thought it was "cute" to tuck them in and sleep in the same bed. He was also shown embracing the child who has accused him of molestation.

Jackson's defence will attempt to discredit Bashir on the grounds that he is a journalist who merely tried to gain a sensational news story and in doing so he distorted the truth. Bashir's reputation as a journalist certainly suffered following the screening of the interview. Bashir had become well known as a consequence of the now famous Panorama interview with Princess Diana.

Jackson, who made a habit of lying during the interview (such as saying he had only ever had cosmetic surgery on one occasion) later had his own documentary screened which showed Bashir telling the accused that he was a good father. All of the positive comments were edited out of what was televised on the Tonight programme to leave the impression Jackson was a pervert. Jackson's behaviour is certainly weird but it remains to be proven that he is a criminal. These cases are incredibly difficult to prove either way. The defence are expected to argue the alleged victim has made similar claims, bringing other court actions for false allegations, as a consequence of his parent's demands. This does not necessarily mean he is lying, of course, but then again previous allegations have been made against Jackson with large payouts following, which is more than enough incentive to create a false story.


Mark Hobson Admits Killing Four (28 February 2005) Mark Hobson, who was arrested last year in connection with the deaths of four people, has claimed responsibility for killing them.

On 18 July 2004 the bodies of Claire and Diane Sanderson and James and Joan Britton, were found. It was determined Claire Sanderson, who had been Hobson's girlfriend, was killed on or around Saturday 11 July at her home in Selby. Her twin sister Diane was killed on 18 July. Hobson then drove to a village north of York where he murdered James and Joan Britton, who were in their eighties. A manhunt eventually resulted in the capture of Hobson.

At a ten minute hearing today, Hobson’s defence barrister informed court officials that Hobson has admitted responsibility for the deaths. However, he has not yet entered a plea of guilty or not guilty. Although he has admitted responsibility he could face a trial to determine whether he is guilty of murder or manslaughter. He will enter a plea when he next appears at Leeds Crown Court on 18 April 2005.


Paranoid Schizophrenic Sent to Secure Psychiatric Hospital For Killing Cyclist (25 January 2005)
A paranoid schizophrenic stabbed a man to death just hours after walking out of a psychiatric hospital.

Today John Barrett pleaded guilty to killing Dennis Finigan, who was stabbed in a West London bar last year. His defence was one of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility. He has been sentenced to an indefinite period in a secure hospital.

The case has renewed the debate over the failings of the mental health system. Barrett had spent eighteen months in a hospital until he left to commit this act of manslaughter. He had been a patient in the hospital because he had stabbed three people. He told people that he heard voices ordering him to kill. However, he was only a voluntary patient and therefore was allowed to leave at any time. Nonetheless his family realised his mental health was rapidly deteriorating and the Home Office had made a recommendation to have him readmitted to the hospital, but the recommendation arrived too late.

After fatally wounding Finigan, Barrett walked casually through a park, being captured on CCTV as he did so. A police helicopter located him and he was arrested.

There are, on average, forty murders carried out each year by paranoid schizophrenics. When listening to what the media has to say, one would think that there were far more deaths caused by sufferers of this illness. Nonetheless, the pressures on the health service are resulting in people not receiving care when they need it.


Mother Jailed For Giving Salt Overdose to Sick Son (25 February 2005)
A mother was today convicted of manslaughter for fatally overdosing her son on salt. The mother added salt to her son’s hospital drip, which caused him to die from salt poisoning. She has been sentenced to five years imprisonment.


The Search For Joanne Nelson's Body Continues (24 January 2005)
The British Army has joined the search for the body of Joanne Nelson who disappeared on Valentine's Day, who is presumed to have been murdered by her boyfriend, Paul Dyson.

The search is considered a high priority because of the severe snow that has hit the Yorkshire region. As more snow is expected it is important that the body is found soon, because otherwise it might take weeks to recover her remains (if she is indeed dead).

The police are concentrating on one particular area. At present it is not known if the location is significant but a large number of officers have been drafted into the area to carry out a detailed search. This has happened previously, however, to no avail. If Joanne's body is not found in the next few days the search area will be extended. It already covers hundreds of square miles.


Jury Selection Resumed in the Case of Michael Jackson (22 February 2005)
Today jury selection has resumed following Michael Jackson's 'severe flu' which caused him to be hospitalised.

The judge presiding over the case has said that he is certain Jackson was genuinely ill, and not merely faking flu symptoms in a bid to delay his trial. He has said that nobody could take advantage of him.


Boyfriend of Missing Woman Charged With Her Murder (22 February 2005)
The boyfriend of twenty-two year old Joanne Nelson, who disappeared on 14 February this year, was last night charged with her murder.

The couple had enjoyed a romantic picnic near Hull but Joanne had failed to return home. The day before she had not telephoned her brother to wish him happy birthday, which was considered very odd.

Joanne’s body has not been found but detectives say they have ‘intelligence’ suggesting her body is in a rural area in Yorkshire, beside a farm gate, near woodland and that there are green bottles near to the gate. Police officers are scouring large areas of land and are appealing for farmers to look near their gates.


Money 'Planted' in Police Station, Police Officers Claim (19 February 2005)
It is usually the case that police officers are accused of planting evidence to frame criminals, but today the exact opposite has allegedly taken place.

A large amount of cash, apparently totalling hundreds of thousands of pounds, has been found in the gym of a police station in Northern Ireland. It is believed that the cash is a small part of the millions stolen in December's massive bank robbery n Belfast. How did it get there? The police maintain it was planted, by criminals, to divert attention from the IRA.


Seven Arrested in Connection With Belfast Armed Robbery (17 February 2005)
Detectives have confirmed that seven people have been arrested in connection with the largest ever armed robbery that has ever taken place in Britain. In December last year a gang of armed robbers took over £20 million from a bank in central Belfast (see earlier entries for more details). Those arrested are believed to have links to the IRA.

Also today approximately £2 million of the stolen money has been recovered.


'Abuse Victim' Appeals Against Murder Conviction (16 February 2005)
Joanne Cole is appealing today against her conviction for murdering Patrick Hemmings. Cole had been the victim of abuse from a number of men, she claims, and had left her home in Jamaica, travelling to Britain before settling illegally.

She began working in a London bar where she met Hemmings, and a relationship followed. Eventually, however, Cole argues, he became violent. "Sometimes he would punch me. He threatened to call immigration. He threatened to tell my boss I was working under the wrong name.", she has said.

On the day she killed Hemmings he allegedly saw a cold sore on her lip and accused her of having oral sex with another man, having contracted syphilis as a result. He took a knife, Cole maintains, and a fight ensued. During the struggle she disarmed Hemmings and stabbed him once in the shoulder. He later died from internal bleeding.


Jury Selection Delayed in the Trial of Michael Jackson as Jackson 'Gets Flu ' (15 February 2005)
Jury selection has been delayed in Michael Jackson's case because the singer has allegedly come down with severe flu, apparently brought on by stress. The flu did not prevent him from getting into a car, travelling to the court and even walking around in Jackson's 'normal' manner. Yet he is too ill to sit in the dock and participate in jury selection.

It is important that Jackson is present during jury selection. It is his legal right to challenge potential members of the jury who he believes are unsuitable. The main reason for this is that it is often possible that a potential juror could be known to the defendant.

Unsurprisingly many newspapers are claiming Jackson is faking his 'illness' in order to delay his trial. Jury selection was estimated to take approximately one month but the trial judge has allowed Jackson two days to recover before he must return to court.


Twenty Years For Boy Who Mutilated His Girlfriend (11 February 2005)
Luke Mitchell, who was convicted last month of murdering and mutilating his girlfriend Jodie Jones (see earlier entry for more details) has been given a tariff of twenty years.

Mitchell is now sixteen and so, if he admits his guilt (there is good evidence showing his guilt) and carries out the relevant offence related work, he could be granted parole in ten or twelve years time. The evil criminal could be free long before his thirtieth birthday.


Man Who Sent 'Dando Style Death Threat' To Be Sentenced Today (10 February 2005)
Barry Tullet, aged 57, who sent sports presenter Sue Barker a death threat last year, will be sentenced today after he previously pleaded guilty to the offence.

In the letter he referred to the murder of Jill Dando, the subject of my book The Case of Barry George and said that it was time for another killing. The letter, which was sent from Thailand, was described in court as "unpleasant, hurtful and vindictive."


Cruel Woman Faces Sentencing For Extraordinary Crime (10 February 2005)
A woman will today be sentenced after she ripped one of her ex-lover's testicles with her bare hands. Amanda Monti, aged 24, from Birkenhead, was outraged when her former lover rejected her sexual advances. Somehow she managed to rip off his left testicle before handing it to a friend, saying, "That's yours."

Monti had pleaded guilty to wounding Geoffrey Jones at Liverpool Crown Court.


Father Jailed For Smacking His Son (7 February 2005)
A father has been jailed for 42 days for smacking his son. The son, who told police he was terrified, had been bruised when his father hit him repeatedly.

He is the first man to be sent to jail under new laws which state that it is a criminal offence to smack a child if you leave any mark upon the child.


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