We would encourage you not to read this before you go to bed We kick off our list with a murder that sent ripples through Victorian Blackburn, making headlines across England and shocking the authorities. Blackburn Thursday 5 August 2021, 7:25pm Video report by Tim Scott A group of men found guilty of murdering a law student who was mistakenly gunned down in a botched drive-by shooting have been. Unable to take the rejection he slipped into Frances' house and slit her throat with a razor blade. blackburn, lancashire murders The doctor committed suicide before he could be brought in by the police, forever escaping justice for what he did. Blackburn United under-17s gearing up for Scottish Cup semi-final Daily Record 16:02 28-Feb-23. An illustration of Henry Starr found in the Lancashire Post. With its rolling hills, open moors and stunning countryside, we really do live in god's country. The ridges of this sole remaining set of fingerprints were well-defined and unbroken, suggesting they may belong to a young man with little or no experience of hard labour. 1967 and their eye caught the following short article: "There are 4000 holes in the road in Blackburn Lancashire, one twenty-sixth of a hole per . It is unlikely that this ever happened but Bill was convicted of killing 68-year-old Nancy Ellen Chadwick, an eccentric in Rawtenstall who was known to have inherited large sums of money. Captain Hanham of the 32nd who was shot by Private McCaffery. Dr. Grant stated to the jury that although Griffiths knew what he was doing, he did not realise the criminality of his actions. [10] The internal injuries were consistent with the child having been raped,[16] and the multiple, extensive fractures and blunt trauma to her skull had been inflicted from the child being repeatedly swung into the boundary wall while her rapist and murderer had held her by her legs, ankles, or feet. Detective Chief Inspector John Capstick[11], The discovery of the child's body and the injuries she had suffered immediately sparked a major murder investigation. He stated that, based on his observations of Griffiths throughout his incarceration, Griffiths was sane when he had committed the crime. All the children in wards CH4 and CH3 on the night of 14-15 May were under the age of seven. He sentenced to 14 years in jail. 2023 BBC. [25] He was taken to Blackburn Police Headquarters, where he was formally cautioned as to his right to silence. There were a total of 810 street level crime incidents in Blackburn in March 2022. DeSantis won't say he's running. Brought forward on October 15 at Lancaster Assizes, the defence admitted straight away that they would not deny that Griffiths had killed June but would be pleading insanity. The newspapers were in a frenzy. "[28], By the time this comparison had been made, officers had taken 46,253 sets of fingerprints, and had less than 200 sets of prints left to check before the completion of their task. Hiram Thompson murdered his wife in cold blood, kicking her to death before slitting her throat with a razor, just to make sure the deed was done. Haslem had stolen jewels and a key from the pensioner and was found guilty in June that year. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. Griffiths then claimed to have spoken with a man in a parked car, whom he had asked to light his (Griffiths') cigarette. Aya Hachem, 19, died when shots were fired from a passing car on Sunday. [19], The mass operation began, and a special card was developed so that the identifiable sections of the perpetrator's left hand found upon the bottle (the left forefinger, middle finger, ring finger and a section of the left palm) could be recorded swiftly. His fourth wife, Amy Victoria Burnett, died in May 1947. Due to the heinous nature of his crime, and his profession, he became known as Blackburn's Sweeney Todd, the demon barber of Lancashire. It read: "If I had served God instead of Satan I should not have been here.". He had then picked up the Winchester bottle to use as a weapon in the event any member of staff had attempted to challenge him, before he had chosen June Anne as his victim. The sentence of the Court is that you be taken from this place to a lawful prison and thence to a place of execution, and that you there suffer death by hanging from the neck until you are dead. The woman was arrested on Tuesday evening. Real World St Thomas Cast Where Are They Now. She was lying face down in the grass. Queens Park Hospital in Blackburn, June was taken from the ward and murdered on the other side of the building. Having been a drifter before the war, he returned to England as a one-legged wanderer, without a profession or a place to properly settle. This was the first time in history that a mass fingerprint exercise had been used to solve a crime and presented a major breakthrough in forensic techniques. Mum who shared contents of 3.09 Too Good To Go Morrisons box branded 'shameful' for buying 'out of date food', "Thats totally not acceptable, never heard anything so shameful in my life", DWP state pension contributions will 'still be considered' after looming Government deadline, Phone lines have been busy as people have taken action to top up their contributions, Preston thug strangled his own cousin before his mum punched him back, John Wilcock then threatened to kill her if she didn't retract her statement, Camera Club: Show us your best dog photos for the chance to be crowned March's winner, Share your pictures in Lancs Live's monthly photo competition, Should dogs have to be kept on leads in public spaces? He initially denied all involvement in the harrowing events of June's murder but as soon as DCI Capstick told him about the fingerprint match Griffith's guise slipped. It read: "If I had my time over again I would lead a different life. Leslie Jackson, from Blackburn LESLIE JACKSON, a horse dealer from Blackburn, was found dead in the bathroom of his home in November 1990. Read the full story here. Following Griffiths' confession, he was immediately remanded into custody at Walton Gaol to await trial. Peter Griffiths, the murderer who changed forensics This 1948 case changed forensics and criminal investigations in the UK forever. On Monday night, police arrested three brothers - Feroz, 39, Suhayl, 36, and Nadeem Suleman, 33, all from Blackburn - on suspicion of murder. Below are these incidents broken down by category. [1] The child was removed to the grounds of the hospital, where she was raped, before suffering extensive blunt force trauma to her skull when her head was repeatedly swung into a sandstone wall. Those who continue to kill their wives are known as Bluebeards, after the 15th Century French fairytale. Lancashire Police said Mr Scott, from Preston, died in hospital on Monday. According to Griffiths, he had "hushed her" as he lifted her from the cot, before discreetly leaving the premises through a window to a small room at the end of Ward CH3 close to the lavatories. It took Lancashire Constabulary officers months to find a suspect in Griffiths and they did so after taking thousands of fingerprints from Blackburn men and matching them to a print left on a medicine bottle. This abhorrent Preston pair were the last people in Britain to be hung for the crime of wilful murder. [28], Peter Griffiths was arrested by DCI Capstick as he left his Blackburn home to attend work on the evening of 12 August. Corporation Park & Revidge 63 crimes were recorded here. | It's here! But his legacy is marred after he savagely murdered his new wife Sui Ying-chau while on holiday in the Lake District. "FreeBMD: Births Registered: July, August, September 1944", "Freedom of Information: Records Released as a Result of Freedom of Information (FOI) Requests", "The Fingerprint Society Commemorates 60 Years Since Landmark Fingerprint Identification", "The History of the First Mass Fingerprinting Operation", "Federal Bureau of Investigation Law Enforcement Bulletin", "A Brutal Murder Begins an Unusual Investigation", "The Blackburn Child Killer and Rapist who Changed Criminal Forensics Forever", "Split Mind Defence in Child Murder Trial", "Peter Griffiths. Peter Griffiths mugshot, it is likely that he confessed to the murders soon after this was taken. The only person to see the killer was dead and it would appear that the murderer had ghosted in and out of the ward without being seen or heard. The public were getting restless and parents were growing scared. [30] He had slept until approximately 9a.m.[28], Although Griffiths did not appear to show any remorse for his actions (which he blamed upon his state of intoxication) throughout the course of his confession, he did end his formal statement with a sentence indicating he wished to be hanged for his crime: "I'm sorry for both parents' sake and I hope I get what I deserve."[31]. - On May 17, 2020, Aya Hachem was shot dead on King Street in Blackburn. Contained within the pages of this book are the stories behind some of the most notorious murders in Lancashire's history. A "much-loved" father who was found lying in the street with serious head injuries has died, prompting a murder investigation. It transpired that 22-year-old Peter Griffiths, a former Welsh Guard, had raped and battered a three-year-old girl to death after taking her from a hospital room. A 26-year-old woman, from Blackburn, and a man, aged 32, from Preston have been arrested on suspicion of murder. UK news. He was executed at Liverpool Gaol at 9am on November 19 by Albert Pierrepoint. The drop side of the cot was in place - June had been lifted out. Transgender politics isn't something we expect to see in 1948 but it transpired that Margaret Allen, who committed Rawtenstall's first murder, was known as Bill and lived as a man. The man had proceeded to give Griffiths a lift, seeing how drunk he was and later parked his car close to the Queen's Park Hospital. Blackburn Town Centre A staggering 208 crimes were recorded her during September 2019. I swore, standing there in the rain, that I would bring her murderer to justice. It had several fingerprints on it, all but one could be accounted for and sadly it did not match any prints found in the police database. He never talked about the aspects of sexual assault and refused to cooperate with police or court on this matter. On August 14, exactly three months after June was found, Peter Griffiths appeared in court for his initial plea. By Rebecca Perring 00:11, Mon, May 18, 2020 | UPDATED: 12:40, Mon, May 18, 2020 Burnley came from behind Blackburn to secure a east Lancashire derby victory with goals from Jason Shackell and Danny Ings. Peter Griffiths who murdered and raped a three-year-old girl in 1948. They include defendants charged with the murders of Blackburn student Aya Hachem, doctor Saman Mir Sacharvi and her teenage daughter Vian Mangrio . She closed the door, then saw that June Anne's cot was empty, and that a trail of adult footprints made by stockinged feet were upon the highly waxed floor. [10] Humphreys then returned to her breakfast duties before checking on the children in her care in Ward CH4, then CH3. The death of a secret millionaire by the name of Ruth Clarkson in 1936 came as a shock to the whole of Nelson. June's murder provoked mass media coverage as papers across England followed updates of the police investigation closely throughout May of 1948. [1] He was 69 and his home had been ransacked. [19], Peter Griffiths did not lodge an appeal against his conviction. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. A murder inquiry has begun after a woman who was hit by a car in a "dreadful" and "deliberate" act died. In 1861 the Fulwood Barracks, home to the 60th Rifles was struck by tragedy. He was hanged at HM Prison Liverpool on the morning of 19 November 1948. Due to his height Haslem's faced a record breaking execution. Blackburn recorded 71 reports of burglary during April 2020, making its crime rate of 0.59 the worst for burglary in Lancashire that month. Griffiths appeared to be a home bird, staying in the town for his entire life. Clark was found guilty. It took a jury just 22 minutes to find him guilty on Friday, October 22. Margaret 'Bill' Allen, the transexual who committed Rawtenstall's first recorded murder. Five people have been charged with the murder of a law student in a drive-by shooting in Blackburn. He was a alcoholic who remained abusive to his wife and children. What made it all the more interesting was that Starr had been accused of murdering another woman years earlier after a body was found floating in the Ribble. Police searched Griffith's parents house on Birley Road, finding the ticket for a pawnbrokers in there. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. Chatwood, 26, of Walsh Street, Blackburn, was found guilty of the manslaughter of Ms McBlain and not guilty of the attempted murder of the 28-year-old man. You can also send story ideas to northwest.newsonline@bbc.co.uk, Construction of Burnley 11m commercial estate to start in June, Northern lights spotted across South Cumbria, Blackpool and Fylde College defends facebook post about the dissection of a pregnant shark which was branded 'senseless and cruel', Fleetwood Market undergoing 2m upgrade plus 'energy efficient' works, Burnley poacher arrested after speeding near Turf Moor and crashing car containing deer carcass, Driver in his 70sdies after a crash on A6 at Bolton-le-Sands, Greek transport minister resigns after deadly train crash, At the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece. Mr Justice Oliver placed the black cap on his head and stated: "Peter Griffiths, this jury has found you guilty of a crime of the most brutal ferocity. At the pawnbrokers they were able to recover the suit and trousers worn by Griffiths on the night of the murder, matching bloodstains on the clothes with June's own. The police had something to go on but not much. Det Supt Andy Cribbin of Lancashire Police said . At the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece. Likely to be a soldier in the Yorkshire regiment during the Great War, William Henry Thorpe lost his leg during the fighting. As LancsLive's resident historian I have been researching the lesser known murders and true crime incidents that have stained Blackpool, Burnley and Blackburn's history red with blood. Read More Related Articles. Another two men aged 31 and 35 have since been. Infatuated with his new girlfriend Frances Godfrey, he was distraught when she married another man in 1925. Pupils told inspectors that leaders do not do enough to safeguard them in school. Our live feed has now finished. Police also used a bloodhound to sniff out the possible route the killer had used from the ward to the grounds and a fingerprint expert was brought in to search the ward where in they found a Winchester bottle of sterile water. A child had been taken from her cot and bludgeoned to death, violently bludgeoned to death. Alongside her was tall sandstone boundary, about 300 feet from the ward. According to Griffiths, this man, noting his state of intoxication, had said to him: "Get in, open the window and I'll give you a spin. The killing shocked Fulwood and led to the 19-year-old facing the noose. Lancashire Murders Lancashire Murders 12.99 The cases covered here record the county's most fascinating but least known crimes, as well as famous murders that gripped Add to basket Categories: Books, British Local Crime Guides, Crime Classics Description Reviews (0) Description Just after 3pm this afternoon police were called to reports of a woman being. Wearing a grey T-shirt and a mask over his face . Blackburn The Blackburn child killer and rapist who changed criminal forensics forever More than 40,000 people had their fingerprints taken by police before they found the killer. More than 40,000 people had their fingerprints taken by police before they found the killer. [19], During the trial, Griffiths described how he had entered the hospital while intoxicated, and had then picked up the Winchester sterile water bottle, which he stated to the Court he had intended to use as a weapon if he was challenged. On Wednesday, another man, 39, and a woman, 29 -. It was the first time that fingerprinting had been the biggest factor in finding the killer and it saw police take the clinical records of 40,000 people in Blackburn. I swore, standing there in the rain, that I would bring her murderer to justice.". The only real detail from the statement was when Griffiths stated that as he had carried the child across the field to where he assaulted and murdered her saying that June had trustingly placed her arms around his neck. As Griffiths had already admitted to his crime,[36] all that remained was a question of his sanity, and as such, the defence had entered a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity. It was Louisa May Merrifield's choice of weapon when it came to murdering her employer in April 1953 when she was in Blackpool. Latest Blackburn news, including the latest headlines on crime, weather, property, employment, local news and much more on the Lancashire town. Several local journalists were present to record the destruction of the records.[19]. "[25] This man had soon parked his car in close proximity to Queen's Park Hospital, and it had been at this stage at which Griffiths had chosen to break into the premises to commit his crime. It occupies the north and south slopes of Billinge . As a child, he had spent approximately two years as an in-patient at the hospital in the same wing as Ward CH3. On August 11, officers visited Birley Street to take the fingerprints of one 22-year-old Peter Griffiths. Blackburn recorded 71 reports of burglary during April 2020, making its crime rate of 0.59 the worst for burglary in Lancashire that month. S. even men have been jailed for life for the murder of a law student who was mistakenly gunned down in a botched drive-by shooting. Here are 13 Lancashire and Cumbria murderers from the past, from the wife killing Lancaster surgeon who chopped up his spouse, to the Chinese holidaymaker who strangled his beloved in Borrowoford. The police knew that this was no ordinary crime. As World War II had ended just three years previously and ex-servicemen who had left the vicinity, or had recently been discharged from military service, would not have their names upon the Electoral Register, police then concentrated on these individuals. Such was the level of public outrage generated by the murder of June Anne Devaney, that throughout the duration of this mammoth task, only very seldom did officers encounter a refusal by a member of the public to submit his fingerprints for comparison with those upon the Winchester bottle. In July the newspapers appear to have lost interest in the case and the name June Anne Devaney is lost from the archives. This bottle itself was examined for fingerprints, being found to contain several sets. . She was placed in the CH3 ward but was due to be released on May 15. Griffiths replied: "I do not wish to say anything" when he was formally charged with the murder and was remanded in custody at Walton Goal in Liverpool. Their fingerprints taken by police before they found the killer Allen, the transexual who committed 's... Within the pages of this book are the stories behind some of the building really do live in 's... 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Was struck by tragedy the cot was in place - June had been lifted.! Slept until approximately 9a.m not lodge an appeal against his conviction during April 2020, Aya Hachem, Saman! [ 25 ] he was distraught when she married another man in 1925 he savagely murdered his girlfriend... Last people in Britain to be released on May 15 the hospital in the Lancashire Post in Blackburn 63. To Blackburn police Headquarters, where he was doing, he had spent approximately two years an... Law student in a drive-by shooting in Blackburn defendants charged with the murders after... Distraught when she was in Blackpool murderer to justice. `` and south of! Crash site of 'no hope ' - BBC reporter in Greece to his wife and children May of 1948 case! From Preston have been charged with the murder of a law student in blackburn, lancashire murders! Have been here. `` stated that, based on our knowledge of you gearing up for Scottish Cup Daily... Uk forever crash site of 'no hope ' - BBC reporter in Greece searched Griffith 's house... Of one 22-year-old peter Griffiths his actions `` If I had my time over again I would bring murderer! Bring her murderer to justice. `` closely throughout May of 1948 wife, Amy Burnett... Unable to take the rejection he slipped into Frances ' house and slit her with! Continue to kill their wives are known as Bluebeards, after the 15th Century French fairytale fingerprints by. On Wednesday, another man, aged 32, from Blackburn, was...
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