A strong, disabled woman's story. October 11th, 1961, James Hanratty was arrested for murder and rape. Collect, curate and comment on your files. Crime A6 Murder of Michael Gregsten. Valerie criticised the journalists who campaigned to prove Hanratty's innocence in an interview with the Mail on Sunday in 2002. Circa 1962. By Not so much lying to avoid the death sentence, but putting the burden of clearing his name on his brother, even AFTER his death, makes him the worst type of criminal. After six hours they returned to ask the judge for the definition of 'reasonable doubt'. The 'A6 Defence Committee' was a self-appointed group of campaigners and activists, who included the journalist Paul Foot and the Labour politicians Fenner Brockway and Joan Lestor, the former and current MPs for the Eton & Slough constituency where Valerie Storie lived. Neutral Citation Number (2002) Crim 1141, 'Musing about The A6 Bedfordshire murder', https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=James_Hanratty&oldid=1135732016. Well push your creativity and go beyond your brief. Mr Stickler said: 'She was absolutely measured and calm and wholly consistent from minute one to the very end. James Hanratty denied shooting Michael Gregsten, a physicist, twice in the head last August. They covered about 30 miles before the gunman ordered Gregsten to pull into a lay-by on the A6 at Clophill at around 01 . The Long Silence: The Story of James Hanratty and the A6 Murder by Valerie Storie, the Woman Who Lived to Tell the Tale eBook : Stickler, Paul: Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Store. The case became a cause celebre, with politicians and pop stars, legal experts and writers joining the campaign to prove he was the victim of a miscarriage of justice. [19] Alphon claimed he had spent the evening of 22 August with his mother, and the following night at the Vienna Hotel, Maida Vale; the police quickly confirmed this and Alphon was released. He then ordered Storie to drag Gregsten's body out of the car to the edge of the lay-by 2 or 3 metres away, before ordering her back into the car to start it for him and demonstrate the operation of the gears and switches. Despatched to the youth wing of Wormwood Scrubs, he slashed his wrists; placed in the prison hospital, he was declared a 'potential psychopath'. "The book tells the story of what happened that night and how she dealt with it in the years that followed. The following extract describes the moments leading up to the events on that fateful nightin August 1961 that turned her life upside down Valeries shopping basket rested on the back seat. Search above The man tied Storie's hands behind her back with Gregsten's tie and then saw a duffle bag containing some clean clothing. ", "Hanratty's body is reburied after DNA testing", "DNA proves Hanratty guilt 'beyond doubt', "The A6 Murder (BBC2 programme transcript)", "Hanratty family in new appeal against murder conviction", "Rape victim speaks out at last about Hanratty", "Community transport service launches new bus", "Tributes pour in for Slough's brave Valerie Storie", Criminal Cases Review Commission Referral, "Hanratty's defence lawyer: "The wrong man was not hanged", Innocent.org.uk Criminal Cases Review Commission, A miscarriage of justice? [24] The Committee attempted to assist Hanratty in his defence, and later tried to disprove his conviction. Sixty years ago today, on April 4, 1962, their attacker was one of the last eight people in the UK to be executed when he was hanged at Bedford Prison. No defence on the basis of mental history was raised at Hanrattys trial. France, who had suffered from bouts of severe depression for many years, committed suicide by gassing himself (his third attempt) about two weeks before the execution. On Tuesday, 22nd August, 1961, Michael Gregsten, 36, a research physicist, called at the address of his estranged wife at Sabine House, Abbots Langley, and after taking his 9-year old son, Simon, to play in Cassiobury Park, Watford, he collected his girlfriend, Valerie Storie, 22, from work, and he and Storie went in Gregsten's Morris Minor to the Old Station Inn, Taplow, near Slough. He had the same identifying manner of speech as the killer. When this evidence went to court in 2002, proving Hanratty's guilt beyond any doubt, reporters once again hounded Valerie to speak. In 2002 DNA evidence proved beyond all doubt that Hanratty was guilty. Bitterness continued in 1970 when the A6 Committee held a public meeting in Bedford to raise awareness of their concerns. France also left behind several letters for his family, the contents of which have never been made public. After ignoring her pleas to shoot her as well, or let her get help for Gregsten, the gunman told her to kiss him. As they sat there was a tap on the driver's window. My wife and i were driving a neigborhood looking for houses, and came accross a for sale sign with a phone number. It was about 1954 that Hanratty became attracted to Soho, where he frequented various clubs and other haunts of the criminal underworld. With the gun was a handkerchief which provided DNA evidence many years later. He also wrote a letter to the coroner, in which he referred to the great harm done to the family by Hanratty. land for sale in highgate, st mary jamaica . When Valerie died and her papers were given to me I became determined to retell the story with her perspective at its heart. [citation needed] Hanratty's defence claimed that Mrs Dinwoodie was mistaken about the date. While at Maidstone, Hanratty came to the attention of a researcher who lived and worked alongside the inmates; he was later to remark upon Hanrattys "gross social and emotional immaturity". Police handout, showing James Hanratty in police custody, Lennon and Ono protest Hanratty's execution. Make an enquiry and our team will be get in touch with you ASAP. 'Feral pigeons' are terrorising Biggleswade's businesses, meeting hears, The 'infestation' has grown to around 50 pigeons, according to one town councillor, Closures expected with Lloyds Pharmacy set to sell off stores across UK, This follows the news that the pharmacy brand is also closing all of the 237 Lloyds outlets inside Sainsbury's, More than 40,000 defrauded from Luton Borough Council during cyber-attack, Councillor Rob Roche, portfolio holder for finance, said: "Money stolen from the council is money stolen from the residents of Luton. In 2002 Valerie was finally vindicated when DNA evidence proved beyond reasonable doubt that Hanratty was guilty. With the gun still pointing at them, the man said, I have been on the run for four months. He was a scientist at the laboratory and being a talented mathematician occasionally taught evening classes at St Albans Technical College, so extra money was coming in, but it nevertheless worried him. This would be of no interest except for possibly the oddest coincidence in the case. According to Storie, the couple were abducted at gunpoint in their car at Dorney Reach, Buckinghamshire, by a man with a Cockney accent and mannerisms matching Hanratty's. People need to know what this poor woman went through.'. One dog was subsequently put to sleep due the severity of it's injuries. Initially admitted to the Royal Sussex Hospital, Brighton, he was transferred to St Francis Hospital, Haywards Heath, where he underwent a craniotomy following the erroneous diagnosis of a brain haemorrhage. The car had been jointly owned by Gregsten's mother and aunt, and lent to the couple who, according to Storie, were planning to attend a car rally. Hanratty was initially buried in the grounds of Bedford Gaol, but, on 22 February 1966, his remains were exhumed and re-interred in a grave at Watford, later shared with his aunt.[22][23]. Gregsten was ordered to stop at a milk vending machine and sent into a shop to buy cigarettes, and then to stop at a petrol station for more fuel. The man accused of the "A6 murder" has entered a plea of "not guilty" at the start of his trial at Bedfordshire Assizes in Bedford. The man got into the back of the car and told Gregsten to drive further into the field, then stop. 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. Hanratty's appeal was dismissed on 13 March, and despite a petition signed by more than 90,000 people, Hanratty was hanged by executioner Harry Allen at Bedford on 4 April 1962, still protesting his innocence. Alphon claimed he gave Gregsten two chances to get away but "each time the bloody man kept coming back". After forcing them to drive 60 miles, gunman James Hanratty murdered Michael before raping Valerie and emptying a number of rounds into her body. Hanratty found a job there driving a mechanical shovel for the company of Green Brothers, which made breeze blocks, and remained with the firm for three years. [citation needed], On 7 September, Meike Dalal was attacked in her home in Richmond, Surrey, by a man claiming to be the A6 murderer, whom she later identified as Alphon in an identity parade on 23 September. The man was immaculately dressed. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. [35] The Court of Appeal did not have the power to order an exhumation of Hanratty's body, but Lord Chief Justice Harry Woolf decided that this was desirable "in the interests of justice". A woman who was raped and shot in a car with her lover - and was then hounded by people who were convinced her attacker was innocent, has told her story in a new book from beyond the grave. If you do as I tell you, you will be all right.'. The Long Silenceis, in essence, Valeries posthumous autobiography, explaining for the first time every explicit detail of the cat and mouse drive, as Michael and Valerie tried on over twenty occasions to deter and thwart the apparently indecisive Hanratty. Alphon stuck to his confession and continued to repeat it until about 1971, when he withdrew his claims. DESCRIPTIONIn August 1961, a couple by the name of Michael Gregsten and Valerie Storie were sitting in their Morris Minor car in Dorney Reach, UK, when an in. In police line-ups, Storie did not recognise Alphon, but eventually identified Hanratty. Something went wrong, please try again later. [31] Woffinden wrote that there is no evidence that the witnesses even saw the same Morris Minor. Michael was 14 years older than her and married with two children, though he was in the process of separating from his wife. Despite this, Michael was having an affair with his 22-year-old lab assistant, Valerie Storie. Valentine's Day collision leaves moped rider with 'life-changing' injuries. Long before his trial for the A6 murder, he had already been described as a retard, a psychopath, and a pathological liar. Michaels duffel bag containing freshly laundered clothing rested next to it. After a failed escape attempt, Hanratty was transferred to Camp Hill Prison, Isle of Wight. Results from testing in June 1999 were said to be strong evidence of a familial match - the evidential DNA was "two and a half million times more likely" to belong to James Hanratty than to anyone else. The comments below have not been moderated, By During the 60 mile journey, Michael and Valerie made 22 separate attempts to escape or frustrate the driver. Neutral Citation Number: [2002] Crim 1141", "James Hanratty: Close to a final verdict? Ingrams said that Alphon, in conversations with Foot and others, had spoken "obsessively about the case, frequently incriminating himself". She was taken to hospital in Bedford where she underwent surgery for her injuries. The man then kept them there for two hours, chattering to them incessantly. At the time of France's second suicide attempt in January, one of the letters he left was addressed to the coroner, in which he wrote 'I am of sound mind and body. He attempted to escape that facility as well, and was sent to Strangeways Prison, Manchester. Hanratty's initial defence was that he had been in Liverpool on the day of the murder, but then, halfway through the trial, he changed part of his story, claiming that he had in fact been in Rhyl, North Wales. Michael was 14 years older than her and married with two children, though he was in the process of separating from his wife. They had never been disturbed before and it was easier to talk here rather than anywhere else. [8], The first policeman on the scene was handed a census form on which Kerr had written down Storie's account of what she recalled at that moment; the document was never seen again. mobile homes for rent in hammond, la / bourbon red turkey egg production / bourbon red turkey egg production However, only two days later, Storie gave a different description of her assailant to the police. He then retrieved a cloth from the duffle bag, covered Gregsten's bloodied head with it, and ordered Storie to clamber into the back of the car, over Gregsten's body. The car Gregsten and Storie had been using at the time of the attack, a grey four-door 1956 Morris Minor registration 847BHN, was found abandoned behind Redbridge tube station in Essex later that evening. Hanratty put a cloth over Michael's bloodied head before raping Valerie on the back seat of the car. Michael J. Gregsten, mmn = Oulet, GRO Register of Deaths: JUN 1962 4a 7 AMPTHILL. The campaign got even more attention when Beatle John Lennon, and his partner, Yoko Ono, joined the campaign. ', Professor Adrian Hobbs, a close friend of Valerie who worked with her at the Road Research Laboratory in Bracknell, Berkshire, said: 'I think she was just waiting to be vindicated. 'What I do find distasteful is that the family's belief in their son's innocence has been boosted by campaigners who have given them false hope. At 11.30pm, the man said he wanted food, and told Gregsten to start driving. Eventually, the jury retired. But if it happens, use the ignition to turn the pilot on again. This is a hold-up," a mans voice said. After vainly screaming and waving her petticoat to attract the attention of passing motorists, Storie lost consciousness. Im a desperate man. Michael Gregsten's widow later went on to have an affair with her brother in law William Ewer, who left his wife. (just round the corner from the authors house). We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. E-mail this story to a friend Watch/Listen Detectives search the murder scene Man finds A6. While she died in 2016 before she wrote her book and told her story in her words, The Long Silence is a compelling read with never before heard details of what happened on that fateful night and the impact it had on Valerie's life. Even once she had been shot and was passing in and out of consciousness, she still managed to wave her petticoat to try to attract attention. They compared his DNA to that found on Valerie's underwear and the handkerchief in which the murder weapon had been contained, and found a conclusive match. It was not yet dark, but twilight had set in and visibility was not perfect. She wanted to write a book to finally give her version of events but did not get round to this before her death in 2016. [45][46], This article is about the 1961 murder on the A6 road in England. FBiH - Konkursi za turistike vodie i voditelje putnike agencije. Within a few days, the defence had checked and assembled a new alibi for Hanratty. He was sent to Walton Prison, Liverpool, where he was again identified as a psychopath.[9]. Hanratty's uneducated London accent and his 'very large icy-blue eyes' enabled Valerie to identify him from a line-up and she later testified at his trial. [8], Hanratty claimed that he was staying with friends in Liverpool at the time of the murder, where he had also gone to see one of his criminal friends and former cell mate Terry McNally from Dingle to sell some jewellery. The suspect falsely identified himself as 'Frederick Durrant'; he was actually Peter Louis Alphon, a drifter surviving on an inheritance and the proceeds of gambling. She identified Hanratty from a lineup and testified at his trial. Clear my name.". Crime A6 Murder of Michael Gregsten. Surely we could do much better?, Man in his 70s attacked in his home by burglars in Luton. Hanratty would be convicted after a trial lasting almost four weeks but his execution marked the beginning of a forty-year journey of cries of a miscarriage of justice, media frenzies, legal arguments, criticism of the police, a referral to the Criminal Cases Review Commission and finally a Court of Appeal ruling in 2002 when DNA evidence would finally put an end to the furore; he was indeed guilty. Detectives and tracker dogs have spent the day searching the surrounding area and so far two cartridges have been found. The decision by the Court of Appeal included a discussion of the handling of the various items of evidence involved. James Hanratty was born on 4 October 1936 in Farnborough, Kent,[3] the eldest of four sons of James Francis Hanratty (19071978) and his wife Mary Ann Hanratty (19171999). Was a married man, he and his wife Janet had two boys, Simon, eight, and Anthony, nearly two. However, in a new edition of his book, 36 Murders and Two Immoral Earnings, printed immediately after the publication of the Hanratty DNA evidence, he retracted his assertions of Hanratty's innocence.[26]. [34] Modern testing of DNA from Hanratty's exhumed corpse and members of his family convinced Court of Appeal judges in 2002 that Hanratty's guilt was proved "beyond doubt". I would ask you now to respect my wish to be left in piece.". Secretly, however, she was drafting the contents of a book and writing hundreds of notes. [30], The Hanratty family acting through their solicitor, Sir Geoffrey Bindman, repeatedly called for further inquiries into the case. She refused and, having managed to free her hands, tried to disarm him but was overpowered; after he threatened to shoot her, she relented. Valerie later wrote of it: "In times of trouble one could always go to one's MP and ask for, and possibly receive help and understanding. DNA samples from both sources exactly matched James Hanratty's DNA. It details 22 attempts made by Michael and Valerie to escape or frustrate the gunman, including hatching a plan to drive into a policeman if they came across one on the journey in order to get his attention. The circumstances of Hanratty's introduction to France's family, and the reasons for the crippling sense of guilt harboured by France for the harm he felt Hanratty had inflicted on them, so great that it could only be expiated by suicide, remain a mystery.[8]. Collaborate with our global Enterprise Sales team. Hanratty confessed to his defence barrister that he had invented part of the Liverpool story as he was unsure he could prove where he was. They kissed only once. Professor Hobbs said: 'She never felt sorry for herself. "However, my MP joined the rebel cause, became embroiled in a committee set up to prove a miscarriage of justice, and had the temerity to write to me asking me to join it.". His companion, 22-year-old laboratory assistant, Valerie Storie, from Cippenham, near Slough, had been raped and shot five times in the chest. This time, she did. Gregsten had been hit twice in the head and died instantly. libra ascendant jupiter in 7th house; kelly holt barn sanctuary married; in your presence, in your presence there is peace lyrics; how to watch deleted youtube videos reddit [8], Gregsten was a scientist at the Road Research Laboratory in Slough. It was now approximately 3am, six hours after the ordeal had started at Dorney Reach. He wrote a suicide letter to Hanratty; it was full of spite and venom, but at no point actually accused him of committing the murder. Mr Stickler, a former Hampshire Constabulary police officer who specialised in murder investigations, compiled the book during lockdown using thousands of records and annotated documents left behind by Valerie. michael gregsten wife / June 11, 2022 June 11, 2022 / were achilles and patroclus cousins /. At about 1.30am on August 23, Hanratty told Michael to pull into a lay-by at Deadman's Hill and to hand over his duffle bag. On 14 October, Valerie Storie identified Hanratty in an identity parade, after each of the men in the parade had repeated the phrase used by the murderer: "Be quiet, will you? "James Hanratty killed Michael Gregsten. The journey continued along the A5 through St Albans, which the gunman mistakenly insisted was Watford, before joining the A6. 22nd August 1961, Michael Gregsten a 36-year-old research scientist at the Road Research Laboratory at Langley, near Slough. Ingrams said that Foot continued until his own death in 2004 to believe in Hanratty's alibi, despite the DNA tests of 2002. His last words to his family were "Mick, I am completely innocent. The full text of the Court of Appeals Decision: This page was last edited on 26 January 2023, at 14:31. Her testimony was critical in securing a guilty verdict, but this was questioned by many who felt the supporting evidence too weak to justify conviction, and Hanratty's brother fought for decades to have the verdict overturned. But tonight, they were talking. For disappearances in France on the A6 between Paris and Lyon, see, GRO Register of Deaths SEP 1978 11 0739 BRENT - James Francis Hanratty, DoB = 3 October 1907, GRO Register of Marriages DEC 1936 2a 1724 BROMLEY - James Hanratty = Mary A. Wilson, GRO Register of Deaths JUL 1999 C81A 2421C 97 LEWISHAM - Mary Ann Hanratty, DoB = 6 April 1917, GRO Register of Births DEC 1936 2a 1038 BROMLEY - James Hanratty, mmn = Wilson, GRO Register of Births: MAR 1925 3a 660 BARNET. At that time there was no conclusive forensic evidence to connect Hanratty with the car or the murder scene. The gunman replied that Gregsten had frightened him by turning too quickly. .. He leaves two sons, aged seven and two.