Friday 28 February 2014

Unsolved Murder Casebook: Lucy Tinslop

Another unsolved murder to be looked at was that of the "Birthday Girl" in that the unfortunate victim was murdered on her 21st birthday.  This case remains open from August 4th 1969.  A man locked up at the beginning of 1977 for a murder, is thought by many to have been the killer, but there is no evidence to back this up.  Lucy Tinslop had been celebrating her 21st birthday at her parents home in Nottingham, and had left.  Screams were heard coming from St Mary`s Rest Garden in Bath Street.  The sight that greeted people who investigated was ghastly.  Lucy had been raped, strangled, then had her abdomen cut open, and her genital area had been stabbed more than twenty times.

    The big manhunt that followed did not produce the killer, and some years later, a man called Arnold Booth was jailed on 1st January 1977 for life, for the murder of a woman named Renee Howard.  Information on Booth and his crime and his victim is very thin on the ground.  Booth came from the Nottinghamshire town of Sneiton.  Anybody with more information for this post please contact.

The murder of Joan Harrison

This murder was originally thought of as being one of the series of murders committed by the Peter Sutcliffe.  Yes, it was, was the verdict of some, no, it was not, was the verdict of others.  It ran undetected until officially in 2011.  After the arrest of Sutcliffe in the beginning of 1981, he was eliminated as a suspect, then the man who sent the hoax tape and letters, John Humble, was eliminated as a suspect.  then a confession from a dying man led Police to finally close the case after more than thirty years.  DNA analysis proved that the killer of Joan was convicted sex offender Christopher Smith.  What is the history of this case?

    It was in Preston, Lancashire, in November 1975, that 26 year old Joan Harrison, a mother of two, who had drink & drug problems, went into Preston town centre for a late night drink, then vanished.  She was found dead in a disused garage.  She had been raped and savagely beaten.  A bite mark had been left on her left breast.  Her jewelry had been taken.  What was strange was that her clothes and in particular, her boots, had been placed in what seemed like a ritualistic pose.  The Police investigation was huge.  A big team of 80 detectives questioned almost 100,000 people, taken more than 6,000 statements and saliva samples.  However, this did not bring the killer to justice.  Three years later, letters were received by Police pertaining to be from the killer, claiming credit for it.  The enquiry ran cold for many years.  In 2008, a man had been arrested for drink driving and was routinely swabbed.  He died six days later of lung cancer, but before he died, he spoke of a murder in Preston in 1975, asking for forgiveness.  He wrote out a note, which was found in his Leeds home.  It was not until 2011 that forensic tests proved that the DNA of thief & sex attacker, Christopher Smith was the man who murdered Joan Harrison.  CPS officials stated that if Smith had lived, they would have charged him with murder.  Finally, after 36 years, Police were able to close the case.

Wednesday 26 February 2014

The Long Island Serial Killer

This disturbing case erupted in December 2010 after the disappearance of a young woman named Shannon Gilbert, and a canine cop taking it upon himself to go out with his dog and do some searching on his own time, for Shannon.  Little did he realise what they were about to unearth.  Shannon Gilbert, a 24 year old New Jersey escort.  She had been taken to the home of a client, Joseph Brewer, by her driver, Michael Pak.  Soon she ran from the house screaming that "They were going to kill her"  Whom  she was referring to was unclear.  But instead of going to the car and the safety of her driver, she instead, ran off into the distance.  She banged on doors screaming the same thing but she kept on running into the night and into an area of marshy land.  Pak lost her, and she was not seen alive again.  Why was she screaming and frightened?  Did she see something she was not supposed to have?  Was she on drugs?  The speculation is endless.

    Police were called and did some searching but found nothing.  then an officer went out with his dog, and they uncovered a skeleton in a burlap sack.  A broader search uncovered three more bodies in burlap sacks.  They realised that they had uncovered a dumping ground for a serial killer.  Further searching did not reveal any more bodies.  Now the forensic teams had a job attempting to identify the remains.  It was later in March 2011 that a further four sets of remains were found, then in April, a skull and partial skeleton were found, bringing the total to ten.  one body was identified as a young Asian male, and two as a toddler and mother.  Later in the year, one of last found remains, was identified as being part of the body to two legs that had been found in a garbage bag on Fire Island in 1996.  These six bodies obviously predated the first four bodies, so was it a second dump site or were there two killers at large?  Over time, the first four sets of bones were positively identified as being Maureen Brainard-Barnes, 25, from Norwich, Connecticut;  She went missing on July 9th 2007;  Melissa Barthelemy, 24, from Erie County, New York.  She vanished on July 10th 2009.  Her sister started receiving taunting phone calls from a man using her sister`s cell phone.  Megan Waterman, 22, from South Portland, Maine.  She vanished on June 6th 2010.  The fourth body was that of Amber Lynn Costello, 27, from North Babylon, New York. She vanished on September 2nd 2010.  All were prostitutes who advertised their services on Craigslist.

    It was nineteen months after she vanished that the body of Shannon Gilbert was found, half a mile away from where she was last seen.  Speculation was that she had been the victim of a killer, as her jeans were found away from her body but a Coroner ruled her death, "Misadventure" a ruling that her family did not agree with.  In her confused state, running through boggy land with her jeans getting soaked, did they start slowing her down, so she took them, thinking that she could run faster?  Again, only speculation.  Her family launched a lawsuit against the Police in order to find out more information on her death and the investigation.  the dump sites covered Gilgo Beach, Ocean Parkway & Oak Beach in Suffolk County and Jones Beach State Park in Nassau County.  This will probably run for a long time, but hopefully the killer or killers will be apprehended.

Tuesday 25 February 2014

Alfred Arthur Rouse & The Burning Car Murder

Alfred Rouse was executed for the murder of a total stranger, and to this day, the identity remains a mystery.  Rouse was a womaniser and his shenanigans led to problems of women expecting marriage.  He displayed an appalling contempt for the mystery man he murdered, which did not endear him to a jury or public.  It is believed that Rouse tried to stage a Reggie Perrin-style death and seek a life away from his problems.  Rouse was born in London April 6th 1894, but his parents split up in 1900, leaving Rouse and two other siblings to be raised a relative on his father`s side of the family.  He developed a talent for music at school and after leaving school, started to learn carpentry.  His first actual employment was with an Estate Agent, then moving on to a furniture manufacturer in the West End of London.

    War broke out in Europe, so Rouse enlisted on August 8th 1914 and was drafted into the 24th London Regiment.  Before embarking for France, he married Lily Watkins on November 29th at St. Saviours Church in St Albans.  During battle, an explosion gave Rouse head and leg injuries, severe enough for him to be shipped home to convalesce.  He was officially discharged due to his wounds on February 11th 1916, and given a medical pension.  However, after a couple of years, this pension was decreased as it was viewed that his wounds had improved considerably.  In September 1920, he received his final payment was now declared fit for work.

    He found work as a salesmen, taking him to many different towns and cities.  His sales talk enabled him to sweet talk various women and he even had children by a couple of them.  He had no intention of marrying any of them.  He also earned enough to buy himself a 1928 Morris Minor for travelling around.  It was on November 5th 1930, that he put his plan to die and disappear into action.  two men walking from Northampton to their nearby village of Hardingstone, saw a fire start.  A man walked past them saying somebody was lighting a bonfire.  The two men decided to take a look and come upon a burning car.  They thought they could see a body inside and so alerted authorities.  After the blaze was put out, it was seen that it was indeed a body, and luck had it, the number plate of the vehicle was not destroyed.  This led Police to Rouse and he was arrested.

    Rouse said that he offered a lift to a stranger in Leicester, and soon he pulled off the road, telling the man that he needed to shit.  Whilst in the bushes, he claimed he saw the man light a match, then a flash went off, engulfing the vehicle in flames.  Opinion soon turned when Rouse told a reporter of his "harem" of women all over, and that the deceased man "would not be missed!"  An expert on cars discovered that a nut & screw in the engine had been twisted, thereby allowing petrol to escape into and around the car.  This was the crucial evidence that convicted Rouse.  The report of the post mortem was presented by Prof. Bernard Spilsbury.  The Prosecutor in this case was legendary QC Sir Norman Birkett, with Donald Finnemore leading for the defence.

    Rouse was convicted of murder and executed March 10th 1931 at Bedford Gaol.  The identity of the victim may now become known, as a family say that a member went missing suddenly in 1930.  This man was called William Briggs, and in May 2012, they asked for a famile DNA check to discover if the mystery man was indeed their relative.  As of yet, no word.

Monday 24 February 2014

Mamie Stuart & The Man Who Got Away With Murder

Mamie Stuart was a 26 years old former chorus girl when she mysteriously vanished just before Christmas 1919.  She remained missing for a further 42 years before one of those discoveries by sheer luck uncovered her tomb.  Mamie had left her home in Sunderland at the age of 15 to pursue a career on the stage, where she met and fell in love with a fellow Wearsider , George Shotton, who was 13 years her senior.  They married on march 25th 1918 and settled in a cottage  at Caswell Bay, near the Gower Peninsular in South Wales, but before Christmas 1919, they both had vanished.  A man had left a trunk at a hotel in Swansea and after three months, the hotelier handed it over to Police.  The trunk contained clothes and jewelry but a piece of paper was found containing the address of Mamie`s parents.  Police showed the clothes and jewelry to Mrs Stuart who identified them as belonging to Mamie.  She also showed them a letter she had sent them telling them that George was violent and that she feared for her safety.

    Police decided to investigate the background of George Shotton and discovered that he was already married and so this marriage was bigamous.  He had married a woman named May Leader on September 7th 1905, they had a child between them and had settled down only a mile away from Caswell Bay.  Shotton was located and arrested, and admitted knowing Mamie but denied marrying her.  he claimed she had a secret lover, and indeed, did produce a letter destined for some man, from Mamie.  An extensive search of the coastline was launched but she was not found.  Shotton now found himself charged with bigamy, but he claimed somebody had impersonated him.  This was certainly not believed and he received 18 months jail with hard labour.  Police believed he had killed Mamie.

    The story now raced forward to November 1961, and three cavers exploring a disused lead mine at Brandy Cove, only a mile away from Caswell Bay.  They discovered a sack containing human bones, and immediately alerted Police.  Doctors examined the remains, which had been cut into three sections, and determined her height, age and sex.  Bits of clothing and jewelry found in the sack, were identified as belonging to Mamie, by an old friend of hers.  A picture of Mamie was superimposed on the skull and found to be a match, exactly like the way that Professor Robert Glaister did for Mrs Ruxton in the notorious Buck Ruxton murder case.

    The following inquest in December 1961 brought a startling revelation.  83 years old retired postman Bill Symons recalled seeing Shotton hauling a heavy sack from the cottage, to which Shotton initially recoiled in shock, mistaking his uniform for that of a Policeman.  Shotton put the sack into his vehicle and drove off in the direction of Brandy Cove.  After Mamie had vanished and the Police enquiries, he thought nothing of it, thinking he was obviously wrong to think he had just watched a killer hauling away his victim.  The Jury decided that the body was indeed that of Mamie.  The Police now started to hunt for Shotton but were too late.  He was discovered in a cemetery in Bristol where he had died in 1958, at the age of 78.  He had gotten away with cold blooded murder.  It was believed to have been committed in a "jealous rage", which is rich considering he had a wife and child living nearby.

The Death of Liddle Towers

This death in police custody in 1976 brought claims of excessive force and brutality to the fore, and an appeal against the original inquest ruling, resulted in a second Coroner`s Inquest.  Liddle Towers, a boxing coach and electrician had left the Key Club in Birtley, near Chester-Le-Street, in County Durham, on January 16th 1976.  He was arrested by PC Goodner, but a subsequent struggle saw six officers use force to put him into a Police van.  He was taken to Gateshead Police Station, but at 4am, 39 years old Mr Towers spoke of being unwell.  He was taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital where doctors said they could find nothing wrong with him, so he was returned to the station, then released at 10am.  The taxi driver later stated that Mr Towers told of being given a beating in the street but getting a bigger one whilst in the cells.  He saw his doctor some hours later, Dr Alan Powney, who reiterated what the taxi driver was told, and saw evidence of violence.  Mr Towers went into hospital where he died on February 9th 1976.

    An inquest into his death was held october 8th and a verdict of "Justifiable Homicide" was recorded.  This caused great concern in sections of the media about excessive force, and the approach of police in general.  The family fought against the decision, and on May 3rd 1977, the Attorney General responded to a question from Chester-Le-Street MP Giles Radice, stating that the DPP had decided that there was insufficient evidence to proceed against any officer.  On July 8th, the Home Secretary refused to set up an inquiry under S32 of the Police Act 1964.  The family appealed the "Justifiable Homicide" verdict and in June 1978, the Queen's Bench Divisional Court ordered a new inquest but, sadly for the family, this just brought a verdict of Misadventure, which basically means accidental.

    I remember this case and in a TV reconstruction, an officer claimed that Mr Towers stared at him and said "What the fucking hell are you looking at?" leading to a confrontation.  Also, during the inquest, I recall one officer saying that he fell on Mr Towers with his knees during the struggle.  If I am wrong on this point, I will amend it.  Another high profile death in Police hands during this period was that of Jimmy Kelly in Liverpool in late 79 or early 1980.

Sunday 23 February 2014

Financial Frauds

Financial frauds will always be an ongoing battle between the authorities and the individuals and companies that perpetuate and advise on how to avoid tax, conceal and launder great wealth.  This has gone on for many decades, with crooked banks, bankers, businessmen, lawyers & accountants, all looking to get their noses in the trough.  Switzerland was the most well known safe haven for money but in reality, many places around the world have greater banking secrecy.  It says a lot when a government minister, in this case, Vince Cable, dismissed offshore tax havens as "Sunny spots for shady characters!"  Really?  So why do many criminal organisations funnel their illicit monies through these "sunny spots?"  Why do dictators and despots do the same thing?  Why do criminals employ said bankers, accountants, businessmen and lawyers to launder their booty?  It was a ridiculous answer simply to side step a question.

    Stealing pension funds was not the sole preserve of Robert Maxwell.  One local firm here had it`s pension fund mysteriously disappear.  Also, a pension fund in Ellesmere Port vanished without trace. As far as I am aware, the only people who could make funds vanish are those with access to it.  Where would it vanish to?  Simple.  An offshore tax haven, with probably a couple of individuals able to dip into it at will, and live the high life for the rest of their days.  As for the poor suckers who spent years paying into these funds, well, you can work out what these crooks think of them.

    What about the scandal of Bernie Madoff and his multi-billion dollar frauds?  Despots such as Marcos, Duvalier, Noriega and many more.  Bleeding their own countries dry and putting everything through these "sunny spots."  Luxembourg & Lichenstein becoming more favourable than good old Switzerland, the Carribean, Cayman Islands, British Virgin Islands, Channel Isles, oh so many places.  Some have tightened up their laws and controls, others have pretended to or just simply have not bothered.  

"I Fucking Hate Hippies"

This sentiment was uttered by rockstar Ted Nugent on a rock documentary recently, during a segment about the drug excesses of the seventies.  The Nuge stated that "Dopers don`t......" and reeled off a list of problems with drugged up musicians.  He finished it off with "I fucking hate hippies!"  It is not very often that I agree with the biggest self-praiser, but here he was spot on.  My views on the ideals of the sixties have altered dramatically on certain issues; the biggest is drugs.  What I observe is that many of the "peace and love, man" brigade, were middle and upper class people, and I wonder what their views are now.

    What I do know, is that these kind of people who advocate legalisation of drugs, simply do not want to know the ugly side of the issue.  Addiction, crime, disintegration, etc.  If it is so wonderful, then they should throw open their doors and take in the addicts.  After all, drugs are about rebellion, man.   Yes, we can see wankers like Marks & Fielding, taking in working class council estate junkies into THEIR homes, risking them stealing THEIR property and then the prospect of putting THEIR hands into THEIR pockets for money for the pushers.  Yeah right.  As if that will ever happen.  I wonder if these people will ever see pushers for what they really are; the ultimate capitalists.  One of the very things they "rebelled" against.

    One of the biggest centres we had for drugs, particularly in the sixties and seventies, was Oxford.   I have visited a lady friend there from the late 80`s to the early 90`s, and in one pub, they had on the jukebox, "The Pusher" by Steppenwolf.  The bar staff always turned it down when somebody put it on, like me, although it was an ANTI-drugs song!  Joan just told me not to complain, as Oxford was still trying to live down it`s reputation as a drugs hub. I have not been there since 1992 but I loved it down there, and I think of them as nice episodes in my life.

Thursday 20 February 2014

DNA Captures Rapist 24 Years On

DNA has proven to be the most effective weapon ever devised in the fight against crime.  Many think that after years of no arrest, they are home and free, but what can bring the past back to convict an offender, is the DNA of an immediate family member.  Vicious rapist Barry Howell attacked a woman in  November 1989, and for years thought he was in the clear.  It was in 2004 that a DNA profile was generated from samples taken by Police, but there was no match on the building database.  Fast forward to 2012, and the son of Howell was arrested, giving a routine swab.  The database yielded a famile profile, meaning that the swab from the son was a close match to the profile of the rapist.  The rapist was an immediate family member.  A sample from Barry Howell was a positive match for the DNA of the rapist.  He was convicted and sentenced to nine years prison.  Another rapist was recently convicted through famile DNA.  Escape is getting less and less through science.

Barbara Weston & Willie The Dog

How many times have you heard or read about a body being found by a dog walker?  It happens many a time.  Yet this tale is how a brutal killer was caught despite him killing the dog as well.  It was in 1996, in Los Angeles County, when somebody drained a cesspit on some property they acquired.  They found skeletal remains.  Police brought in a forensic archaeologist to carefully excavate the bones.  The archaeologist thought she had uncovered another body, possibly a baby, but it was soon discovered to be the bones of a dog.  They found a strange and small frame with two wheels on.  This was a walking frame for a dog with problems with it`s back legs.  A vet identified the breed of dog, through the bones, and what problems it had with it`s legs.  A search of all veterinary clinics found one whom had kept all records, plus she had personally treated the dog.  The dog was named Willie, and his owner was Barbara Weston.

    Detectives canvassed the area and people remembered both Barbara and Willie.  They also remembered her relationship with a man called Stephen Swann.  This was back in 1993.  Barbara had suffered blunt force trauma to the head and Willie had been strangled with wire.  Swann was later charged with murder and convicted, sentenced to 16 years to life, in May 1997.  Swann killed Willie because he could not be seen without Barbara and people would have asked questions.  Swann thought he had disposed of any trace of Barbara and Willie, not counting on Willie`s disability helping to identify himself, and therefore, Barbara.  This dog helped bring his and his owner`s killer to justice from beyond the grave.

How Many Times Do You Have To Be Convicted?

Another recent case here in Bradford involved a serial flasher named Smith.  He hailed from Lancashire and what he did was to catch a train to Bradford, taking his bicycle with him.  He spent time cycling around and was in the Barkerend area, when he spotted a very young girl and he exposed himself to her. She immediately raised the alarm and Smith was pursued by a number of neighbours.  They caught him and gave him a beating, then handed him over to Police.  Smith, 56, was given a four year prison sentence.  Then it was revealed that Smith had 108 convictions for sexual offences, meaning flashing.  How do you accumulate that many convictions for this type of offence without a air raid warning siren going off?  It showed that this man had a very serious deviancy that could have escalated to greater heights.  Obviously, we must try to understand.  He cannot help himself.  Try telling that to young girls` parents!

Sutcliffe - What Else Has He Done?

Recently, a former cop came out with a belief that Peter Sutcliffe had committed more murders than he was made accountable for.  Chris Clark, formerly with Norfolk police, has carried much research into unsolved attacks and murders, bearing some resemblance or MO to Sutcliffe.  Naturally, he has come in for criticism for saying such things, as the Ripper saga will always be a nasty can of worms waiting to be opened.  The attacks Sutcliffe carried out were all in the North, West Yorkshire and one in Manchester.  Yet, one point about Sutcliffe that could justify the claims of Mr Clark, is that he was a lorry driver, and we know they travel all over the country.  Why is it not feasible that he carried on elsewhere?  His journeys would give him the opportunity.  And another important point would be that "The Ripper only attacks in the North" mentality that could have existed with some cops.  Really?  And when did Sutcliffe start his attacks?  What about the positive ID by a taxi driver brutally battered with a hammer by a passenger he was carrying?  The attack was in 1967, and after Sutcliffe`s arrest in 1981, the victim was shown photofits of suspects plus two arrest photos of Sutcliffe.  One taken in 1969, the other, 1981.  He immediately picked out the 1969 photo as his assailant.  Thanks to the tunnel vision of British Police, this was dismissed.  "He only attacks women" was the response of a senior officer.  Why was he arrested in 1969?  "Going equipped for theft"  What was he carrying?  A hammer and a screwdriver!  Where was he?  The red light district.

    When Lawrence Byfield launched an investigation into the hunt, this conducted by the Inspector of Constabulary office.  In other words, very senior cops with great powers.  This team was given  scathing comments by some senior WY cops, yet it is difficult to argue with some very simple points they made.  Such as the photofits put on display to them.  It was very apparent that he was dark haired, with a beard and moustache.  They examined twenty unsolved attacks on women, concluding that ten were committed by Sutcliffe, the other ten he had to be a good suspect for.  What attacks were these?  As Sutcliffe was positively identified as the 1967 assailant and arrested two years later carrying a hammer and screwdriver, then what was he up to between 1967 and 1975?  Plus what about his travels in his lorry?

    Mr Clark has carried out a lot of research into his claims, and if he can prove Sutcliffe was in the vicinity of these attacks at the right time, then that it is the most incredible and bizarre set of coincidences you could think of.  Police say that all open cases are given reviews, but is it a case of relying on forensics to do everything, or do detectives actually go out and reinvestigate, ala "New Tricks?"  Feelings of some local people are that Police want this case closed once and for all.  If his findings are circumstantial, as he has admitted, again, it`s bizarre.

    A couple of things about the case that stand out to me.  Did Sutcliffe actually kill Margueritte Walls?  She was strangled.  I do not believe Sutcliffe had the guts to fight with somebody.  He wanted them immobilised as soon as possible, hence the hammer.  Plus, Bob Taylor, a detective involved in the hunt, says that they were told by a senior cop that it was not a Ripper killing.  Later, it was.  The other point was when it was announced that an arrest had been made, we remember seeing Chief Constable Gregory and George Oldfield with big grins on their faces.  Gregory dodged a most important question from a journalist.  "Is he a Geordie?"  "I have not heard him speak" was the reply.  I do not believe for one minute they were not told he was local, dark haired, beard and `Tache, looks exactly like a number of the photofits.   Because the press  would have had a field day with them both.  I do not think this case will ever close because it is knowing exactly what Sutcliffe was up to, where and when.

Wednesday 19 February 2014

Historic Sex Crimes - Is Enough, Enough?

This ongoing saga following the revelations about DJ Jimmy Savile, to some people has simply gone too far.  A number of people have court appearances or arrests hanging over them, so you cannot legally comment on them but there were two very recent high profile cases that have brought the cops involved into question.  Soap star Bill Roache was cleared of rape and indecent assault charges going back to the sixties.  My view is, how can you prove something going back forty or fifty years? Unless you tried to take action at the time by reporting any incidents to the Police, creating a record, how can you prove it?  it is simply one person's` word against another.

    The other was DJ Dave Lee Travis.  DLT was cleared on most charges of indecent assault, with the CPS yet to take a decision over a couple of outstanding charges the Jury could not decide on.  Some of these allegations went back forty years.  If you wanted to charge every guy who groped a woman, particularly after a night on the piss, you would probably have to charge half of the country.  And what about the women grabbing mens` balls?  Jokes began about the cops digging up Lord Byron and Francis Dashwood, men behind the Hellfire Club, and even poor old Caligula!

    One actual result was the conviction of TV host Stuart Hall for historic offences, where it was apparent they had corroborative evidence.  Another TV host, Matthew Kelly, was falsely accused by a male and was rightly acquitted.  Herein lies the danger; you can say anything about anyone, where you are tried by media and public opinion but your only chance lies in proving that the allegations are untrue.  Recently, on Jeremy Vine`s radio show, a woman said that women should put up with a bit of groping as it is a generational thing that has long gone on, yet, unbelievably, she objected to a shop selling golliwogs, condemning it as racist!  That`s right, it`s ok to have a guy grab your tits from behind, stick his hand down your panties but by god, golliwog dolls are offensive!!   Let us hope commonsense starts to prevail.

Women Crime Reporters

A new angle that is becoming more and more prevalent is that of the female crime reporter.  I will start with four; the first being Jamie Satterfield.  She works in Knoxville, Tennessee, and one of her biggest cases was the dreadful murders of Chris and Channon.  The assailants were all convicted with one being sentenced to death.  They won a retrial but three were convicted and jailed again but I do not know about Lemarcus Davidson, the ringleader originally sentenced to death.  Jamie has been featured on a number of crime documentaries, and she has always answered any of my enquiries on the case.

    Next comes Glenna Whitley.  She followed the trail of a conwoman for twenty years, before finally she saw her face justice in a court.  She featured in an episode of "Scorned : Crimes of Passion".  The case concerned two married couples, A, B, C, D.  A had a fling with C, so B got it on with D!  Miss Whitley, like Jamie, is a long time crime correspondent.

   Number 3 is Paula Zahn.  She hosts her own TV show, looking into cases and interviewing principal people involved.  If she has doubts over anything, she says so.

    Number 4 is Aphrodite Jones.  She also hosts her own show.  She allows both sides their say but she still gives her opinions, even if they are unpopular. She featured two cases that have intrigued me.  One led to the uncovering a body dump site for the person dubbed "The Long Island Serial Killer".  I will present my views on that case soon.  The other was the disappearance of a girl and one person being firmly in the frame.  Incredibly, this persons` lawyer offered a deal; reduction of charge, six years jail time, the whole story and where the body is.  But authorities knocked it back as they say it would be murder, simple as.  Very well, said the Lawyer, no deal!  And this person is still walking free, and the Police are still trying to find the body of the girl!  Brilliant eh!

    All I can say is, keep watching, because the cases are interesting.

Murder Shift - The TV Series

This documentary series following the Homicide Squad in Indianapolis, in the USA, is essential viewing for me.  You really see how they go about their job, and they never seem to accept anything at face value.  Most of their cases they solve but never in the allotted hour long spot of fictional cops, and they do not get obsessive over cases.  The "stars" include  Lt. Kevin Kelly, Sgt Jeff Breedlove, Jessie Beavers, Tom Tudor, Lesia Moore, Cameron Brosseau, Schied, Rice, Lappin & Christine Minka.

    What is surprising is just how much information is fed to them, usually by telephone.  Kind of slaps down the usual guff "The Wall of Silence".   A real good case was one that started out as a missing person report in a neighbouring county; the case was taken up by Moore & Minka.  They developed a prime suspect but he refused to give up anything.  Minka was ready to travel back to Indy (I think they were in Wisconsin) but Moore and a local detective gave it one last shot.  Moore got him to confess and he even drew a map on where to find the victim.  The body was where he said it was.

    The message these people send out to criminals and killers is that they will not give up.  During one investigation, Minka did more work on a cold case and she got a result!  They also do not forget the victims families, giving updates on how they are doing.  These people do give a positive feel for Law Enforcement in the States.

My Apologies

Hello again dear readers, but unfortunately, for the last three months I have had technical problems, and I am not technically minded.  Thankfully, I am now back online and will take up where I left off.  So what can I start about?  How about the common sense of Law Judges who have kicked in the teeth, those wankers in Strasbourg who are more worried about the rights of the sickest members of society, and obviously do not give two fucks about victims.  They are always forgotten about or ignored by the whining apologists,  Their human rights are being violated!  So fucking what!  They have all violated their victims civil and human rights PERMANENTLY!!!  Let us see what the apologist scumbags will cry about now they will not get a possible chance of greeting their heroes at the prison gates.  Another Bradford man has just been given a whole life sentence after a barbaric murder of a toddler.  The Judge brushed aside all this talk of it`s legality, stating that he was staying inside for the rest of his life.  Three cheers for this Judge.

    The inconsistencies in the Law are ridiculous.  How can you stand up in court and openly admit two serious firearm offences that will give you at least seven years minimum?  That is because, for some strange reason, you are not facing them!  He got away with another serious firearm offence because the person who could point the finger, did not.  The victim was obviously wounded by a stray bullet winding it`s way over from Liverpool or Manchester!  My belief is that there was some Police protection involved somewhere along the line.

    What about drugs?  You know, those substances that do not cause addiction, destroy people, kill people, tear families and communities apart, and cause the utmost unstoppable rise in crime.  Recently, on the Jeremy Vine Show on Radio 2, some dickhead claimed that the new crime figures showing a fall, was accurate and the drugs problem is not as bad as in the 1980`s.  The other day, I spoke to a counsellor who deals with drug related problems all the time, and at what this clown said, he just burst out laughing!!  Local Police revealed that the continuing purge against pushers, has seen EIGHTY arrests and imprisonment.  Some fall in the drug problem!  These are just a few thoughts for the time being whilst I get back into the swing of things.  Toodle pip.