UK UK - Old Crimewatch UK cases - any information?

[Bobby88]

The very first edition of Crimewatch from June 1984 was just posted to YouTube a few days ago. The poster said that he has other episodes from the 80s and 90s that he plans to post. I may get to see a few of the reconstructions from my list after all.

 

[Joanne Howe]

Hi Bobby88,
Try MURDERBOOK 1900-1999 it has crime from 1900 to up to now, on 3 links. It tells you what’s happened ie Hannah Derterville possibly working on the streets, suspect apprehended but not enough evidence. I’ve really enjoyed looked at the links.

 

[lcfc33]

the gentleman has 1o years worth of crimewatch uk episodes from 1984 to 1994 plus crimewatch files as well just heads up

 

[lcfc33]

I have no idea if this thread is even in the right part of the forum. If it's not, feel free to move it.

I recently discovered some old episodes of Crimewatch UK on YouTube, the British program that inspired our own America's Most Wanted. I've seen some of the newer episodes, but I prefer the older reconstructions (re-enactments) to the current ones. However, some of these old episodes mention cases that I've not been able to find information about online. As such, I'm curious to know if they were ever solved. If any UK members here know more about these cases, it'd be greatly appreciated. I'm posting these cases in chronological order according to the episodes on which they were mentioned.

December 18, 1986: The murder of Lorna Hayles

(I was only able to find this entry on a UK database about Lorna's murder which states that it was never solved: Lorna St Theresa Hayles - Unsolved Murder 1986 - Tasman Road, Clapham - Lorna St Theresa Hayles Unsolved Mysteries UK)

March 17, 1988:
* The murder of Kathy Walsh in London(featured on the February 1988 episode)

* The murder of John Lawrence in Middlesex

December 8, 1988: The murder of James Gibson in Merseyside on November 15, 1988 Crimewatch UK 08.12.1988 2/3

December 6, 1990: The murder of Paul Stevens in Southall (featured on the November 1990 episode) Crimewatch UK December 1990

January 20, 1994:
* The 1986 disappearance of John Dobson Crimewatch UK 20.01.1994 3/3
* The 1990 disappearance of Stephanie Whittaker Crimewatch UK 20.01.1994 3/3

April 1995: Unidentified woman found in Humberside. Crimewatch UK April 1995

June 1995: The murder of an elderly woman named Christina Gray (featured on an earlier episode) Crimewatch UK June 1995

kathy walsh murder was solved Christopher O'Reilly quickly return to ireland after murdering kathy but he don't get long in prison he a free man the episode is February 1988 if you want to watch the episode on youtube and the clips are from march 1988 not February

 

[Mrs Marple]

This the list, in chronological order, of Crimewatch reconstructions I'd like to see. It's very incomplete and I will add to it when I can. Note that I was able to find to find info on most of these cases online, so these are really just reconstructions I'd enjoy watching because I'm a true crime show junkie, regardless of the side of the pond. I've culled these from the BBC site I mentioned earlier. I'm mainly interested in seeing the full reconstructions, although it's likely, due to the sheer volume of cases, that at least a few of the were just Incident Desk appeals.

* Police are hoping forensics can help them identify a mystery corpse. On October 23, 1979, the body of a young woman was found in Bedgebury Forest near Cranbrook, Kent. She had been bludgeoned to death. Police believe she was a regular hitchhiker and possibly a prostitute from the Spitalsfield area of London. A trucker named Harry Pennells was tried for her murder in 2000, but was acquitted. To this day, the woman remains unidentified. (aired December 20, 1984)

* The murders of nine-year-olds Karen Hadaway and Nicola Fellows near Brighton on October 9, 1986. A local roofer named Russell Bishop was acquitted of these murders (known as "The Babes in the Wood" case) in 1987, but was jailed for life for attacking a seven-year-old girl in 1990. (aired either October 16 or November 13, 1986)

The identity of the lady in Bedgebury Pinetum is still a mystery and her killer has never been caught. I think they believed she was from Eastern Europe. Someone came forward and said she donated the dress she was wearing to a charity shop in Wiltshire l think, but it had been altered (shortened and a ruffle collar added). Interestingly, another woman was also found murdered with a blunt instrument in the woods in the early 80s and her killer has also never been caught. Pennell would be in his mid 90s now so even with tech advances the police are unlikely to re-visit the case.

Russel is on trial again for the murders of the babes in the woods right now. Court resumes tomorrow, there is an active thread on it.

 

[Legally Bland]

On YouTube, I found a BBC1 continuity ad from October 17, 1985 featuring a preview of that night's Crimewatch. The announcer mentions that one of the reconstructions is the case of "a lady who was last seen alive on Halloween last year". Does anyone know to whom they are referring? I've looked at some British missing persons sites, but can't find any woman who vanished on Halloween 1984. I also couldn't find any murder victims from that time frame either.

Crimewatch seldom made appeals for adults who were missing, unless there was clear evidence that the person was the victim of foul play. This woman's case must have fallen into that category if the show did a reconstruction of it.

This episode is online now:

I guess it was the Beverley Trendall murder, she was last seen on halloween 1984. I can't find anything to say whether it was solved or not. It starts about 18m50s.

 

[ctaylor]

There is a YouTube channel here that has grouped together reconstructions by type for each year from 1984 to 1989 (i.e videos with just the murders of 1984 all tagged together in one video). Obviously some of these videos are sometimes over 2 hours long, but I am sure there must be some of the reconstructions you are looking for here, Bobby - Retro Pixels

The descriptions in each video also contains a list of all cases and whether they've been solved since or remain unsolved.

Here is a video of the 1986 murder reconstructions-

 

[dotr]

Started thread..
UK - Shelley Morgan, 34, (Former Iowan) Bristol, stabbed,11 June 1984

Added recent link to this thread..
UK - UK - Jill Dando, 37, Fulham, London, 26 April 1999

 

[HiddenDetective]

Hi,

I saw a post earlier discussing Old Crimewatch Episodes, and on one of them, they discussed the murder of Lorna Hayles. A Young Black Woman with Jamaican Roots living in London.
She worked as a print worker and Had a 12-year-old son

This case is interesting, if anyone knows anything about the case and is just looking to discuss the case, please comment below.

I leave the sources to the Unclosed Murder case and the original thread

Original Thread - UK - UK - Old Crimewatch UK cases - any information?

Crimewatch December 18, 1986 -

Unsolved Murder Case File - Lorna St Theresa Hayles - Unsolved Murder 1986 - Tasman Road, Clapham - Lorna St Theresa Hayles Unsolved Mysteries UK

 

[Bobby88]

Here’s the November 1986 episode of Crimewatch where the full reconstruction is shown. Her case starts at 16:42
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEQmzU3BH5o

When I first read the circumstances of Lorna’s death (namely the fact that her body was in her flat for a month before she was discovered), I assumed that she was a recluse who seldom went out and had few friends. However, after seeing the reconstruction, it appears that she was quite the opposite. It seems quite possible that Lorna was killed by one of the people she considered a friend. I have no idea whether this case was ever officially solved.

 

[Joanne Howe]

Myfanwy Pugh Jones and Peggie Goodman were the 2 welsh ladies murdered 2 years apart by a farmer in Bala. They said Ms Goodman's murder maybe linked to the murder of Hilda Murrell because they shared an interest in Nuclear Physics. I don't think this is the case, Andrew George admitted the murder but deemed unreliable, so was released.
Stephanie Whittaker's husband was found guilty of her murder.
Lorna Hayles, a man was arrested for her murder but released, I can't find a name for him.
There has been recent activity on the Shelly Morgan murder but nothing released yet.
Wayne Taylor, the school boy, that was Michael Wyatt.
The babes in the wood was Russell Bishop, that was a recent conviction.
The hastings fire, the kids were called Louise and Robert Goble.
Jackie Waines was also known as Jackie Guest and had 2 houses but nothing on her murder to report.

 

[Joanne Howe]

The engineer, could it be Nimal Samarasinha, he was an aircraft engineer shot in his garage. Florence Samarasinha, hired a hitman to ambush her husband as he got his car out of his garage to go to work, they were divorcing and he had custody of their daughter, she had gambling debts and it looked like being a messy divorce or have I picked the wrong case?

 

[jaejae]

Here are a couple of cases from Crimewatch that stick in my mind:

London detective suffered breakdown during murder probe | Daily Mail Online

Murder of Daniel Morgan - Wikipedia

Second case:

£20,000 reward in murder case

John Ogden - Unsolved Murder 1994 - Prince of Wales Pub, Cavendish Road, Balham, South London - John Ogden Unsolved Mysteries UK

 

[Daz72]

Stephanie Whittaker’s husband was not arrested or charged with her murder. The case remains unsolved and she is still missing

 

[Al Ka]

Stephanie Whittaker’s husband was not arrested or charged with her murder. The case remains unsolved and she is still missing

It seems there are 2 cases of 2 different Stephanie Whittakers, hence the confusion.

One, Stephanie Whittaker who was stabbed to death by her husband in 2002.
Husband admits killing

And another Stephanie Whittaker who disappeared in 1990 in Wales.
Stephanie Whittaker - Unsolved Murder 1990 - Newport, South Wales - Stephanie Whittaker Unsolved Mysteries UK

* The 1990 disappearance of Stephanie Whittaker - Crimewatch appeal

It is so eerie to see Jill Dando presenting this.

 

[jaejae]

Of course this may be some of our hobbies on here and even sometimes how we relax but we must always remember there are actual victims in these crime cases. Of course some members on this board have been directly affected by them. Above in this thread is a video with the Crimewatch cases for 1986 here is a video with the cases from 1984 and 1985:

 

[jaejae]

Of course this may be some of our hobbies on here and even sometimes how we relax but we must always remember there are actual victims in these crime cases. Of course some members on this board have been directly affected by them. Above in this thread is a video with the Crimewatch cases for 1986 here is a video with the cases from 1984 and 1985:

I have not looked at the details of all these cases but one of them featured appears not to have had the best of outcomes:

Man cleared of murder after 18 years in prison

Here is another article:

Elizabeth Sutherland - Unsolved Murder 1985 - Culbokie, Black Isle - Elizabeth Sutherland Unsolved Mysteries UK

One more page about the Elizabeth Sutherland case:

Elizabeth Sutherland

Details on another case:

The mystery of the bloodstained car and the man dumped in Bristol docks


Mark Yendell - Unsolved Murder 1984 - Welsh Back, Bristol Docks - Mark Yendell Unsolved Mysteries UK


Here are some details on one of the other cases in the above video:

Lloyd Simpson - Unsolved Murder 1983 - Shaftesbury Court, Shoreditch, London - Lloyd Simpson Unsolved Mysteries UK

Lloyd Simpson – True Crime Library

Lloyd Simpson

WolfieWiseGuy: The Unsolved Murder of Lloyd Simpson


Information on another case:

Yvonne Coley - Unsolved Murder 1984 - Warstock Lane, Kings Heath, Birmingham - Yvonne Coley Unsolved Mysteries UK

Midlands Ripper unmasked

The five women brutally murdered - but whose killers have never been brought to justice - Breaking true crime news


I have to say going through the cases leads pretty grim reading in terms of the cases being solved. It shows how these cases can be difficult to solve. All interesting though if not nice.

 

[jaejae]

I missed out the murder of the Goble family and in terms of solving it does not look good either:

5 of the most horrifying unsolved murders in Sussex


I might be being too sympathetic to him but in the Lloyd Simpson case his dead seemed to be a good East End guy who have likely metaphorically speaking gone to the Dockyards in the sky by now but perhaps Lloyd Simpson was not that keen on illegal dog fighting and might have been a threat to exposing it. Or maybe more involved. Here is another video with Crimewatch cases:

 

[ctaylor]

I
I might be being too sympathetic to him but in the Lloyd Simpson case his dead seemed to be a good East End guy who have likely metaphorically speaking gone to the Dockyards in the sky by now but perhaps Lloyd Simpson was not that keen on illegal dog fighting and might have been a threat to exposing it. Or maybe more involved.

No, I tend to agree with you on that case. His reconstruction on Crimewatch did firmly lead you to believe he was a genuinely good East End boy who perhaps got involved in something he didn't want to be involved in anymore. I felt so sorry for his dad who featured in the reconstruction.

 

[jaejae]

No, I tend to agree with you on that case. His reconstruction on Crimewatch did firmly lead you to believe he was a genuinely good East End boy who perhaps got involved in something he didn't want to be involved in anymore. I felt so sorry for his dad who featured in the reconstruction.

That is what I felt although you can never totally tell. I imagine back then it was in the early days of American Pit Bull's being brought into the UK and of course in theory they should have been and gone now. His Dad did say his dog was only a few months old so could not have been fought and this is why I thought people might have mentioned dog fighting to him and the people he bought it from were involved in it. From the reconstruction the Dog's name was Yank and of course not everyone who has a bull terrier want to fight their dog or like to see animals suffering. I felt very sorry for the Dad and it was interesting to see him play such a lead part in the Crimewatch reconstruction and as I said before it is sad that he may not be around anymore and never had any answers. Following on from this I think it is a case that will be almost impossible to solve now. Thanks.

Unsolved Murders - List Of Unsolved Murderers In England