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Crime in the News - Archive

This page is for the older news stories that once appeared on the main 'Crime in the News' page.

Paedophile With MASSIVE Hoard of Photographs Given a Short Prison Sentence (7 February 2005)
A man who was convicted of possessing a staggering one million images of children being abused, on his home computer, has been sentenced to only two and a half years imprisonment. The exceptionally short sentence is due to him having been charged under an old law. He has been banned from the Internet for life, though how does one impose such a ban when there are cyber cafes and libraries across the country offering Internet access?

A former bus driver from Sheffield was recently sentenced to just six months imprisonment for possessing a large number of indecent photographs of children on his computer. He had also made images himself and yet he was given such a tiny spell in prison. He could even be released in two months time.


Murdered Captain Named (7 February 2005)
A ship's master who was stabbed to death on the oil tanker 'Overseas Josefa Camejo', as it sailed along the coast of Devon last Thursday, has been identified as being Walfredo Banta, who was from Manila. He was aged thirty four.


Police Request More Time to Question Suspect in the Eastbourne Murder Case (3 January 2005)
Detectives hunting the murder of a mother who was burnt, repeatedly stabbed and seemingly raped, have requested more time to question a man they arrested earlier this week.

The police are allowed to question a suspect for twenty four hours but can apply for extensions for a maximum period of ninety six hours. Following this they must either charge or release a suspect.

The man in custody is aged thirty five and is local to the Eastbourne area. The victim was identified last week as a homeless mother of three.


Inquest into Skydiver's Death Will Take Place in March (1 February 2005)
An inquest into the death of the skydiver Stephen Hilder, who died after his parachute failed to open, will be held next month. Hilder was participating in a skydiving competition. He was captured on video immediately before jumping out of the aeroplane over a Yorkshire airfield, with his team-mates. His parachute did not open and he plummeted to his death.

A murder investigation was launched when check on Hilder's equipment showed that cords for his main chute and his reserve chute had been cut. It was an 'unprecedented' murder, Crimewatch UK's Nick Ross claimed. Never before had someone been killed in this way.

Two of Hilder's team-mates were later arrested and their faces printed on the front page of newspapers. These two men, however, were later released without charge.

Further enquiries were made and then Hilder's family received a bombshell; detectives had ended their murder investigation. After examining Hilder's clothing they had become satisfied that the victim had in fact taken his own life. His DNA was found on a pair of scissors that were forensically proven to have been the ones used to cut the cords. Fibres from the cords were also found on Hilder's clothing proving he had been present when they were cut and that he had handled the scissors.

If indeed Hilder had committed suicide it does not look good for the police, for they came very close to charging the two men with murder. They had been granted extra time for questioning because they believed the men were significant suspects. It is frightening to think they may have been forced to face a trial for a murder that possibly never happened. We shall have to wait for the outcome of the inquest to decide the official view of the death, but it seems very unlikely that any one other than Hilder will ever be linked to his death.


Jury Selection Has Begun in the Case of Michael Jackson (31 December 2005)
Today potential jurors in the case of Michael Jackson have been interviewed to see whether they are suitable to sit on the bench during the singer’s forthcoming trial.

A total of seven hundred and fifty men and women from the area around where the trial is to take place have been selected at random. It is estimated to take four or five weeks to reduce this to the necessary twelve. They are being scrutinised (allegedly) to determine whether they have prejudged the case. With the media interest in the allegations and his other bizarre behaviour, plus former allegations, it is difficult not to have an opinion.

Jackson will face ten charges of child molestation, exploitation and hostage taking. He allegedly molested a cancer sufferer, with British television having shown Jackson embracing him and holding his hand, with Jackson also admitting (without seeing what the problem was) that he had shared a bed with this young boy as well as other boys. Jackson also allegedly took the boy’s family hostage.


Youngest Convicted Drink Driver Given Supervision Order (31 January 2005)
Britain’s youngest ever convicted drink driver has today been handed a one year supervision order and told she cannot drive for a year.

The thirteen year old girl, who was convicted last month of driving whilst she was twelve years old, will now, as a consequence of this sentence, not be allowed to drive until she is fourteen (in Britain a person can only legally drive from the age of seventeen).

The girl, who cannot be named, was two times over the legal limit for drinking when she took her father’s car in Swindon, whilst a family celebration was in progress.


Doctor Death ‘Killed 350’ (27 January 2005)
Dr Harold Shipman, who was jailed for life in January 2000 after being convicted of murdering fifteen of his patients, in fact killed a total of three hundred and fifty men and women, an inquiry has ruled.

In a report (Shipman: The Final Report) published today, the Shipman Inquiry has decided that Shipman murdered one hundred and thirty seven patients whilst working as a junior doctor at Pontefract General Infirmary between1970 and 1974.

Shipman was found guilty of having injected fifteen of his patients with lethal doses of morphine. On a number of occasions his patients died in his surgery, in Hyde, Greater Manchester, much to the shock of their relatives who eventually became suspicious. However, the long serving GP managed to be above suspicion for over twenty years if the finding of this latest report are to be believed. Several of the bodies of his patients were exhumed and it was discovered overdoses had indeed been administered. The will of one of his final victims was altered by Shipman, to leave him everything, and this led to his downfall. When checking his computer records police discovered that he had written records of the deaths of some of his patients before their final appointment with the man now dubbed ‘Doctor Death.’

The Shipman Inquiry was ordered by the Government in February 2000 to investigate further alleged crimes and to make recommendations to prevent similar crimes happening in the future. It had previously published five reports in which it was argued Shipman had killed at least two hundred and fifteen. The fifth report recommended that investigation of his early career should take place and that another three deaths that occurred at his Hyde surgery, where he was the only GP, should also be scrutinised.

The latest investigation comes as a result of members of staff who worked with Shipman at Pontefract having come forward to voice concern over his behaviour. The immediate problem that comes to my mind is that if his behaviour between 1970 and 1974 was suspicious, why was nothing said at that early stage? As I see it, they almost certainly are using the benefit of hindsight to say that as he has been convicted of murder his behaviour thirty years ago might be consistent with him having killed at that point in time. That does not necessarily mean that he did kill all of the one hundred and thirty seven people between 1970 and 1974. When you know someone has murdered you tend to look at their previous behaviour in a different light, which is not always the right way to look at things because you are not looking objectively.

However, Shipman is an evil man who has ended the lives of a very large number of people. I just question the belief that he certainly murdered at least three hundred and fifty of his patients because there is no evidence that they were murdered at all. True, it was Shipman who signed the majority of the death certificates, and many of the deaths were of a suspicious nature, but that does not mean they were all his victims. Post mortems were not carried out at the time and a large number were cremated. Therefore it is difficult to say that Shipman killed every one of these new one hundred and thirty seven people. Do not get me wrong; I am not defending him at all. I just wonder how this inquiry can be so sure that this man was responsible for all of the deaths when a crime might not have even taken place in every case. Nurses make mistakes; all of the time we here of nurses and doctors having accidentally given fatal injections.

It would be terrible for any relatives of one of these three hundred and fifty of Shipman’s patients to now believe that their loved one was the victim of Britain’s most prolific serial killer, if in reality they were not murdered at all and simply died due to a mistake made by a doctor or nurse (remember, Shipman was only a junior doctor and so a senior doctor would have been ultimately responsible for any medication given). All of the time prior to Shipman’s evil, patients were being killed by doctors so, who knows, maybe there was another murdering doctor at Pontefract General Infirmary whose deaths have been attributed to Shipman?

I feel it is wrong that a panel of people appointed by the Government should rule over whether someone committed murder, in the absence of a judge, jury and defence counsel. Shipman certainly murdered a large number of people but it cannot be said, with any degree of certainly, that he killed three hundred and fifty.

Of course, this man is dead and he has not been convicted of these additional three hundred and thirty five murders. However, history will teach that it was this total that died at his hands. Where is the proof that this is the case?


Jail For 'Doctor' Conman (27 January 2005)
A man who claimed to be a doctor, swindling asylum seekers, charities, doctors, lawyers and Government departments out of £1.5 million, has been jailed for ten years after pleading guilty to thirty chares.

Barian Baluchi pretended to be a psychiatrist, plastic surgeon and Harvard professor, from his clinic based near Harley Street, London. In reality he had no medical training at all.


Suspects in Danielle Beccan Shooting, Appear in Court (27 January 2005)
Two men accused of shooting fourteen year old Danielle Beccan as she walked home from a fairground in Nottingham, during the early hours of 8 October 2004, have appeared in court charged with her murder.

Junior Andrew, aged twenty-three, a homeless man, and Mark Kelly, have not entered please. Their trial has been set to start on 31 August 2005.


Update on the Case of the Burnt and Stabbed Woman (24 January 2005)
Detectives investigating the ‘macabre’ murder of an unidentified woman in Eastbourne, Sussex, believe that the victim was probably subjected to a sexual assault. They base this deduction entirely upon the position in which the body was found.

It has been revealed that a child’s push chair was found, burnt, near to the remains of the woman in a coastal shelter. However, detectives have ruled out the possibility that a child was harmed in the incident. They believe that the woman was probably homeless and used the push chair to transport her belongings.

The woman is too badly burnt for a visual identification to be possible. DNA samples have been taken and dental records are being checked to help determine who the victim of this crime is.


The Yorkshire Ripper Asks to be Released (24 January 2005)
Peter Sutcliffe, who was convicted in 1981 for murdering women in Yorkshire and Lancashire, has written to the Home Office asking to be released. He claims that he is no longer mentally ill, because he is not currently receiving treatment at Broadmoor secure hospital where he serves his sentence, and therefore is of the opinion that he is no longer a danger to the public. At his trial it was argued that Sutcliffe murdered after receiving instructions from God.

Controversy was sparked when Sutcliiffe was permitted compassionate leave to visit the site of his father's ashes. The Home Office defended their decision by saying that it was a breach of a prisoner's human rights not to allow such compassionate leave and the European Court of Human Rights would not look favourably upon the situation if Sutcliffe ever became eligible for parole. Sutcliffe now argues that his human rights are being breached by his continued incarceration. No doubt the Home Office's defence regarding his compassionate leave has at least partly inspired Sutcliffe's first ever attempt to gain freedom. However, if Sutcliffe is not receiving treatment for his mental illnesses, and indeed is no longer suffering from mental illnesses, then why has he not been moved to a proper prison? I have written to the Home Office to ask whether they intend to move him.

Today The Sun newspaper has printed, on their front page, a picture of Sutcliffe that is allegedly a very recent one. Comparing this photograph to one of him in 1981 it does not appear recent at all. If it is then, other than putting on a little bit of weight, he has not changed at all in over twenty years which I find hard to believe even though he is in the cushy surroundings of Broadmoor as opposed to a prison where he deserves to be. The photograph is one that he sends to females foolish enough to want to be his pen pal.


Woman Found Burnt and Stabbed (23 January 2005)
A murder investigation has been launched following the discovery of a dead woman who had been burnt and stabbed sixteen times.

The woman was found in a hut in the seaside town of Eastbourne in Sussex, England. Detectives have yet to identify the woman and they are appealing for anyone with information to come forward.


A Truly Evil Murder – Luke Mitchell Convicted of the Murder of Jodie Jones (21 January 2005)
Luke Mitchell has today been convicted of the savage murder of his girlfriend, Jodie Jones.

Mitchell, aged sixteen years old, was unanimously found guilty of choking fourteen year old Jodie last year and carrying out a frenzied stabbing attack, which left her badly mutilated.

The trial judge at the High Court in Edinburgh described the crime as a “truly evil murder.” Why he did it, is unknown, and it would be beyond the skills of any psychologist, the judge said, to be able to “look into the black depths of your mind.”

Mitchell seemingly had a deep interest in Satanism. His school books had references to Satan and the figures ‘666’ written upon their covers. He had also cut ‘666’ into his arm.

There was no direct evidence linking Mitchell to the murder, a murder he denies having committed. However, attention was first drawn to him when he found the body accompanied by Jodie’s relatives. Upon being told that his girlfriend had not come home Mitchell agreed to help look for her. He directed the relatives straight to woodland, believing she could be there. Mitchell soon found her, behind a wall. It was as if he knew where to look, it was believed. Jodie’s mother and grandmother both screamed and began crying but according to these two women Mitchell barely reacted. This was, the prosecution at trial claimed, because he had killed her.

Jodie had left her home that day to meet Mitchell at a park near Mitchell’s home. Mitchell’s mother claims that her son was with her at home at the time of Jodie’s murder.


The Yorkshire Ripper's Compassionate Leave (20 January 2005)
The Home Secretary, Charles Clarke, has defended his department's decision to allow Peter Sutcliffe to grieve at the site of his father's ashes. Sutcliffe, who was convicted in 1981 of the depraved murders of many women in Yorkshire and Lancashire, was refused compassionate leave to attend his father's funeral last year but on Monday he was allowed to grieve for half an hour at the site where the ashes were buried. The decision was reached as a result of considering his overall good behaviour whilst in Broadmoor secure hospital. Sutcliffe is in Broadmoor because he claims he heard voices that instructed him to kill.


The Youngest Drink Driver (20 January 2005)
A girl arrested in Swindon has today become the youngest convicted drink driver. Earlier this month the conviction of a thirteen year old boy, who at that time was Britain's youngest convicted drink driver, caused outrage. The age of the girl who cannot be named for legal reasons, has not been revealed. She will be sentenced later this month.


Did Harold Shipman Kill Even More Than is Believed? (19 January 2005)
A report, that is to be published next week, considers the possibility that Dr Harold Shipman, Britain's most prolific serial killer, could have killed 137 more patients than is already believed. Shipman, who hung himself in January 2004, is already believed to have killed 250 of his patients during his career as a General Practitioner. However, he only ever stood trial for fifteen murders, with any other suspicious deaths having been attributed to him. This is technically illegal because a man must stand trial, before his peers, if accused of homicide rather than a committee of experts. As a committee decided whether Shipman killed the patients he was not able to defend himself. I have no doubt that he was an evil murderer, but it was wrong simply to attribute every death to Shipman when the 'victims' might not have even been murdered. In many cases there is no proof of murder due to cremation. If the patients did die naturally it is a terrible situation for the relatives to now think that their loved ones were killed. The additional 137 deaths come from the time when Shipman worked as a Junior Doctor at the Pontefract General Infirmary between 1970 and 1974.


Michael Stone's Conviction is 'Safe' (19 January 2005)
Michael Stone is this afternoon returning to prison to continue serving his sentence for the murders of Lynne and Megan Russell and the attempted murder of Josie Russell, after the Court of Appeal rejected his appeal against his conviction.

It is not particularly surprising that the appeal judges refused to allow the appeal because the arguments presented by the defence were not good enough to introduce real doubt about Stone's conviction. The jury were able to assess, during the second trial, whether Damian Daley could be believed. The fact he had suffered from mental illness does not prove he could not be believed. The evidence against Stone was certainly very weak but the jury still found him guilty. Whether that means they made a mistake or not remains to be seen but sadly the Court of Appeal is not a court of review. It can only quash a conviction if compelling new evidence is presented or if the jury got things manifestly wrong. In Michael Stone's case there was no compelling fresh evidence. Most appeals tend to raise a number of issues and arguments rather than concentrating on one single issue. As a consequence this appeal hearing was far shorter in duration than is usual, with a very quick decision being reached. In most cases it takes weeks before a decision is reached but in this case it was a matter of hours. I am not saying Stone is guilty or innocent but the appeal judges could not be expected to quash this conviction given the rules that they have to work to.


The Main Prosecution Witness Against Michael Stone, Was 'Unreliable' (18 January 2005)
The defence barrister at Michael Stone's appeal hearing has told the three appeal judges that Damian Daley, who claimed Stone confessed him that he had murdered Lynne and Megan Russell, and had also attacked Josie Russell, is an unreliable witness whose evidence should not be believed.

The judges were informed that the judge at Stone's second trial, during which Daley had testified, had not adequately warned the jury of how they should treat Daley's evidence. Furthermore it was stated that Daley had a history of psychiatric problems. Experts had found that he heard voices and it was noted how he had once tried to telephone his mother, who had died some time earlier. For this reason, the defence argue, Daley might be mistaken in his belief that Stone confessed.

The defence case has been concluded. The prosecution must now argue against what they have heard.


A Man Charged With The Murder of Amy Williams (18 January 2005)
A man was yesterday charged with the murder of fourteen year old Amy Williams. He has today appeared in court charged with the crime, and has been remanded into custody. I shall be adding details on this site as the case develops.


Michael Stone Appeals Again (17 January 2005)
Michael Stone, who was convicted of murdering Lynne Russell and her six year old daughter Megan Russell, as well as the attempted murder of a second daughter, Josie Russell, who was nine years old at the time.

Lynne Russell and her daughters were walking home from school, in a Kent town, in 1996, when they were tied up and beaten around the head with a hammer. Miraculously Josie Russell survived but was left with serious disfigurements.

Michael Stone was first convicted in 1998 but the Court of Appeal later quashed this conviction and ordered a retrial. In 2001 Stone again appeared in court and again was convicted.

Today Stone is beginning a second appeal against his conviction. There was no forensic evidence linking Stone to the hammer attack, or any witnesses placing him at the scene. The only real evidence against him at the re-trial was the testimony of a prisoner (Damian Daley) who served with Stone in Canterbury Prison. The two were in adjoining cells and allegedly used to speak to one another through a small gap by a central heating pipe. During a conversation, it was claimed, Stone admitted that he had carried out the attacks. Recent evidence suggests that the prisoner was pressured into testifying against Stone, by the prison authorities. This evidence was provided to a national newspaper by the prisoner concerned. There was no evidence to substantiate the inmate's evidence that Stone had confessed (sounds familiar) but the jury believed the account. Today Stone's barrister has told the Court of Appeal that "such confessions are easily concocted and difficult to disprove."

Stone has protested throughout that he is innocent. This is not a case that I support although I am not saying Stone is guilty. I simply have not had time to study the facts. Incidentally, the man who confessed to murdering Jill Dando (not Barry George) is one of Stone's supporters.

If Stone's conviction is again quashed then it should raise serious concerns about the existing jury system. This is because, if Stone is released, juries will have twice convicted him and the Court of Appeal will have twice overruled the decision of the juries.

The appeal is expected to last for five days.


A Mother on Trial For Deliberately Killing Her Children in a Pub Fire (17 January 2005)
A mother whose two children died in a fire at the pub in which they lived is standing in trial accused of their murder.

Kate Knight who lived and worked in a north London pub has today appeared at the Old Bailey to face charges of killing her sons Christopher, aged ten, and Charlie, aged two who were trapped upstairs by the flames. She is also accused of manslaughter as a man who was drinking in the pub at the time of the fire had attempted to rescue the children but died doing so.

Evidence has been heard from fire investigators who believe that the fire was started at the bottom of the stairs by someone who had poured white spirits and lighter fuel onto cloths before setting them alight.

Knight denies having deliberately started the fire, claiming that it was caused during an argument with her husband. The trial continues.


Newly Wed’s ‘Killer Father’ Exercising His Right to Die (17 January 2005)
Terry Rogers, a man on remand pending his trial for the murder of his daughter Chanel Taylor, is on hunger strike and wants to exercise his right to kill himself.

Rogers was charged last year with the murder of his newly wed daughter, whose body was found in the home she shared with her husband and father in Huthwaite, Nottinghamshire. She had been shot in the head with a shotgun, which was found in another room of the house some days later. Rogers immediately went on the run and was not captured until weeks after his daughter’s murder. He had been hiding in Sherwood Forest.

Rogers should have appeared in court today but did not appear. His solicitor informed magistrates that this was because he had not eaten since Christmas Day and that he was exercising his right to end his life. Under human rights laws prisoners are entitled to go on hunger strike, although prison staff can force-feed inmates. Ian Brady, one of the Moors Murderers, has been hunger striking for several years.


An Apparent Murder and Suicide Near Scarborough (17 January 2005)
Forensics officers are examining a house near Scarborough after two bodies were found by police officers.

Officers have not yet revealed the names of the man and woman, the woman having been found to have died from multiple injuries and the man who was found hung. It is believed that the man had telephoned police on Friday to inform them that he had attacked his wife. It is presumed that before the police arrived he hung himself.

Neighbours have confirmed that the couple had had a series of arguments over the past two weeks relating to financial difficulties. It is known that they hoped to buy the home in which they lived, which is owned by the Forestry Commission, but they could not find sufficient funds to do so.


Date Rape Drug Thief Convicted (17 January 2005)
Selina Hackey has become the first woman to be convicted of using a date rape drug to rob wealthy men.

Hackey, aged 37 years old, robbed two men of approximately £20,000. The mother of two met wealthy men in exclusive bars in London and, using her charm, would encourage the men to invite her back to their homes where she would drug them, putting the drug into red wine. When the men lost consciousness she stole expensive goods and fled.

DNA evidence linked Hackey to the two men’s homes and detectives believe that she might have carried out this crime on at least four other men. Police are appealing for anyone to come forward if they believe they could be another of Hackey’s victims.


Police Again Granted More Time To Interview Another Amy Williams Suspect (16 January 2005)
Detectives hunting the murderer of fourteen year old pregnant Amy Williams, who was found almost naked and strangled in a churchyard in Telford, have been granted an extension for further questioning of a third suspect. Details relating to this suspect have not yet been revealed. However, going by their previous arrest i have serious concerns that the police are simply trying to find someone they can charge. The last man they arrested was someone suffering from learning difficulties, who was known to the victim but who had an alibi substantiated by a number of people. The fact that he has serious learning difficulties is perhaps one factor in his lengthy stay in custody. When one considers that the police are only granted an extension if they have good evidence against a suspect then it is worrying that three men have been questioned in this case and all three were detained for longer than is usual on the basis that there was a lot of evidence against them. Not all of the men could have been responsible yet this shows that it would be so easy for one of these men, at least two of which must be innocent, to have been charged with this crime. I hope that the police manage to find the true killer rather than someone who will satisfy public expectation.


A Killer Has Been Spared Jail By A Sympathetic Judge (14 January 2005)
Brian Blackburn, a sixty two year old retired police officer, has been served a two year suspended sentence after pleading guilty to killing his cancer stricken wife.

Blackburn alleged that he and his wife Margaret made a suicide pact. On 15 October 2004 Blackburn covered his wife's face with a flannel and slit her wrists. He waited twenty minutes until she died, laying next to her the whole time, and then removed the flannel. He then tried to slit his own wrists, failed, and telephoned the police.

Blackburn has been convicted of manslaughter but has been spared jail due to "exceptional circumstances", according to the judge at the Old Bailey who described the convict's actions as "the last loving act" a husband could give. A custodial sentence was unnecessary, he believed, as Blackburn had "already suffered enough."

Blackburn left court without speaking but his solicitor issued a statement in which it was said the killer was "delighted with the outcome." One of his daughters said that their father had carried out a "totally unselfish" action by ending her mother's life.

The reason why I am so against this man being spared jail is because the victim did not know she had cancer and neither did Blackburn. She was suffering but did not know she was dying. Therefore the fact that she was in the final stages of stomach cancer is fairly irrelevant. Yes, she was in pain but she had no idea that her illness was terminal. It could have been treatable for all she knew. She could have had medical attention but she refused to see a doctor. The simple fact in this case is that the murderer did not have a good enough cause to kill his wife. Without knowing she had cancer how could he possibly know she was going to die and why did he not urge his wife to see a doctor? If it was known she was dying perhaps it would be more understandable that he would wish to spare his wife from having to experience the inevitable suffering but as he was a former policeman and not a former doctor his actions were wrong. I am also surprised how a judge can say that slitting a woman's wrists so that it took twenty minutes for her to die a painful death, can be described as a "loving act." Of all the ways someone could be killed, slitting their wrists is undoubtedly amongst the most inhumane.

This case reminds me of the one hundred year old man who stabbed his wife multiple times because she was going to be moved to a nursing home a few miles away. The man could not travel to the nursing home, although he was fit enough to walk two miles and therefore capable of catching a bus or getting in a taxi, and so without discussing the issue with his wife he stabbed her with a bread knife and walked free from court being described by the media as a "victim", with his actions also being described by the judge as those of a loving husband.


A Trial Sensationally Collapses as New Evidence Comes to Light (13 January 2005)
A trial has sensationally collapsed after new evidence was presented that showed the four defendants could not be guilty. The four youths were standing trial for kicking another youth to death. However, new evidence, which has not been revealed, was provided to the prosecution counsel who told the court that there was no longer a case to answer. The four youths were formally discharged and walked free. The victim's mother was relieved to see them released, telling journalists that she had always been convinced that they played no part in her son's death. Now Humberside Police must recommence their murder investigation.


DNA Confirms Identity of Sally Geeson's Killer (13 January 2005)
DNA evidence has confirmed that the man who set fire to himself before jumping from the seventh floor of a Glasgow hotel at the weekend was indeed the person who violently killed Sally Geeson.

David Atkinson was 31 years old when he killed the woman in Cambridge on New Year's Day. Atkinson had sexually assaulted an eighteen year old in Germany and had spent time in a military prison for this offence. However, the victim in this case has publicly stated that there had been a "whitewash" whereby the army did not take her complaint seriously enough. She believes that if they had given Atkinson the punishment he deserved, rather than making him pay a fine and spend a few months in jail, he might not have killed Sally Geeson. "The Army is guilty for Sally's death.", she said.


The Home Office Has Decided Homeowners Deserve No More Rights Against Burglars (12 January 2005)
Today the Home Office has ruled that homeowners should have no additional rights against burglars. As the law currently stands, homeowners can use "reasonable force" to defend themselves. The Home Office has, however, agreed that the law has to be clarified so that homeowners are aware of what constitutes "reasonable force". A person can strike a burglar with the intention of preventing them from being harmed but in doing so they have occasionally killed the criminal. Does this constitute as reasonable force? A number of people have stood trial for doing just this.


Angela Cannings is Not Eligible For Compensation, The Home Office Rules (11 January 2005)
Angela Cannings, who was wrongly convicted of murdering two of her children, will not receive any compensation for having to spend eighteen months in prison convicted of crimes she did not commit, the Home office has today decided.

Cannings was convicted of murdering two of her children, but had been arrested in connection with killing three of them who died in 1989, 1991 and 1999. The main evidence against her was the testimony of Dr Meadow whose medical judgment has since been undermined. According to Meadow's controversial 'Meadow's Law' if one child dies then it can be considered to be a case of cot death. If two die then it should be treated suspicious and if three die then murder is certainly involved. This law has resulted in a number of miscarriages of justice, most notably that of Sally Clark. Trupti Patel stood trial as a result of this erroneous theory before being cleared after the jury deliberated for only ninety minutes.

Cannings always maintained that her children had all died of cot death but this was viewed to be statistically impossible. Courts should be concerned with facts rather than probabilities based upon statistics. Cannings was cleared by the Court of Appeal in December 2003 after fresh evidence showed her children had died of natural causes and research into Cannings' family history showed a higher than normal rate of cot deaths, which resulted in it being determined that Cannings' children had a genetic problem that increased the likelihood they would die naturally at a young age,

Although Cannings was bailed until the time of her trial, although she was forced to have no contact with her surviving child and husband, she spent eighteen months in prison following her conviction. During this period she was attacked on numerous occasions by prisoners who considered her to be a multiple child killer. Consequently it is an outrage that she will not receive a penny in compensation when there are people such as Stephen Downing who, since his conviction was quashed, has confessed to Wendy Sewell's murder on three separate occasions, and has received £250,000 in compensation. True, he spent twenty seven years in prison but it is totally wrong that a woman should spend eighteen months in prison, convicted of a crime she did not commit, and for the Home Office not to compensate her for the huge error that was made. Angela Cannings lost three children through natural causes and for the grieving woman to be blamed for two of their deaths, sent to prison, have to pay for legal fees, suffer the stigma of being called a murderer and having to endure the agony of prison life is totally unacceptable. I am sure that the Home Office can afford to pay her a sum of money.


Prime Suspect in the Sally Geeson Murder Commits Suicide (10 January 2005)
The man police consider to be the main suspect in the murder of twenty-two year old Sally Geeson, set fire to himself before jumping from the seventh floor of a hotel he had been staying in, it has been reported.

The man, who I shall not name until it has been determined through DNA testing that he was responsible for Miss Geeson's death, was a British soldier with a history of carrying out serious offences. He had received a fine and had spent a few months in a military prison after having been found guilty of falsely imprisoning an eighteen year old woman in car whilst serving in Germany. However, he was allowed to return to his unit upon being serving only a fraction of his sentence.

Detectives investigating the murder of Sally Geeson, who had been last seen alive in Cambridge during the early hours of New Year's Day and whose body was found on Friday three miles outside of Cambridge, were informed of the suspect after he failed to report for duty causing officers to look into his past record, where details of his court martial and time in jail were available.

The suspect travelled to Glasgow and checked into a hotel under a false name. It was from the seventh floor of this hotel, on Saturday, that he threw himself from after setting fire to his body.

Cambridge police have obtained a sample of his DNA and are using this to determine whether he can be formally linked to the murder. Strathclyde Police have confirmed they too will be using sample of his DNA to try and see whether he is linked to a number of unsolved murders.


A Thirteen Year Old Boy Jailed For Drink Driving (6 January 2005)
A thirteen year old boy has been sentenced to four months in a Young Offenders Institute after being found guilty of drink driving. He was found to have been driving at 70mph on the wrong side of the road in Salford, Greater Manchester.


A Man Arrested After A Woman Carrying Twins Was Murdered (6 January 2005)
A man thought to be in his twenties is tonight being questioned in connection with the murder of a woman pregnant with twins.

The thirty one year old woman, who has not yet been formally identified, was walking in a city centre street in Hull yesterday morning, when she was stabbed. She later died in hospital. The suspect was arrested last night. It has been revealed that the killer was seen fleeing the scene and a helicopter was scrambled to join the search.


Three People Charged With the Murder of Damilola Taylor (6 January 2005)
Tonight detectives have charged a man and two youths in connection of the murder of ten year old Damilola Taylor, who was fatally wounded in November 2000 (see the entry for 5 January 2005 for more details). The three will appear in court tomorrow.


Gangs Are Trafficking Orphans of the Tsunami (5 January 2005)
“Well established” gangs of criminals in Indonesia are benefiting from the Tsunami in southern Asia by kidnapping children, the United Nation’s children’s organisation UNICEF, has warned.

Orphans were being sold for the sex industry or being trafficked for other purposes before the tragedy but it is believed there has been a marked increase since tens of thousands of youngsters lost their following the recent devastation.

Police are investigating text messages that have been offering children. It is not known for certain whether these are connected with the illegal trafficking of children or whether they are a cruel prank. In response to the problem all under sixteen year olds have been banned from leaving the country.


Three Arrested in Connection With the Murder of Damilola Taylor (5 January 2005)
Detectives in London are questioning a man and two youths in connection with the death of murdered school boy Damilola Taylor who was killed in a stairwell in Peckham, London, in November 2000. Detectives have revealed that the three have previously been questioned but were never charged.

Damilola died at the age of ten years, after suffering severe wounds caused by broken glass. A post mortem also revealed a marble in his throat. He had been returning from a library when the attack took place.

Four youths had stood trial for this murder, mainly on the evidence of a girl who was discredited by the defence because it emerged she had had a large interest in a reward that had been offered for information and it was claimed she fabricated a story in order to gain the reward. It was alleged she had been told by detectives that she would receive a large amount of money if she gave evidence against the youths. She is reported to have sang "I'm in the money" whilst giving her account. Mobile phone records showed that just minutes before the attack on Damilola, the youths had been a mile away although it was acknowledged it was just about possible for them to have ran to the scene of the crime. It has also been alleged that Damilola was not murdered at all, and that he simply fell on some broken glass but this hardly explains the presence of the marble down his throat.

Damilola's family are encouraged by the breakthrough, which follows the acquisition of DNA evidence that has been obtained using new techniques.


Bodies Exhumed in a Murder Investigation (5 January 2005)
Two bodies have been exhumed in County Durham. Both individuals were patients of Doctor Howard Martin, who stands accused of murder.


A Second Arrest in the Amy Williams Murder Hunt (5 January 2005)
A twenty eight year old man has been arrested in connection with the murder of pregnant fourteen year old Amy Williams, who was found semi-naked and strangled in a churchyard in telford, Shropshire, on 27 December last year. Two days ago a second man was released after having been questioned by detectives for four days.

The last known whereabouts of Amy, whilst she was alive, was at 22:30 when CCTV cameras captured her walking alone. An hour and a half earlier she had left a family party on Boxing Day at around 21:00. Her body was found at 08:00 the following day. Police are appealing for anyone who might have seen her during this period and they are also searching for her missing clothes.


Two Year Old Girl Sexually Assaulted in a Large Clothes Store (30 December 2004)
A twisted elderly man has sexually assaulted a two year old girl in a large, busy clothes store. The incident happened in a Matalan store in Kings Lynn, Nottinghamshire after the girl wandered away from her mother.

The police are studying CCTV footage from inside the store and believe the culprit to be in his sixties.


A Shop Keeper Murdered For the Sake of Two Bottles of Alcohol (23 December 2004)
Mahmut Fahri, a 59 year old man from North London, was murdered yesterday as he chased after thieves who had stolen two bottles of spirits. The father of two held a wooden walking stick when his two attackers knifed him in the chest. Fahri managed to walk to a nearby taxi office but later died in hospital.

Detective Chief Inspector Langley, who is head of the investigation, has said: "At this early stage the motive for this appalling crime appears to be robbery. It is shocking to think a man has died over the theft of two bottles of alcohol."

The attackers are described as being of Turkish or Asian origin. One is described as being around 35 and the other in his 20s.


Father Christmas Mugged (23 December 2004)
A man dressed as Father Christmas was mugged by a gang of youths in a French town simply because he did not give one of the greedy youths another sweet. The man was handing out sweets to children but was unwilling to hand out a second sweet to one of the fifteen year old youths whom he had already handed a sweet to. As a result the gang of six began to kick and punch the Father Christmas, even when he was on the floor, and took many of his sweets. They were eventually scared off by a passer-by.


Compulsory Roadside Drug Tests Are Introduced (23 December 2004)
It is now a criminal offence for a motorist to refuse to take a drugs test if the police stop their vehicle. A motorist will be asked to stand on one leg and perform a number of tasks. If they fail to complete this test they will then be taken to a police station for more procedures to be undertaken.

This is quite worrying because there will be a number of people who, whilst they have not taken drugs, are unable to stand on one leg and carry out various tests whilst on one leg due to disability and many other factors. It is wrong that these people should have to face the inconvenience of being taken away in a police car and subjected to medical examinations. A more suitable means of testing is needed to spare the embarrassment of innocent people.


Those Responsible for the United Kingdom's largest Bank Robbery 'Will Have to Burn £13 Million' (23 December 2004)
An expert in money laundering claims those who carried out the largest armed bank robbery in the UK will have to dispose of half of their loot in order to evade capture.

Most of the money taken was in the form of new Irish banknotes, which could easily be traced. The expert, Jeffrey Robinson, says that it is therefore "fundamentally useless" and that the robbers probably know this by now. He is of the opinion that they can use the US dollars and Euros but the rest will need to be destroyed so that it cannot be used to trace who stole it.

It has emerged that the robbers dressed as police officers in order to take the hostages. One woman who was taken hostage, was left in woodland for up to twenty four hours in extremely cold weather before she managed to make her way to a house several miles away. Her car was later found burnt out.

The police believe the robbers are probably paramilitaries engaged in criminal activity to raise funds for terrorist action in Northern Ireland. Already a number of Republicans have had their homes raided by officers involved in the investigation.


Mentally Ill Man Stabs Six People in Daylight Attacks In London (23 December 2004)
One man is dead and five other men and women are critically injured after a mentally ill man carried out stabbing attacks in London during rush hour this morning.

The incidents, which took place within a five mile area, in public places, within an hour are thought to have been random attacks. The person responsible stabbed each victim multiple times before getting into his car and driving away, in search of more victims.

Witnesses noted the man's car registration number, which enabled the police to arrive at a household in a London Borough just as the car's owner was arriving home. The man has been arrested and police have announced he is 30 years old, of Turkish origin and has had a history of mental health problems. He has been admitted to mental health hospitals though it is believed he has recently ceased to be a patient at a London hospital.


Britain’s Largest Armed Robbery (21 December 2004)
On the day that Graham Huckerby and James Power had their convictions for conspiring to commit armed robbery quashed it has emerged that £20 million has been stolen in an exceptionally well planned robbery in Belfast city centre (just to make it clear, there is no connection with this crime and the unsolved robbery at the Midland Bank Clearing Centre which Huckerby and Power were wrongly believed to have been involved in).

Gaining entry to the bank on Sunday evening was fairly easy as the managers opened the door for the gang of criminals. The managers was aware that the robbers had taken the families of the managers hostage, at gunpoint, and so fearing that their loved ones could be killed or harmed the doors were opened and the robbers allowed inside. The managers were forced to behave normally the following day so as not to arouse suspicion. All the time their families were being held at gunpoint in the vault of the bank. After the bank closed on Monday evening the managers and their families were forced to load a total of £20 million into a lorry outside.

Police are appealing for any information that could lead to them identifying the robbers or recovering the vast sum of money taken.


Identical Twins Dupe Foolish Guards in a Swedish Prison – Fugitive Now on the Run (21 December 2004)
A man has escaped from prison in Stockholm, Sweden, aided by his identical twin brother.

The brothers somehow managed to change clothing during a visiting session, without the guards noticing, in order to switch places. The one difference between the men was a birthmark on the inmate’s face but, with the help of a marker pen, this was soon remedied.

After the visit ended the convict left the prison posing as his visiting twin, letting his brother return to the cells. The convict had no difficulties getting past the docile guards and has not been seen since. His brother could now face charges of aiding an escape. In my mind he should be forced to spend the same period in prison as his brother has remaining on his tariff. He needs some punishment.

The names of the brothers have not been revealed and I do not know what crime the inmate had been convicted of. However, this shows just how ridiculously poor Swedish prison security is, especially when newspapers have quoted one of the guards saying that they knew there were risks involved with the two brothers meeting because of them being identical twins. This surely begs the question of why were they not watched by prison staff?


Graham Huckerby and James Power Have Been Released From Prison, With Their Convictions Overturned (21 December 2004)
Today the Court of Appeal has ruled that the convictions of Graham Huckerby and James Power are unsafe. Both men were jailed for conspiring to commit armed robbery in 2002 but the appeal judges have voiced their concern regarding the prosecution's case at trial. There was no evidence proving that they were guilty and so earlier today both men walked free from their prisons. For more details please click here


The Imprisonment, Without Charge, of Foreign Nationals Under Anti-Terrorist Legislation, is Illegal (16 December 2004)
Today the Law Lords have stated that the Government is acting illegally by detaining foreign nationals in prison, indefinitely, under legislation introduced following the September 11th terrorist attacks in the USA.

There are nine immigrants currently being held in British prisons, mainly Belmarsh (although some are in Broadmoor secure hospital due to the consequential mental breakdown they have suffered since they were imprisoned), under this ridiculous law that has resulted in people being locked up, without being told why they are thought to be terrorists, under rules created by the Home Office which claims to be acting for a fairer, more tolerant society. The reason why the Law Lords state this is illegal is that it is an issue of discrimination. They say that foreign nationals should not be detained indefinitely, if they are viewed to be a threat, whilst British nationals viewed to be a threat are allowed to live in society or go through the proper legal process. This is clearly a case of racial discrimination.

The Government argues that it would be impossible to prosecute these individuals because it would mean in order for trials to commence sensitive intelligence and other secret information would have to be made public in order for a proper trial by jury to commence. Nonetheless it is wrong that people should have to spend their entire lives in prison when they have not been tried by their peers. Whilst I am not a supporter of the jury system, it is the law of this country that juries try people accused of serious crimes. Since the sixteenth century it has been law that people should only be imprisoned after being charged and that they should face trial. In 1628 five knights were imprisoned without charge and that played some role in causing the English Civil War.

To imprison someone when it has not been shown that they have committed any crime and it is only British spies and Government ministers who claim they have committed offences and pose a risk is totally wrong. After all there are questions about the reliability of intelligence reports (whether Weapons of Mass Destruction exist etc) so how can we be sure these people do pose a threat to Britain? Could the Government be making another mistake? Either way these people should not have to spend their lives in prison without a court of law hearing both sides of the story, examining all of the evidence, and making a fully informed decision over whether or not they are guilty. If they are guilty then let them rot in jail but without a trial no one will have any idea whether they are terrorists or whether the Government has made a massive error of judgment. As yet the Government is refusing to let any of these people free and something needs to be done about this. People are being imprisoned simply because the Government thinks they are criminals. Whatever happened to being innocent until proven guilty?

What do you think about this issue? I would be interested in your thoughts.


David Bieber Allegedly Offers One Million Pounds to Anyone Who Can Help Him Escape From Prison (14 December 2004)
David Bieber who this month was convicted of murdering Leeds Policeman Ian Broadhurst, and attempting to murder his two colleagues (see the earlier entries for details about the case) has allegedly offered a sum of £1,000,000 to anyone who can help him escape from prison. The money, it is claimed, was obtained by him during his days of smuggling and dealing steroids.


The Campaign For Longer Jail Sentences For The Possession Of Knives (13 December 2004)
Today a number of those who have personally suffered from knife crime or have lost someone who has been the victim of such a crime converged on Downing Street to campaign for tougher sentences for those found to be in possession of knives. At present if you are found to be in possession of a knife you can be convicted for up to four years. The campaigners want the tariff increasing to a five year period, which is the same as for possession of a gun. Whilst I believe knife crime is a scourge of society and needs to be tackled head on I do disagree with this proposal for the simple reason that if the punishment is the same for possessing a knife as it is for a gun then in many cases people will carry a gun rather than a knife. As the old saying goes you might as well be hung for stealing a sheep than for stealing a lamb. The Home Secretary is to make an announcement regarding measures to tackle knife crime, which has risen in the past few years, later this week. I find the media's angle on this story quite interesting because it suggests that knife crime is incredibly prevalent when in reality the number of knife related murders in a twelve month period is approximately two hundred and forty. When one considers every household has many knives in the kitchen then this is not a particularly high number. What do you think? Contact me with your views as to how this issue should be tackled.


A Rebuttal of Recent Media Claims Against Barry George
The recent allegations about Barry George are false as shown in my new section available by clicking here.


Barry George Allegedly Threatens to Kill Nick Ross, The Late Jill Dando's Crimewatch Co-Presenter (5 December 2004)
This story, printed in a national tabloid paper, is probably yet another smear against Barry. Similar stories have appeared in the past and have been PROVEN beyond a shadow of a doubt to be false. Personally I find it highly unlikely that Barry George would agree to have a journalist visit because I know from personal experience his reluctance to have anything to do with writers. It took more than a year for me to gain his trust. Since the publication of my book we have had numerous journalists try and gain information and Barry has been consistent in his suspicion and refusal to speak with any of them. He has frequently said he does not mind cooperating the press so long as his views are passed via his solicitor so the claim that a journalist has visited him (when all of his visiting orders are taken up by relatives and supporters) does not seem plausible to me.

I will be creating a full rebuttal shortly to show Barry George did not threaten to kill Nick Ross, but for now consider this:

His family, friends and inmates who have served with him in prison have told me his words can very easily be twisted and used out of context) or that Barry has been influenced into providing false information (Barry is highly impressionable so much so that he can provide any desired answer, not matter how untrue it is, just by being asked a question in a certain way and he fails to understand questions which are put to him, after all this is why he never testified at trial because he cannot give accurate, reliable information) or his words might have been deliberately altered. In 2002, just before Barry's Court of Appeal hearing a similar allegation was made although this time he allegedly confessed to murdering Jill Dando. The confession was proven never to have occurred. Now the Criminal cases review Commission are close to reaching their decision as to whether they should refer Barry's case back to the Court of Appeal and yet again an allegation is made. Coincidence or what?


David Bieber Has Been Convicted (2 December 2004)
This afternoon, after approximately only three hours of deliberations, the jury at Newcastle Crown Court has found David Bieber guilty, unanimously, on six counts. He has been convicted of the murder of PC Ian Broadhurst, the attempted murder of PC James Banks and PC Neil Roper, the illegal possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, the illegal possession of ammunition with intent to endanger life and the possession of ammunition. Bieber had pleaded guilty to the charge that he had possessed ammunition, but he denied having possessed with intent to danger life, which accounts for the two separate charges. I believe the jury are right to convict, though I am surprised that they took so short a period of time to reach this decision. Presumably they did not think very much of his defence that 'Mr X' carried out the shootings. The evidence against him was fairly weak at times nonetheless. There was no forensic evidence linking him to the murder and one of the officers he shot twice failed to recognise him. Still it would seem that the right man has been held to account.

American prosecutors have spoken of their desire for Bieber to stand trial in Florida where he is wanted in connection with crimes including murder in the first degree and conspiracy to commit murder.


Evil Murderers Taunt Victim's Wife Over the Phone (1 December 2004)
Two evil murderers kicked a man to death before taunting his wife down the phone by saying "You're husband won't be coming home."

Joseph Mee and Christopher Smith repeatedly kicked Robin Chard in the head, whilst posing as rugby players, as Chard was returning from a night out. After the vicious attack the men phoned Chard's wife and told her that he was not going to be coming home before returning to Smith's home where they listened to a Bohemian Rhapsody, replaying the line 'Mama just killed a man' over and over again.

Both men denied the crime until confronted with CCTV images. they now face life imprisonment. The men, who have sixty seven previous convictions between them, are due to be sentenced on 22 December.


The Jury Will Be Deliberating Today in the Case of David Bieber (1 December 2004)
The court has today heard the defence counsel’s closing speech. The jury have been told to remove all emotions from their mind. This was, they were informed, a dramatic case but their emotions could not be allowed to interfere with what they have heard during the course of the trial.

They were advised that unless they could be certain Bieber was lying in court, and unless there was no doubt in their mind, then they have to acquit him.

The defence claim there are two issues of central importance. The first, they allege is that Bieber has maintained his friend from Florida committed the murder and his refusal to name this individual is to be expected. “What are friends for?” the defence barrister asked. Well I would imagine it would take a strange man to stand by and allow his friend to be convicted of murder and attempted murder if indeed Bieber is innocent.

The second issue is that PC Neil Roper failed to identify Bieber two days after the shooting which suggests the possibility he was not the gunman.

Another smaller point was that the man who committed this crime was a “vicious, nasty murderer” but when arrested in Gateshead, Bieber came calmly. This was, the defence maintain, because Bieber and the gunman are not one and the same.

Mr Justice Moses has begun his summing up, which will conclude this afternoon. After completion the jury will be sent out to begin their deliberations. Even if Bieber is acquitted then he will not regain his freedom; he is wanted in connection with murders in the USA and so even if the jury return a verdict of ‘Not Guilty’ he will once again be detained so that extradition proceedings can commence. Britain has an agreement with the USA which states that anyone extradited from Britain cannot be executed and so Bieber will not face capital punishment.


Possible Destruction of the Identification Issue in the Case of David Bieber (30 November 2004)
This morning the brother-in-law of David Bieber, the man accused of murdering PC Ian Broadhurst and attempting to murder his two colleagues on 26 December 2003, has testified that Bieber has a "unique facial feature" which, as neither of the surviving officers nor any witnesses have commented on, means that Bieber could not have been the gunman. The facial feature is his "piercing blue/green eyes". Expert witnesses have used imagery to demonstrate that Bieber cannot be Broadhurst's killer. When this is coupled with the fact one of the officers failed to recognise Bieber, and was "certain" he was shot by someone else, then the identification evidence against the defendant cannot be considered compelling. However, other aspects of the case do appear to demonstrate guilt. His acceptance of an involvement in the covering up of the crime, but refusal to name the person he alleges carried out the shootings themselves, must surely be considered to be damning.

After hearing from the witnesses a period of legal argument, in the absence of the jury, occurred. This afternoon the prosecution made their closing speech in which they claimed Bieber to be a "devious", "cold" and "calculating" man. Bieber maintains that he is innocent. The trial continues at Newcastle Crown Court.


An Interesting Update on the Trial of David Bieber (29 November 2004)
Today David Bieber has given evidence as to what he heard and saw on Boxing Day 2003, when PC Ian Broadhurst was shot dead and his two colleagues wounded. Bieber claims he was at the scene of the crime but that he had been with an American friend driving in a stolen car. They had allegedly stopped the car so that Bieber could make a telephone call, in a telephone box, when the police approached the vehicle, which was illegally parked. Bieber maintains that he was still in the telephone box at this time and that the appearance of the police concerned him because he knew the car was stolen and that his ‘friend’ had a firearm. Whilst making the call he heard gunshots and so he walked away “confused”. He soon spoke with his ‘friend’ who said that two officers had been shot and one was possibly dead. Bieber claims he took the gun and carried out a number of tasks to help his ‘friend’ over the next few days. He says he did this as he felt “obligated” to do so as the ‘friend’ had helped him in the past. Asked by the prosecution who this American friend was, unsurprisingly David Bieber refused to answer merely stating it would be like stabbing the friend in the back.

Bieber denies the murder and two counts of attempted murder and his trial continues.


A Bank Manager Shot on His Doorstep in Scotland (29 November 2004)
A manhunt is underway in Scotland following the shooting of a bank manager on his own doorstep. The killer is described as being in his late thirties and of stocky build. He was seen fleeing the scene of the crime on foot. The victim was described as a well respected man in the community and the banking business. He allegedly had no enemies and no one who thought badly of him. This is so frequently said about the victims of murder yet it is often shown that the individual had many people who bore a grudge. Let us face it; bank managers lend people money with the expectation of gaining much more in return and when people fail to make repayments a motive for murder can be produced. Even the most law-abiding, respectable member of society will often have some aspect of their personality which causes anger or grievences in the eyes of others. In order to have been gunned down outside his home this man must have had enemies or he was the unfortunate victim of a random shooting.


One of Jamie Bulger's Killers Tracked Down by Bulger's Mother (28 November 2004)
The mother of Jamie Bulger, the toddler who was brutally murdered by two children in 1992, has managed to locate one of her son's killers. Both Robert Thompson and Jon Venebles were granted life-long anonymity following their release from prison in 2001.

Denise Fergus, Bulger's mother, is reported to have found out where Thompson lives and instantly recognised his "podgy face" and "evil eyes" upon seeing him, although she was frozen with fear. Mrs Fergus was informed of Thompson's movements in an anonymous letter. After reading the information she visited the area and waited until she found her son's killer.

Mrs Fergus claims she does not want to harm Thompson but merely wanted to see him and know where he lives. No doubt telling her account to a national newspaper will only result in this killer being moved.


A Couple Jailed for Severe Neglect Towards Their Children (23 November 2004)
A Sheffield mother and father, both aged twenty four, have been jailed for seven years for neglecting their children. The children were found to be in severe states of malnutrition, which during the trial was claimed by a paediatrician to be the worst case of malnutrition he had seen outside of the developing world.


Day Six in the Trial of David Bieber (23 November 2004)
Today Newcastle Crown Court has heard that, on New Year’s Eve last year, a loaded handgun was found under the mattress in the hotel room in Gateshead where David Bieber had been staying as a fugitive. A police officer informed the jury that the gun had a round in the breech and was ready to be fired. The prosecution claim that this was the weapon used to murder PC Ian Broadhurst and attempt to murder two other officers on Boxing Day last year, in Leeds.

A pathologist has testified that the three shots that killed Broadhurst were fired from “a matter of inches” and that it was clear Broadhurst had his hands up when he was fatally wounded.

Bieber continues to deny any involvement in the shootings. The trial continues.


A Break-In at the Home of Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne (23 November 2004)
The Buckinghamshire home of Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne has been broken into with more than £1,000,000 worth of belongings having been stolen. It is believed the criminals knew specifically what to take as only the most valuable belongings have been taken. Ozzy tackled one of the burglars and this particular criminal is believed to have been injured as a consequence.


Latest News in the David Bieber Trial (22 November 2004)
Today Newcastle Crown Court has heard that on the day after PC Broadhurst's murder Bieber withdrew a total of £1200 from two bank accounts. One of the cashiers at a bank in Bradford remembered how he looked miserable at the time, and she thought this strange seeing as though it was the Christmas period. Bieber booked a seat on a National Express coach to London Victoria. He is also alleged to have asked a friend in a gym if he could obtain a bullet proof vest and a gun for him. When questioned today no witnesses were able to inform the court that they had ever seen Bieber with a gun.

Bieber continues to deny murdering PC Ian Broadhurst on Boxing Day 2003 and the attempted murder of his two colleagues. The trial continues.


Man Held in the Search For the Killer of Amelie Delagrange 22 November 2004)
A 36 year old man is being questioned in connection with the murder of 22 year old Amelie, a French student who was attacked near Twickenham Green in August this year. He was arrested at his home in West Drayton, near Heathrow airport, in london, at around 8.30am this morning. He is also being questioned about a possible involvement in the attempted murder and robbery of a woman near where Amelie was killed in November 2002.


Latest Update in the Trial of David Bieber (19 November)
Today Newcastle Crown Court has heard eight minutes of an audio recording from inside the police patrol car that PC Ian Broadhurst was murdered. PC Neil Roper is heard to attempt to put handcuffs on the murderer before five shots are fired. Roper is heard to escape and in the last few seconds Broadhurst is heard to plead for his life with terrible screaming taking place.

Bieber continues to deny any involvement in the murder of Broadhurst and attempted murder of his two colleagues. he does, however, admit to owning an unlicensed firearm.


Maxine Carr Allegedly Sends Love Letters to Ian Huntley in Prison (19 November 2004)
The woman convicted of conspiring to pervert the course of justice in the case of the murder of school girls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman is reported to have been sending love letters to Ian Huntley, the man who murdered the girls in Soham in 2002.

It is interesting how the media is using this to stop the story of Huntley and Carr dying out as they know it sells papers, but I think this is a story just about everyone is fed up of hearing about. It has been dominating television and the papers over too long a period of time that will not allow the families and those affected to move on all because the media have been cashing in on this terrible double murder.


An Update on the Trial of David Bieber (18 November 2004)
Today the court has heard the testimony of PC Neil Roper who was shot by the man who murdered PC Ian Broadhurst. He told the court that he and Broadhurst had apprehended a man who was parked illegally in a Leeds street. He has commented, wrongly in my view, that there was something strange about the man. A check on the vehicle registration showed it had been stolen and when Roper tried to handcuff the suspect he said, “You are not handcuffing me” and produced a handgun. Roper heard shots fired and felt a sudden pain as he ran from the vehicle not knowing what had happened to his two colleagues. Later he heard, on his radio, that Broadhurst had been shot.

Interestingly when showed eleven photographs of different men, one of which was Bieber, Roper commented that he was sure that the man who had shot him was in one of the photographs. He said he had some doubts as to the colour of the man’s hair but he was certain it was the man. He picked out a man who was not David Bieber.

Bieber denies murder and two counts of attempted murder. The trial continues.


Football Racism (18 November 2004)
The actions of the mindless thugs at the England versus Spain match last night have once again highlighted the chronic problem that is racism in football. The inhumane chants show that the effort to kick racism out of the game has been unsatisfactory and a united approach to tacking this evil is required. Commentators do little to help the situation when, whilst condemning the noises made by the animals in the crowd, they talk of England players getting ‘revenge’ on those from another country simply because of past encounters between the two. However, my question is how can racism be sufficiently challenged in a game which encourages the people of one country to believe that they have a better team than the country of another? After all, this arrogant, nationalist attitude is at the very heart of racism.


Latest News of The Trial of David Bieber (a.k.a. Nathan Coleman) (17 November 2004)
Today Newcastle Crown Court has heard Bieber was talking in a relaxed state, about football results, to a worker at a Post Office just twenty minutes before the shooting. Bieber then, the court heard, stole a car to make his escape. When he was found weeks later (after having gone into hiding from a nation wide manhunt) Bieber was found in possession of a huge amount of ammunition and a 9mm firearm. Bieber admits possessing an illegal firearm but denies all other charges.


The Trial of David Bieber (a.k.a. Nathan Coleman) Begins (16 November 2004)
Yesterday, after many weeks of pre-trial discussions, the trial of David Bieber, who is accused of murdering PC Ian Broadhurst and attempting to murder two other police officers, began. The court heard how Bieber, an American citizen suspected of carrying out murders in the USA, is alleged to have calmly shot Broadhurst while he was lying on the ground wounded. Broadhurst and his colleague had apprehended a gunman, who is believed to have been Bieber, for vehicle offences when, in a bid to escape, shots were fired from a 9mm handgun. The incident had taken place on Boxing Day last year, in Leeds.


Scott Peterson Found Guilty (November 2004)
Scott Peterson has been convicted in the USA of the murder of his wife Laci, who was pregnant when she was killed. The evidence is controversial and has caused huge media interest in the USA which seems unusual to me because in Britain such coverage is normally reserved to the abduction and murder of children and the murder of celebrities. A few months ago I was asked to look into this case in order to help Peterson's supporters, but I have no interest in doing so.


Appeal Plan On 'Joke' Convictions (as printed in the Bolton Evening Press on 5 November 2004)
'TWO men jailed for a crime they say they did not commit could be free in seven days.

Graham Huckerby, from Prestwich, and Bury man James Power, will appeal against their conviction at the Royal Court of Appeal in London next Thursday and Friday.

Both men are said to be "optimistic" about the hearing which could quash their 14-year jail sentence for being part of a robbery. [Note from S.C. Lomax - they allegedly conspired to commit the robbery]

Security guard Huckerby, of Clifton Road, was found guilty of being the 'inside man' in a £6.6 million armed robbery of his Securicor van in 2002, while Power, of Hornby Street, was convicted of being his handler.

Huckerby's sister, Mrs Susan Kelly, said: "We are hoping for Graham to come home and are cautiously optimistic. We hope the Court of Appeal will find the conviction unsafe and the conviction will effectively be quashed.

"But at the end of the day we are in the lap of the gods and it is 50/50. As far as we are concerned Graham should not be in prison in the first place, so anything could happen."

Scott Lomax, a campaigner for Power, said: "James Power's conviction is a joke that should concern everyone in Britain because it shows how easily people can be imprisoned.

"If there is any justice in this country then his conviction will be quashed. I look forward to his release, and the release of his co-accused Graham Huckerby, in the very near future."


The Rachel Nickell Breakthrough (November 2004)
It would seem that the police have finally found the man who really sexually assaulted and murdered Rachel Nickell on Wimbledon Common in 1992. DNA evidence links a patient from Broadmoor to the brutal stabbing, for which Colin Stagg stood trial and nearly became a victim of a miscarriage of justice.

The case against Stagg was thrown out of court because it emerged the police had set up a 'honey trap' to influence Stagg into confessing for a crime he did not commit.

Interestingly the real killer, who committed a similar double murder in 1993 in another London park, was questioned about Nickell's murder whilst Stagg was on remand. Of course, he was not fully investigated despite the similarities between the murder he had been arrested for and the Wimbledon Common stabbing, because the police already had their man in the frame.

It is worrying that the police will often charge the first suspect that meets their criteria and will then stop looking at other suspects, even if there are suspects who have not been investigated. It is all very well if the police charged the right person but what happens if a jury finds that person to have not committed the crime? In the case of Rachel Nickell's murder the true killer was able to be at liberty whilst an innocent man was in prison and, because Stagg was on remand and the police were no longer looking for the killer, he was able to murder again.


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