Woman killed man she believed was paedophile

6-22-2012 Australia:

A 22-YEAR-OLD Frenchwoman was "floridly psychotic" when voices in her head told her to kill an elderly Perth man last year, a court has been told.

Valentina Strabach, a paranoid schizophrenic, last year pleaded not guilty, on grounds of insanity, to murdering Murray Castlemaine, 79.

Today, Strabach's treating psychologist at Graylands Hospital, Mirchea Schineanu, told the WA Supreme Court the symptoms of her illness had reached a crescendo when she killed Mr Castlemaine in January 2011.

Strabach has admitted killing Mr Castlemaine in his South Perth home but says she believed she was doing the right thing morally because she had formed the belief he was a paedophile.

"She was attaching erroneous conclusions to things she'd seen and heard," Dr Schineanu told the court.

"In her sick mind, in the world she perceived through psychotic eyes, she was not (feeling) guilty ... because she believed she was doing the right thing."

Strabach was "floridly psychotic" when she committed the murder and was suffering from auditory and visual hallucinations, Dr Schineanu said.

The Frenchwoman did not have control over her actions because the voices in her head that compelled her meant she was effectively under duress, he said.

Dr Schineanu said Strabach had stated she felt possessed "like fire came to me, the voices saying `Kill him, kill him.'"

"She was irrational," he said. "She couldn't have had control over her actions."

After Strabach murdered Mr Quartermaine, whom she'd met at a bus stop, she said she felt like a "detective" and was a "hero" because she believed she had identified and killed a paedophile.

Asked by Strabach's lawyer Seamus Rafferty whether she was capable of making the rational decision to remove evidence - including singeing off the victim's pubic hair with a lighter and a can of aerosol - Dr Schineanu said her reasoning was too impaired.

It was "a bizarre caricature of removing evidence".

Strabach had alarmed her family with increasingly odd behaviour in the lead-up to the murder, the court heard.

The night before, she had argued with relatives on a visit to Cottesloe Beach because she didn't want to leave until she had caught crickets and eaten them, as the voices in her head demanded.

And when she didn't obey the voices in her head, they became more intense, Dr Schineanu said.

Strabach's relatives had previously observed her collecting leaves, which she believed carried messages from "the other life" and crickets, which she thought could be used to make spells.

She later told Dr Schineanu, in the mental hospital, that she had invented her own religion, which proved her reasoning remained faulty, he said.

The court also heard Strabach visited Perth to get away from France and her father, whom voices had told her to kill.

Dr Schineanu said Strabach had told him: "For the last year it was hell. I kept hearing the voices."

"The voices were telling me to kill my father - that's why I came to Australia."

But another voice - which she believed was a French witch - had warned her that something bad would happen if she went to Australia.

The trial continues. ..Source..age by AAP

Hunnisett had ‘paedophile hit list’, court told

4-23-2012 United Kingdom:

A FORMER altar boy appeared in court today (Monday) accused of murdering a man believed to have been a friend of Prince Philip - as part of a campaign of hate against paedophiles.

Christopher Hunnisett, 28, of Chanctonbury Drive, Hastings, previously denied one count of murder at Lewes Crown Court saying in April last year: ‘It is not wrong to try and stand up to evil in this world.’

Police found Peter Bick, 57, dead in his flat on January 11 2011 after Hunnisett handed himself in at Hastings Police Station, admitting the crime.

The court heard that there was ‘not a shred of evidence’ he was a paedophile but that Hunnisett became convinced he was after becoming involved in a sexual relationship with him.

Mr Bick, who shared a love of carriage racing with Prince Philip, was bludgeoned to death with a hammer in his flat in Bexhill, East Sussex.

He had previously boasted to neighbours that he had driven for the Duke of Edinburgh, although there are no records to support his claim.

Prosecutor Philip Katz QC said: ‘Peter Bick was living on his own in a studio flat, there is not a shred of evidence that he was a paedophile.

‘There is an abundance of evidence that he enjoyed consensual sex with adult men, including this defendant.

‘Hunnisett has striven in every devious way he could to make it look like the man he killed was a paedophile.

‘We will hear from a young woman who had a relationship with him after he got out of prison.

‘She will tell you about his various and coloured sexual preferences.

‘He talked to her about his plan to kill paedophiles.

‘He is confused about his own sexuality but that does not make it right to kill people then make himself look like a hero.

‘He had planned to kill more men who he had been in contact with on the internet, he compiled a hit list and Peter Bick was at the top of that list.

‘On some of these internet chat rooms Hunnisett was pretending to be a woman.

‘None of the men he arranged to meet was a paedophile.

‘This is a cold blooded and dangerous killer.’

The court heard today that Hunnisett had previously served eight years of a life sentence for the murder of an 81-year-old retired priest called Reverend Ronald Glazebrook.

His body had been dismembered and was found in two different locations in Sussex.

Mr Katz told the jury that Hunnisett had met Glazebrook through the church when he was young boy and later became his lodger before being convicted of his murder in 2002 .

Throughout the trial Hunnisett denied knowing how Reverend Glazebrook died, claiming he found the dead body in the bath ‘panicked’ and recruited a friend to help him dispose of it

The jury convicted him of murder and he was sentenced to life, however in September 2010 he was acquitted of the murder at a retrial by the Appeal Court – where it emerged the clergyman sexually abused him throughout his teens.

Hunnisett then admitted punching the vicar for trying to grope him in the bathroom — and claimed he then fell in the bath and died.

It was just four months after this conviction was quashed that he walked into a police station confessing to the of Peter Bick.

Mr Katz said: ‘That history is of central importance.

‘I also want to mention that before and after both his trial and retrial and before the trial today Hunnisett has been seen by different psychiatrists and not one of them think that he is mentally ill and not one thinks he has a personality disorder.

Mr Katz added Hunnisett had already admitted killing Mr Bick but the jury must decide whether he can mount a partial defence of diminished responsibility.

He said: ‘This was a brutal and carefully planned murder, responsibility for which he is trying to escape in any way he can.’

The trial is expected to last three weeks. ..Source.. by Observer

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Accused murderer ‘targeted sex offenders’

5-2-2012:

Accused murderer Christopher Hunnisett yesterday (Monday) gave evidence to defend his actions claiming he was protecting vulnerable people from sex offenders.

Hunnisett, 28, of Chanctonbury Drive, remained calm and spoke in military terminology as he stood in the witness box at Lewes Crown Court and detailed the ‘clear and concise strategy’ he applied when trying to catch sex offenders.

He stands trial on one count of murder after 57-year-old Peter Bick was found bludgeoned to death in his flat in Bexhill.

The court heard from defence barrister David Martin-Sperry that in the run up to Mr Bick’s death Hunnsiett had been using various websites and forums to gather information about him.

Hunnisett said: “What I was doing was gathering lots of different information on different people.

“I was using vigilante sites, victims forums, and listening to rumours.

“I would then track people down, find them and test them.

“There was a rumour about Peter one or two weeks before and that is how I first found him.

“I knew basic information, that his name was Peter, he had a red car, he lived in Bexhill was aged between 50 and 70.”

Hunnisett said the information and the rumour about Mr Bick had come from a ‘live source’.

He added: “I had also seen a photo, a digital photo on the screen of a hand held device.

“I had a certain time limit to deal with this specific incident to prevent further potential contact.

“I started searches from websites where I had established profiles already.

“Sex sites specifically have lots of filters, age, sex and location its easy to filter down to Bexhill area the do an age filter.

“If you have the full name it is even easier.”

He admitted spending ‘around 50 per cent’ of his day every day using his parents’ and friends’ computers.

He also told the court he used military code words he had read about in books to define his potential victims.

Any suspect was called ‘Sierra’ in reference to the phonetic alphabet and once the name and location had been confirmed they became a target and were then called ‘Tango’.

Hunnisett said once he had established contact and was in a position to ‘test’ the person they were called ‘ASU’.

Final stage is X-ray where suspects had been ‘made safe’ by being locked up ‘or whatever’, he added.

Hunnisett said: “I based a lot of structure of it on being clear and concise like a military strategy, using the terminology.

Becoming more agitated, Hunnisett added: “There are an estimated 600,000 paedophiles in the UK.

“Even if you found 100 a day it would still take over 20 years. It is overwhelming for once person.

“I do commend the police and child protection agencies but they are bound by laws and rules.

“They can’t go on the internet like me because it is a breach of privacy. They can only do open source research, if you really want to find out you need to look a little bit deeper.

“I was going outside of the law I admit that. I was stopping them hurting women children and vulnerable people.”

Mr Martin-Sperry said while in prison Hunnisett had been at the Brendan Underwood treatment centre for convicts.

He was involved in some ‘unsuitable’ therapy where he was forced to speak as a victim so paedophiles could see the damage they have done.

After this therapy session Hunnisett went back to his cell and claims to have heard these abusers plotting their next paedophile ring, the court heard.

Mr Martin-Sperry said: “He knows that a true paedophile isn’t to be cured. He remains an absolute threat to children.

“That is why Hunnisett forms a resolve to expose paedophiles.”

Hunnisett had previously been convicted of murder in 2002 for killing 81-year-old Reverend Ronald Glazebrook who was his landlord at the time.

He was sentenced to life but in September 2010 he was acquitted of the murder at a retrial by the Appeal Court - where it emerged the clergyman sexually abused him throughout his teens. ..Source.. by Hastings Observer

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Murder accused man 'had list of 900 paedophiles'

5-1-2012:

A man accused of murdering a supermarket worker he met for sex has told a court he had a list of 900 men he believed to be paedophiles.

Christopher Hunnisett, 28, of Hastings, is accused of killing Peter Bick at his home in Bexhill on 11 January 2011.

Lewes Crown Court was told there was no evidence Mr Bick was a paedophile.

Mr Hunnisett, who admits manslaughter by diminished responsibility but denies murder, said he would draw up a list of people to "deal with" every week.

The court was told Mr Bick died after being hit over the head with a hammer and strangled with a shoelace.

Mr Hunnisett, of Chanctonbury Drive, said he started making lists of people he suspected of being paedophiles after being acquitted of murder in September 2010.

He had already served nine years of a life sentence over the death of Reverend Ronald Glazebrook - whom he accused of abusing him - before he was freed.

While questioning him during the trial his lawyer David Martin-Sperry said: "In terms of the relatively short period of time you had from your release from custody and walking into the police station, how many different people had you actually started to deal with and to make notes about, and to develop their case, as it were?"

Mr Hunnisett said he had about 30 sheets of paper with names on both sides which ran into the hundreds.

He added: "People were crossed off because they could not be progressed any further.

"A lot of them I had reported anonymously to the NSPCC from phone boxes. But that's a tiny, tiny proportion of what the problem actually is."

Mr Hunnisett said he had worked entirely on his own because he did not want anyone else to become involved.

He told the court that after he killed Mr Bick he drove the dead man's car to Paddock Wood, in Kent, to the home of Mr A, another man on his list who cannot be named for legal reasons.

However, he drove back to Hastings after Mr A told him he could not meet.

On his return, Mr Hunnisett said he told his girlfriend and sister he had killed someone, before they took him to a police station.

The trial continues. ..Source.. by News Sussex

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Murderer may never be released

5-22-2012:

An anti-paedophile vigilante from Hastings who murdered a gay man he wrongly believed to be a child molester has been told that he may never be released from prison.

Christopher Hunnisett, 28, killed supermarket worker Peter Bick, 57, just four months after being freed from jail following his acquittal for the murder of a vicar.

He was jailed for life with a minimum term of 18 years at Woolwich Crown Court in south-east London.

The judge, Mr Justice Saunders, warned he was an "extremely dangerous man" who "may well kill again" if released in the foreseeable future.

He said: "The time may never come when this defendant is considered safe to be released."

Hunnisett previously spent more than nine years in jail for killing the Rev Ronald Glazebrook, 81, in his bath and cutting up his body in April 2001.

But his conviction was quashed and he was cleared of Mr Glazebrook's murder at a retrial during which he alleged that the priest sexually abused him.

After being freed from prison in September 2010, Hunnisett made a "hit list" of men he planned to kill in his bid to rid the world of paedophiles.

Having formulated a plan to track down child abusers and rapists while he was in custody, on his release he set up false internet accounts as a "honeytrap" for sex offenders.

Mr Bick, an Asda employee from Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex, was at the top of Hunnisett's list of targets, although the prosecution said there was "not a shred of evidence" that he was a paedophile.

Overnight on January 10-11 last year, Hunnisett had sex with Mr Bick at his flat before smashing his head with five severe hammer blows and strangling him with a shoelace.

Detective Chief Inspector Nick Sloan of the Surrey and Sussex Major Crime Team said: "This was a terrible crime, and the jury were clearly unconvinced by Hunnisett's claims about his motives for carrying out such a cruel and deliberate killing.

"Peter Bick's sister, together with her husband, was present at court throughout the trial and they had to listen to Christopher Hunnisett deliver utterly unfounded personal attacks about the character of her brother.

"They endured this with great dignity and this is testimony to how they have conducted themselves since Peter was murdered'.

"What exactly was motivating Hunnisett in the lead up to the murder and afterwards we will perhaps never really know, but there is no doubt at all that society is a safer place now that he is in prison." ..Source..

Police reveal sex offender's past in blaze death inquiry

3-6-2012 United Kingdom:

A former Leicester man who died when his flat was deliberately set on fire was a convicted sex offender, police have revealed.

Officers disclosed Andrew Heath's criminal history – including offences against young boys in Leicester – this week, three months after his death in his flat in Worcester.

Police are examining the possibility that the arson attacks and the 52-year-old's past offences may be linked.

Mr Heath, a former member of Leicester Male Voice Choir and a fan of Leicester City, the Tigers and the county cricket team, dialled 999, knowing he was trapped in his flat in Chedworth Close, Warndon, at about 4am on December 14.

West Mercia Police have now revealed Mr Heath had committed five sexual offences, including gross indecency and indecent assault, between 1984 and 1999 in Leicester and Birmingham.

His victims were boys aged between 14 and 17. Some of the offences were committed before the age of consent for gay men was lowered from 18 to 16 in 2000. Detectives said they had no records of any offences or complaints against him since he moved to Worcester in 2001.

Detective Chief Inspector Paul Williamson, of West Mercia Police, said: "We have looked at whether these offences could have been a motivation for someone to target Mr Heath, but to date we have no evidence of this.

"Whatever Mr Heath did in his past, he died in a terrible way and his family have been left in limbo not knowing what happened to him.

"The person responsible is still out there on our streets and needs to be caught."

The 52-year-old's family are originally from Leicester's West End.

His sister, Leia Charleson and her parents, Les and Helen, now live in Eastbourne. Ms Charleson, 57, said: "I can't understand why anyone would do this."

A £20,000 reward has been offered to anyone who supplies the information which results in the arrest and conviction of those responsible for Mr Heath's death.

A number of people have been arrested in connection with the attack. None have been charged. ..Source.. by Leicester Mercury



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Three bailed in Andrew Heath murder case

THREE people who were arrested on suspicion of murdering Worcester man Andrew Heath have been released on bail.

Two men, aged 21 and 20, and a 17-year-old male youth were arrested on Monday at addresses in the city’s Warndon and Brickfields areas and taken in for questioning.

They were arrested as part of the investigation into the death of Andrew Heath, who was killed in a flat fire at his home in Warndon.

Mr Heath, aged 52, was found dead at his flat in Chedworth Close after a suspected arson attack in the early hours of Wednesday, December 14.

The latest arrests brings the total of people now arrested in relation to the killing to 10. ..Source.. by Freya Leng

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Police reveal Worcester arson victim was a paedophile

4-5-2012:

A Worcester man, who was killed after an arson attack on his home, was a convicted paedophile, according to West Mercia Police.

Andrew Heath, aged 52, was found dead at his flat in Warndon last December.

Police confirmed he was convicted for gross indecency and indecent assault against teenage boys five times during the 1980s and 1990s. These assaults happened in Leicester and Birmingham- before Mr Heath moved to Worcester.

Detective Chief Inspector Paul Williamson, who is leading the operation, said:

""I have taken the decision to make public details of previous offences committed by Andrew Heath because it may have some bearing on our inquiries.

"Since his death a lot of rumours have been circulating around the local community in Warndon about Mr Heath, some of them quite fanciful, and we believe these may have hampered our investigation. We wish to set the record straight and use this as another opportunity to appeal to the public for any information".

"a lot of rumours have been circulating around the local community in Warndon about Mr Heath, some of them quite fanciful, and we believe these may have hampered our investigation"

West Mercia Police say they have no records of any offences or complaints against him since he moved to Worcester.

DCI Williamson said:

"Whatever Mr Heath did in his past, he died in a terrible way and his family have been left in limbo not knowing what happened to him."

A total of 10 people have been arrested over his death. To date, nobody has been charged.

Police increased the reward for information leading to finding Mr Heath's killer from £10,000 to £20,000. ..Source.. by ITV Central

Suspected rapist beaten to death

3-6-2012 South Africa:

Johannesburg - A man was beaten to death in Soweto on Monday after trying to rape a woman, Gauteng police said.

The man, in his 30s, entered a shack in Doornkop where two women were sleeping around 03:00, Warrant Officer Kay Makhubela said.

"He tried to rape one of the women, but she started to scream."

The man tried to escape, but neighbours caught him and started beating him.

"Police arrived to find the man severely beaten and in a serious condition. He was taken to hospital, but died on arrival."

No arrests had been made. ..Source..

Gordon Morrice murder trial: Brain injury evidence given

1-23-2012 United Kingdom:

The brain of a suspected paedophile allegedly murdered by five people showed signs of a head injury suffered months before his death, a doctor has told a murder trial.

Gordon Morrice, 57, died several months after being severely injured at playing fields in Aberdeen's Golf Road in 2010.

Robert Laird, 25; Paul Yates, 38; Williamina Stewart, 37; Hector Stewart, 30; and Paul Noble, 17, deny murder.

Dr James MacKenzie said he had found "softening" on Mr Morrice's brain.

The consultant neuropathologist, who examined Mr Morrice's brain after his death, told the trial at the High Court in Aberdeen he had examined the brain microscopically with the naked eye and found the damage was mainly on the left side.

He said there was evidence to suggest Mr Morrice had suffered a head injury although the major damage had been caused by subsequent bleeding.

In his visual exam he detected "softening" on parts of the brain, which he said could appear "boggy".

"The brain deals with damage in one way," he said. "It walls it off, takes it away and you are left with softening.

"Many months have elapsed between the incident that caused it and the death of the deceased."

He added: "What I'm looking at is the remains on the battle field long after the battle is over."

The doctor said Mr Morrice's memory, movements, speech and swallowing would all have been affected.

He said: "The distribution and severity of the brain damage is likely to have rendered the deceased severely neurologically disabled."

'Spontaneous haemorrhage'

Advocate depute David Nicolson told the witness the court had heard that Mr Morrice regained some of his speech in the months after the attack.

Dr MacKenzie replied: "What often happens is there is some degree of functional recovery after time goes by, but there are bits you can't put back together."

The court heard Mr Morrice had been prescribed Warfarin - a blood thinning drug - before the alleged attack and did not lose consciousness until several hours afterwards.

Dr MacKenzie said Mr Morrice may have appeared to function normally after the alleged incident until the build up of a clot started to damage the brain.

He added that this was consistent with someone who may have a "slow bleed" on the brain.

He told the court that a "spontaneous haemorrhage" can occur in a person who is taking Warfarin.

Paul Noble's defence counsel, Edward Targowski QC, asked Dr MacKenzie: "If it can occur relatively spontaneously, then little force would be required to cause a haemorrhage of a patient who is on Warfarin?

The witness replied: "Yes, there is an increased risk of haemorrhage inside the head."

Background checks

The five accused are alleged to have attacked Mr Morrice at a park in Seaton on 24 June 2010.

They are alleged to have struck him on the body with a bicycle and repeatedly punched and stamped on his head and body at Golf Road and the adjoining park.

The attack is alleged to have caused the death of Mr Morrice on 14 March last year at an Aberdeen nursing home.

Williamina and Hector Stewart are also accused of previously showing malice and ill-will towards Mr Morrice.

The trial has heard several witnesses claim that rumours of Mr Morrice being a paedophile had circulated the Seaton community before the alleged attack.

Pc William Thom, of Grampian Police, previously said he ran background checks on Mr Morrice following a report that he had asked to bounce on a trampoline with two children, but they had come back clear.

The trial, before Lord Uist, continues. ..Source.. by BBC

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Pair who killed man wrongly accused of being paedophile in Aberdeen jailed

A schoolboy and a mother who killed a man wrongly accused of being a paedophile have been jailed.

Gordon Morrice, 58, died months after being severely injured at playing fields in Aberdeen's Golf Road in 2010.

The attack happened after he asked to bounce on a child's trampoline near his flat in the city.

Williamina Stewart, 37, was jailed for 10 years and Paul Noble, 18, for eight after they both admitted culpable homicide.

They had gone on trial for murder at the High Court in Aberdeen.

Relatives of Mr Morrice said in a statement after the sentencing: "This was a terrible sustained attack on our dad which not only led to his death but caused his family great pain and anguish.

We would also like to thank the good people who came forward”

Family statement

"Not only has our family lost a father and a son but no amount of time can change what has happened or take our pain away.

"We also had to endure nine months of agony while our dad lay in a hospital bed without knowing what would happen. The reality is his life ended on the day of this attack."

They explained: "We still can't believe what these people have done and cannot comprehend why they did it.

"This was a brutal attack which was pre-planned. What sort of people could do something like this? We hope they feel a little bit of our hurt and pain, but I really doubt they will.

"The hurt and pain will always be with us and it is something we will have to live for the rest of our lives."

They added: "It was also extremely hurtful for us to see repeated claims that our dad was a paedophile when this was completely untrue. He was the innocent one and not the one on trial, and I hope the people responsible realise the effect this has had, and will continue to have, in our lives.

"The family would like to thank the police and the crown for their efforts in getting to the truth of the incident and for clearing our dad's name.

"We would also like to thank the good people of Seaton who came forward and helped the police with their enquiries."

'Untimely death'

Grampian Police Det Insp Cammy Preston, who led the inquiry, said: "This is a harsh lesson for anyone who takes the law into their own hands.

"This group made the wrong assumption that Gordon Morrice was a 'paedophile' on the back of a throwaway remark which has literally led to his death.

"There is absolutely nothing to suggest he posed any risk or threat to children."

He went on: "Although those who have been convicted have been justly punished, there were others - some with their children - who stood by and watched the vicious attack on Mr Morrice and did nothing to stop it.

"In contrast, a number of the local community who were horrified by what they saw gave us the information we needed to pursue the accused and I thank them for their assistance.

"The untimely death of Mr Morrice from such a vicious attack, coupled with the malicious allegations from the accused, have caused his family untold pain and I can only hope this brings some closure for them."

Stewart's partner Paul Yates, 38, and her brother Hector Stewart, 30 admitted a reduced charge of assault.

They were admonished.

The case against co-accused Robert Laird, 25, was dropped due to a lack of evidence. ..Source.. by BBC

Accused gay molester killed

1-16-2011 Jamaica:

A man who police say was accused of raping little boys in Tivoli Gardens in Kingston was among at least three persons shot dead Friday night.

An investigator from the Major Investigation Taskforce (MIT) said the man, who was identified as 42-year-old Winston Pennington, was found with a single gunshot wound to the head on Bustamante Highway at about 11:40 pm.

The police said Pennington was shot at point-blank range, and that a spent shell and a 9mm round were taken from beside his body.

"He was also called 'Black John', and so far our investigations suggest that he may have been killed because he reportedly molested youths in the community," the investigator, who declined to be named, told the Sunday Observer.

The murder -- the first recorded in the area by the police since the extradition of former Tivoli Gardens strongman Christopher 'Dudus' Coke last year -- kept the police busy combing for leads. Up until press time they said they had still not identified any suspects.

In the meantime, police theorise that William Robinson, who was found with gunshot wounds at the rear of his business place on Chisholm Avenue in Kingston, may have been a victim of extortion.

According the police, at least one gunman pounced on Robinson at about 11:00 pm, demanding money from him, before firing on him through the window above the counter.

Robinson was taken to the Kingston Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead, the police said.

In the third incident, homicide investigators were, up to late yesterday afternoon, processing a crime scene at a house on Norman Crescent in East Kingston, from which a man was chased and shot dead on Elletson Road.

Police say 33-year-old Wajin Warren, whose body was found sprawled on the roadway, was chased by a gunman from the premises where he had gone to visit his girlfriend.

"The gunman ran him down from Norman Crescent, on to Norman Road, and onto Elletson Road in the vicinity of Telephone Street where he shot him," the MIT investigator said. ..Source.. by COREY ROBINSON

Sex offender found stabbed to death in his caravan

12-8-2008 United Kingdom:

A convicted sex offender was stabbed to death and had his genitals mutilated during an attack in the caravan where he lived on an industrial estate in south London.

Andrew Cunningham, 52, died of multiple stab wounds to the head, neck and chest on Wednesday. Police confirmed he had previously been on the sex offenders register for an offence committed in 2000 but his name had been removed in March. He was convicted in 2001 and served a four-month prison sentence.

Detective chief inspector Nick Scola, the officer leading the investigation, said Cunningham had been the victim of a "vicious and brutal attack" and he had been stabbed in the groin. Reports that he had been killed by a vigilante mob were unfounded. It is understood that Cunningham had been convicted of having unlawful sexual intercourse with a 15-year-old girl. Police said it was clearly possible that this was a motive for the murder.

Scola confirmed that the Wandsworth home where Cunningham had previously lived with his now-estranged family had been attacked five years ago but that the incident involved a binliner being set fire outside the door.

"The fact that his genitals were mutilated, and that there was damage to the groin, is one consideration, but it could have been done to confuse the investigation," Scola said. "People in the local area did know of his past. He had been living in that caravan for some months."

The Sun reported that Cunningham had been targeted by a mob of angry locals who chanted "die, paedo die" but officers have discovered no evidence that this was the case. The paper claimed that drinkers in a local pub accused him of fondling the landlady's two-year-old daughter.

"There are no reports whatsoever of a group of people being seen in the area, no reports of anyone chanting, shouting or unusual activity," said Scola.

Cunningham was last seen alive at 6.10pm on December 9 when he was seen in his caravan, which was parked on a private road. He was known to frequent pubs in the local area but yesterday local drinkers refused to talk about the case.

A lorry driver for a haulage company, Cunningham lived next to the yard from which he worked. Alan Hawkins, the owner of a neighbouring yard, said: "He was like your average bloke. I didn't know too much about his history but there were whispers."

Cunningham is known to have locked his caravan from the inside. Scola said: "There was no forced entry and he could well have invited his killer into the caravan."

He added that the killing could never be justified, in spite of Cunningham's history. Police had no reports of further sexual offences committed by him.

"Regardless of who he was or what he may have done, Andrew was the victim of a vicious assault which ended his life," said Scola. "This was a vicious and brutal attack on him and whoever did it is still out there and could easily attack someone else."

A father of five, Cunningham had separated from his family and it is believed that they declined to identify his body.

He was found by his employer when he failed to turn up for work on Wednesday morning.

Police are studying CCTV footage from cameras around the industrial estate which is sited next to Wimbledon dog track.

Scola said he was particularly keen to find out more about Cunningham's movements last Tuesday evening and aspects of his daily life.

He said: "It is vital we establish where he was and who he was with. Many people knew him and he used several pubs in the area."

Sara Payne, the campaigner whose daughter Sarah was murdered by a convicted paedophile in 2000, said the attacker or attackers were "no better" than the man they had killed and that his murder would set back her campaign for the names and addresses of sex offenders to be made available to the public. ..Source.. by Audrey Gillan

Homicide victim a convicted sex offender

9-16-2011 Canada:

Hamilton’s most recent homicide victim, George Washington Burnett, was a convicted child molester.

Court documents obtained by The Spectator show Burnett pleaded guilty to sex-related offences in 1993 involving three victims, whose identities are protected under a publication ban. He was sentenced to seven years in a penitentiary.

The abuse took place during two time periods. The first was in the mid-1970s. The second occurred over several years, ending in the early 1990s.

Burnett, 82, was found dead in his bed at his Stirton Street home with a knife in his neck on the evening of Sept. 7. His son David and concerned friends had come to check on him and found his body.

Police said he was last seen by several people around noon the day before.

Neighbours have remembered Burnett, a former pastor, as a deeply religious man whom one neighbour said was like everybody’s grandfather.

Hamilton police say they are confident the murder was not random, but would not comment on whether his death was connected to his past. Staff Sergeant Steve Hrab, of the homicide unit, said there is some sort of relationship between Burnett and his killer.

“This individual wasn’t a stranger to the deceased,” Hrab said.

When asked if police are looking at someone in the neighbourhood, he said: “That’s a possibility, but it’s not conclusive to just that.”

Hrab described Stirton Street, in the central lower city near Sanford Avenue North and Wilson Street, as a close-knit neighbourhood. Burnett was known to most of his neighbours and they knew it was unusual that he had not been seen for more than a day.

One of the victims Burnett was convicted of molesting spoke to The Spectator.

She stoically recalled details of the abuse, which began more than 20 years ago when she was nine years old. The woman, now 30, read about the homicide in the newspaper and wondered if it was the same George Washington Burnett.

She hadn’t seen or spoken to Burnett since he was sent to prison. No one told her he lived about a 10-minute drive away. News of his death brought back memories.

“I started thinking, ‘Well maybe somebody from before that he did something to had come back to get revenge.’ Or maybe he did it to someone’s kid,” she said.

The woman said the abuse started about a month after she met Burnett. She said he would cover her mouth so she couldn’t scream and threaten her by saying he would send her away and she would never see her family again. She never told anyone what happened, not even her mother.

“I was scared to tell anyone, he put the fear in me,” she said. “I just remember being in shock, I don’t remember ever having emotion. After this happened, I just had to deal with it.”

The woman broke down when she talked about how Burnett changed her life — she was always afraid of men and new people until she got older.

“I never had boyfriends growing up, I felt like I never had a normal childhood because of that.”

A few years into the abuse, she was confronted by a woman who said Burnett raped her. At first she denied anything had been done to her, but when she found out she wasn’t the only victim, she broke her silence and told her family. Burnett was charged with five offences in 1993. He eventually pleaded guilty to three of those charges.

She never saw him again.

Following his death, neighbours — who say they knew little about Burnett — were deeply saddened. They described him as a wonderful man whom everyone looked after. He spent holidays with the folks across the street, and others helped him with meals and chores. They said Burnett was always alone and some recalled him living on Stirton for 10 to 15 years.

Burnett had seven children and several grandchildren. He once worked at Menasco Aerospace in Oakville as an engineer. Before he went to prison, he was a pastor at a local church.

Some of Burnett’s family members declined to speak to The Spectator. They held a funeral service for him Friday morning.

Police set up a command van in the neighbourhood on Thursday hoping to interview about 30 people they had not yet spoken to. Hrab said they did reach some of them, but would not say whether police learned any new details about the case.

“I don’t want the people responsible to know what we are thinking,” Hrab said. ..Source.. by Stacey Escott

Killeshandra pensioner dies after horrific attack at home

10-19-2010 Ireland:

Funeral of attempted castration victim Johnny Golden delayed for tests on body

The funeral of a pensioner who died from what’s believed were injuries sustained in a vicious assault a month ago has been postponed so that the State Pathologist can carry out further tests.

John Golden (73) was attacked in his home at Nedd, Doogary, Killeshandra, on Tuesday, September 7, and was found in an unconscious state the following morning by a neighbour.

His funeral was due to be held on Sunday last at Killegar Parish Church but Dr. Marie Cassidy made the request for a further examination of the body in a bid to determine precisely the nature of his injuries and the exact cause of his death.

It’s understood that Mr. Golden was the victim of an attempted castration and that pliers and a poker may have been used in the assault. It’s believed that he suffered head and internal injuries.

Rumours have been circulating that Mr. Golden was gay or a paedophile but these have been strongly denied by neighbours who claim that John’s name was being blackened by others.

Superintendent Tom Maguire from Ballyconnell Garda Station, who is leading the investigation into the attack, confirmed to The Anglo-Celt this week a young male was arrested on Saturday, September 11, and detained under the provision of Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984. He was later released without charge.

Mr. Golden’s body was discovered in an unconscious state by his neighbour Seamus Galligan, who lives quite close, at about 9.40am on Tuesday, September 7. Mr. Galligan alerted the gardaí and ambulance services.

Mr. Golden was taken to Cavan General Hospital, where he remained in an unconscious state until he was pronounced dead at 7.50pm last Wednesday, October 6.

A post mortem was carried out on his body at Our Lady’s Hospital, Navan, last Thursday by assistant State Pathologist Dr. Khalid Jabbar.

Mr. Golden was an orphan and had lived in the Doogary area for the past 35 years. He was raised in Sunbeam House in County Wicklow and it’s believed he never knew his parents. In Leitrim he worked as a farm labourer and a mechanic.

Lily Galligan, wife of Seamus, said: “We are devastated at the death of John who was a good neighbour and a lovely gentleman.”

His death came as a shock to the whole community and he was well liked. He lived in Killegar before moving to Doogary.

When Seamus discovered John in his home, he thought he had suffered a turn. “He saw the door open and went into the bedroom and found John on the floor.”

The Galligan family are annoyed that rumours have been circulating since Mr. Golden’s death that John was gay or was a paedophile.

They claim he was neither. “John was never the subject of any complaint of a sexual nature to the gardaí.” He was a private individual who kept himself to himself. He was most happy when repairing vintage tractors and machinery.

Mrs. Galligan said he would visit them regularly, as well as other neighbours, and he was not a heavy drinker though he did take the odd bottle of stout. He was a good living man who also liked music.

Rumours that he screened pornographic films at his house 10 years ago have been vehemently denied by local sources.

It is understood that an investigation was launched at the time but no charges were ever brought due to the lack of evidence.

Superintendent Maguire has appealed to the public for their assistance.

He would not confirm if Mr. Golden had been sexually assaulted.

Gardaí are particularly interested in hearing from any witnesses that may have been in the vicinity of Nedd, Doogary between 8pm on Monday, September 6, and 11am on Tuesday, September 7.

They are asked to contact Ballyconnell Garda Station on 049-9525580. People are also asked to ring the Garda Confidential Telephone Line 1800-666-111 or contact any garda station. Mr. Golden’s body has not been released yet and his funeral will not take place until Thursday or Friday. ..Source.. by Anglo Celt

Birmingham sex offender 'killed after attack by vigilantes'

8-9-2009 United Kingdom:

Man died after being kicked and punched in his home

A SEX offender who died after being beaten at his home may have been the target of vigilantes who had learned of his previous convictions.

Dennis Golding, 49, who had a string of offences for indecent exposure, was found covered in blood at his Birmingham flat in January.

He had suffered serious injuries to his body and head, consistent with having been repeatedly kicked and punched in a prolonged attack which police believe may have lasted up to two hours.

Serial flasher Golding, from Small Heath, died three weeks later.

Now it has emerged that he may have been targeted by vigilantes after rumours circulated locally that he had been spotted in the sex offenders’ wing of a Midland prison.

Police sources said it was “no secret” Golding was well-known in the community as a convicted sex offender. It is believed there had been a number of earlier incidents when his property may have been damaged.

Golding, who was unemployed, had a total of nine sex offence-related convictions stretching back five years and was on the Sex Offenders’ Register.

His first conviction was in 2004, when he was sentenced to a 24-month rehabilitation order after pleading guilty to indecent exposure. He was put on the Sex Offenders’ Register for five years.

In September 2005, Golding received a one-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, after admitting four new charges of flashing.

His name was also added to the register for a further seven years.

A month later he was convicted of a further four counts of indecent exposure and of breaching the terms of the register after failing to report a change of address to West Midlands Police. He received 12 weeks in prison.

In March 2006 Golding was sentenced to 18 months for an attempted robbery.

Then in July 2007 he was locked up for four months after again being convicted of breaching the register’s conditions by not telling police he had moved address.

Community sources revealed that middle-aged Golding was set upon in his flat in Mansel Road, Small Heath, on the evening of January 25 this year. He was found with serious head injuries and was bleeding profusely.

Golding was rushed to hospital at about 11.30pm but remained in a critical condition.

It is believed he never regained consciousness.

Two men, aged 22 and 29, and a 19-year-old woman have pleaded not guilty to murder and are due to stand trial in November.

There have been a succession of vigilante attacks against paedophiles in recent years.

William Malcolm, a child sex attacker, was shot in the head on his doorstep in north-east London in 2000. Others have been hounded from homes and hostels by groups of vigilantes.

Despite public campaigns that dangerous paedophiles must remain in prison, child sex offenders are released regularly and many reoffend.

Each attack reignites the debate over whether vigilantism could drive offenders into hiding, making police surveillance even more difficult and increasing the chances that they will strike again. ..Source.. by Jeanette Oldham, Sunday Mercury

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Three people beat Birmingham sex offender to death, jury told

11-19-2009 United Kingdom:

TWO men and a woman beat a Birmingham man to death after he was recognised as a sex offender, a court was told.

Victim Dennis Golding, aged 49, was targeted because someone at the Birmingham hostel where he was living had seen him on a sex offenders’ wing in prison, it heard.

Dominic Maynard-Francis, 23, Darren Stevens 30, and Rebecca Gordon 20, all deny murdering Mr Golding.

James Goss QC, prosecuting at Birmingham Crown Court, said the victim suffered from Huntington’s disease, a hereditary illness affecting the central nervous system which impairs person’s ability to walk and talk, although it was only at its early stages.

He had moved in to the hostel for single homeless people in Mansel Road, Small Heath, in December last year and had been there for about six weeks before the attack.

He said another resident believed he had seen Mr Golding in prison and it was the case that he was on the Sex Offenders’ Register.

Mr Goss said that on January 25 this year the three defendants had been drinking and had been told Mr Golding was a “nonce”, a slang word for someone who interfered with children.

As a result they went to his room on a number of times and repeatedly assaulted him. Another resident living opposite heard his screams and later saw the defendants laughing, said Mr Goss.He said the resident also saw Gordon hitting the victim with a chair.

Mr Golding was found lying unconscious with severe head injuries and eventually died three weeks later after also contracting pneumonia. ..Source.. by Birmingham Net.com

UK- British Child Molester Priest Stabbed 24 Times in a Tripoli Apartment

7-25-2009 United Kingdom:

The British Anglican priest John Mountford who was found dead in his apartment in ‎Tripoli, Libya on 18 July was stabbed 24 times by a 15-year old boy, sources told The ‎Tripoli Post on Thursday 23 July.‎

The British priest used to contact Libyan children by chatting with them on the internet ‎telling them he would teach them English, the sources added. He would also give them ‎his local phone number in order to set up appointments for meetings.‎

The child abuser was found lying dead, in the kitchen at his apartment at Zawit Al-‎Dahhmani area by his Libyan friend who went to check on him in his apartment when ‎Mountford did not answer the repeated phone calls.‎

This Libyan friend opened the door with a key previously given to him by the dead man, ‎he later informed the police of the incident.‎

Two kids, brothers, aged between 13 and 15 were arrested when the Libyan police found ‎their phone number in the British priest’s cell phone, the sources said. They later were ‎released.‎

A number of other Libyans have also been interviewed by the police and were released. ‎The investigation is still ongoing.‎

The two brothers knew Mountford before he left to England this summer. ‎

A relative of the two brothers told The Tripoli Post that Mountford tried to approach ‎them sexually after which they decided not to meet him anymore. ‎

However, their relative also said that after his return from Britain, Muntford had ‎contacted them again via the internet and got their phone number that he seemed to have ‎lost after he earlier lost his old CIM card.‎

According to The Times, Mountford’s employers reported him missing to the British ‎Embassy in Tripoli on Thursday 19 July soon after he returned from visiting relatives in ‎Britain. The British Foreign Office was informed on Saturday night 20 July that child-‎abuser’s had been found.‎

The former St Peter's College chaplain escaped justice in the courts in Australia in 2007 ‎after child-sex charges against him were dropped.‎ ..Source.. by The Tripoli Post

Parole appeal denied for Alberta woman who helped kill suspected child molester

7-20-2009 Canada:

EDMONTON - The appeal division of the National Parole Board has upheld a decision to deny extended parole to a woman who helped rape, torture and strangle a central Alberta man.

Yvonne Johnson appealed the board's decision that she must return to a halfway house every night.

She argued they should not have ordered a psychological assessment and said she wished to visit her ailing mother, according to the decision.

But the appeal division ruled the board was right to consider the violence of the crime, alcohol abuse and the short length of time Johnson has been on day parole.

"The board was appropriately concerned with the potential risks associated with your successful reintegration into the community and the safety of the public," reads the decision.

Johnson was convicted of first-degree murder for her part in the death of Leonard (Chuck) Skwarok in a basement in Wetaskiwin, Alta., in 1989.

She and three others had been drinking when they killed Skwarok, who they mistakenly believed was a child molester.

Johnson was initially sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 25 years, but was granted day parole in January 2008 after getting permission to apply early under the Criminal Code's faint-hope clause.

While in prison, she co-wrote the best-selling novel "Stolen Life" with Edmonton author Rudy Wiebe about her abusive childhood, the murder and her time behind bars. ..Source.. by THE CANADIAN PRESS

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Convicted killer Thatcher can profit from memoir

4-20-2009 Canada:

SASKATOON — Convicted killer Colin Thatcher is in luck he lives in Saskatchewan.

If he had moved to Alberta or Manitoba, he likely wouldn’t be able to make money from the sale of his new book.

The neighbouring provinces have laws in place preventing convicted criminals from pocketing profits on the sale of their crime stories.

Victims’ rights advocate Shelley Marshall says there needs to be a law that applies across the country.

Thatcher “should not get a dime,” says Marshall, president of the Manitoba Organization for Victim Assistance.

“He was found guilty of murdering the mother of his children.”

Marshall’s son was slain in Winnipeg in 2001. Although she agrees with freedom of speech, it pains her to think his two killers could earn money if they were to write a book about the crime.

“For people who have lost a loved one to homicide, they would find what (Thatcher) wishes to do at the least disappointing and at the worst reprehensible.”

Word leaked last week that Thatcher has penned a 440-page memoir titled “Final Appeal: Anatomy of a Frame.” The book argues his innocence and details the 22 years he spent behind bars.

ECW Press, an independent publishing company in Toronto, plans to have the book on store shelves Sept. 1.

Publisher Jack David says Thatcher researched the issue of whether a law prevents him from accepting royalties on the book and found none exists in Saskatchewan.

Laur’Lei Silzer, a spokeswoman for Saskatchewan Justice, confirms the province doesn’t have a law in place.

Thatcher, now 70, lives on his family ranch near Moose Jaw.

He has maintained his innocence since his ex-wife, JoAnn Wilson, was bludgeoned and shot to death in the garage of her Regina home in 1983. A year later, Thatcher was convicted of first-degree murder.

Ontario became the first province to pass its Victim’s Right to Proceeds of Crime Act in 1994.

It was modelled on “Son of Sam” laws in the United States. New York led the movement after rumours circulated that publishers were offering large amounts of money to serial killer David Berkowitz for his story. The U.S. Supreme Court, however, struck down the New York law in 1991.

The same statute was also struck down in California, spurring O.J. Simpson to write the book “If I Did It,” a hypothetical account of the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman — crimes of which Simpson was acquitted. A Florida bankruptcy court later awarded rights to the book to Goldman’s family to satisfy an unpaid civil judgment against Simpson.

An attempt at a Canada-wide law preventing criminals from profiting from the commercialization of their crimes through books, movies and other media was first made in 1995. Supported by victims’ organizations but criticized by writers’ groups, the bill died in the Senate three years later.

In the past few years, Manitoba, Nova Scotia and Alberta have each passed their own criminal notoriety legislation.

Each law is somewhat different, but they generally allow governments to seize profits and forward them to either the victims of the crimes in question or general victims’ support funds. The laws also allow for fines of up to $50,000 to be imposed on offenders, publishers and movie makers.

The laws only apply to people who live in those provinces, although Manitoba’s law goes one step further. In an attempt to cover convicts transferred to prisons outside the province, the law also applies to people whose crimes took place in Manitoba.

The Manitoba law has dissuaded at least one killer there from inking a book. A jury heard evidence last year that Sydney Teerhuis-Moar planned to write a book with a freelance writer detailing how he stabbed and dismembered Robin Greene at a Winnipeg hotel.

When Teerhuis-Moar learned there was a law preventing him from earning money, he changed his mind.

Before Alberta passed its law, convicted killer Yvonne Johnson co-wrote the book “Stolen Life: that Journey of a Cree Woman” with author Rudy Wiebe. Johnson was convicted of first-degree murder for the brutal, drunken killing of Leonard Skwarok in 1989. Johnson mistakenly believed the man was a child molester.

The book was nominated for a Governor General’s Award, but Skwarok’s family has publicly expressed their anger over the fame and profits Johnson gained from telling her story.

In 2005, when Karla Homolka was released from prison in Quebec, justice officials in Ontario worried they would no longer be able to enforce the parts of her infamous plea-bargain that banned her from telling her story through a book or movie.

Homolka served a 12-year manslaughter sentence for her part in the sex-slayings of teens Leslie Mahaffy and Kristen French.

Lawyer and author Garrett Wilson of Regina says he’s sure Thatcher isn’t writing the book to make money.

“He’s doing this for the publicity and the personal satisfaction,” says Wilson.

Wilson, who wrote the 1985 best-seller “Deny, Deny, Deny” about the rise and fall of Thatcher, is surprised a respected publishing company like ECW Press would take on his memoir.

Wilson says Western Producer Prairie Books was criticized by the publishing industry after it put out Thatcher’s first book, “Backrooms: A Story of Politics,” that he wrote while he was in prison.

Still behind bars, Thatcher claimed to have written a sequel focusing on his ex-wife’s murder, says Wilson.

“Because of the criticism of the first book, Western Producer wouldn’t touch it and no one else would.” ..Source.. by Chris Purdy, THE CANADIAN PRESS

Murdered man ‘vigilante victim’

7-18-2009 Australia:

An alleged paedophile murdered as he slept in his Mandurah home in January was the victim of a vigilante attack, friends said yesterday.

They said Robert George Dalliston, 69, who was to face 25 charges of indecent dealings and sexual penetration involving several girls aged under 13, was a gentle and kind man who was killed as retribution for the alleged sex abuse.

Police believe Mr Dalliston, a widowed pensioner who lived alone, was attacked on January 8 while he slept at his Ward Street home. His body was found seven days later by a friend who went to check on him.

The charges against him were formally dropped in the District Court on Thursday after the Director of Public Prosecutions presented a death certificate.

Raelene Phillips, who lived across the street from Mr Dalliston, said he used to visit several times a week to socialise with her and her husband Jeffrey.

She did not believe he was a paedophile but believed the allegations led to his murder.

“He was a lovely, funny man and when people around here started saying he was a paedophile I just thought, ‘What? Where has that come from’,” Mrs Phillips said.

“I never believed he was that type of person. I had my grandchildren around him many times and he was more interested in us than the kids. But I think that (the allegations) is why they murdered him. Somebody’s sneaked in there and killed him because of that. It is just so sad that he has been killed because of allegations that were never even proved.”

She feared the police investigation into his death could be hindered because of the abuse allegations.

“I just hope that anyone who knows what happened to him wouldn’t hold back from telling the police because they thought he was a paedophile,” Mrs Phillips said.

Another former neighbour, who did not want her name published, said Mr Dalliston had been a good friend who regularly helped her with handyman work.

She described his death as tragic and said she, too, believed the murder might have been prompted by the sexual abuse allegations.

“He was going to court the next day (on sex charges), so my first thought was that someone’s got to him before he could talk,” she said.

Mr Dalliston was last seen alive at 8.22am on January 8. He was filmed on a CCTV camera at the post office at Silver Sands shopping centre in Mandurah. Detectives believe he went to Perth that day to volunteer at a bike shop before going home.

A week after his body was found, police raided a home in Elizabeth Street, three streets from the murder scene, and questioned an acquaintance of Mr Dalliston in his 40s. Detectives said they took clothes for forensic tests from that and other houses. ..Source.. by RONAN O’CONNELL

Two paedophiles murdered in Italy

7-28-1999 Italy:
Two convicted paedophiles have been shot dead near their homes in Naples, shortly after being released from prison pending an appeal.

The first murder took place on Monday, when Ciro Falanga - sentenced to 13 years in jail for his part in running a paedophile ring - was shot dead by gunmen outside his shop. The following day, Pasquale Sansone was shot by two masked gunmen in his motorcycle repair workshop. He had been sentenced to 15 years in prison.

The two dead men were among 17 people, including five women, who were found guilty by a Naples court earlier this year of organising the systematic sexual abuse of children from an elementary school in a Naples suburb.

Many of the children are still suffering severe psychological problems.

Parents of the children involved were angry that those held responsible were being released from jail on a legal technicality. The prosecution failed to prove its case that the accused had drugged their victims.

Mafia link

Prosecutors say they fear other acts of revenge, as most of those released from jail are back living in the same streets as their former victims. Police believe that the killings may have been ordered by the local Mafia as a way of currying favour.

In some areas of southern Italy, summary justice is regularly dispensed by organised crime bosses. The lengthy procedures and delays of Italy's criminal law system are legendary.

In criminal cases involving children, people who take the law into their own hands often receive popular support.

A local Roman Catholic priest said that everyone knew that the convicted leaders of the paedophile gang would be killed, and blamed the Italian legal system.

"The state put guns into the killers' hands," Fr Francesco Gallo, a priest in the Naples suburb of Poverelli told reporters.

"This isn't over yet. People don't understand how people who have been convicted of such serious crimes can be free to walk around their neighbourhood. They feel exposed to all sorts of risks," Fr Gallo said. ..more.. by David Willey

Alleged rapist dies after mob beating

4-28-2009 South Africa:

A man who lured an eight-year-old girl from a party and then raped her was beaten to death by an angry mob in Wyebank, near Kloof.

The man, whose identity is not known, had to be rescued from the mob who beat him to a pulp on Saturday evening.

He died soon after being taken to RK Khan Hospital.

It is believed the man, who is not from the area, isolated the victim from the crowd.

A suspicious witness, who had noticed the two slip away, allegedly caught the suspect raping the girl on a nearby sports field.

It is believed the man alerted residents, who then ganged up on and assaulted the suspect.

Pinetown police spokesperson Solomon Mbhele said police were made aware of the incident by an anonymous caller, who is suspected to have been with the mob.

"When we arrived at the scene, the suspect had been badly beaten by the residents and he was transported to hospital, where he died."

Mbhele said the dead man had not been identified and police were investigating the circumstances of his death.

"No arrests have been made at his point," Mbhele said.

Mbhele confirmed that the eight-year-old rape victim, who was from the area, was receiving medical support and ongoing psychological counselling.

Police are trying to trace the witness who spotted the two leaving the party and the caller who alerted the police.

Mbhele stressed that investigating a crime involving a mob was complex because people who were responsible for the murder first had to be identified.

"There has to be identification before any arrests can be made, which makes it very difficult because it hampers the investigations," he said.

After the mob attack, police issued a stern warning to communities who take the law into their own hands.

Provincial police spokesperson Vincent Mdunge said police would not tolerate acts of vigilantism which sometimes resulted in the death of the suspected criminal.

"Communities should understand the dynamics of what they engage in because you cannot resolve criminal issues by assaulting the suspect. In the eyes of the law, they too become criminally responsible," he stressed.

He also urged communities to let the law take its course and said he did not condone what happened to the suspect.

"This type of crime has to come to an end and communities should work hand in hand with the police. Apprehend the suspect and then alert the police," Mdunge said. ..News Source.. by Slindile Maluleke

UK- Vigilante neighbour jailed for 10 years for killing police officer who faced child porn charges

3-3-2009 United Kingdom:

A vigilante who stabbed to death a former policeman awaiting trial on child porn charges has been jailed for ten years.

Daniel Williams, 30, was found guilty of manslaughter for stabbing Geoffrey Harries 20 times in a late-night confrontation in June.

Williams admitted going clad in a black balaclava and dark military-style clothing to slash the tyres of 49-year-old Mr Harries's car on the night in question.

The defence team had argued that he stabbed the former Dyfed Powys policeman in self-defence when he was attacked by Mr Harries, having forgotten he was holding the 7in
blade combat knife.
The jury at Swansea Crown Court cleared Williams of murder on Friday.

The verdict of guilty of manslaughter came yesterday after a total of more than 25 hours of deliberation.

As it was read out, the victim's widow Elizabeth broke down in court and was comforted by relatives.

Jailing Williams today, High Court judge Justice Flaux told him: 'If you carry a knife on the streets you must expect severe punishment if that knife is used to cause the death of someone.'

Mr Harries had moved to the Dythel Park Estate in Trimsaran, West Wales, to live in the home of his elderly mother.

Residents on the estate were aware that he was awaiting trial accused of possessing more than 2,000 pornographic images of children on his computer.

A petition had been circulated by residents opposed to him living on the estate where Williams also lived, the trial heard.

Hours before the stabbing, a drunken Williams shouted insults at the police as he left a local pub to which they had been called on a separate matter.

The jury heard that he had referred to Mr Harries as a 'paedo' and warned one officer: 'He's one of your lot. If you are not going to do something about it, I will.'

The officer in question was called away to a road accident but returned to the area later and saw Williams calmly walking home.

When approached about the earlier outburst, Williams claimed he had just been 'stupid' in front of friends.

But within hours he was involved in a confrontation with Mr Harries in the street after the former police officer's wife spotted Williams outside, close to their car.

Williams insisted throughout the trial that he had been pursued by Mr Harries and attacked by him as he tried to flee the scene.

Paul Thomas QC, prosecuting, described Williams during his summing-up as a 'self-appointed vigilante'.

He told the jury it was 'nonsense' for Williams to suggest he could inflict 20 stab wounds without realising he was holding a knife.

He also pointed out that the fatal wound had been through Mr Harries' back and into one of his lungs. ..Source.. by Daily Mail Reporter

UK- Suspected sex offender fell to his death 'as he fled baying vigilante gang'

1-8-2009 United Kingdom:

A suspected sex offender fell 50 feet to his death from an apartment block as he fled a baying vigilante gang, a court heard today.

Terrified Scott Campbell, 44, made a run for it when three men and two women turned up at his second floor flat to give him a revenge beating over claims he had sexually assaulted a 13 year-old-boy, it was alleged.

As one of the armed gang started banging on his front door shouting: 'I'm going to f***ing kill you' Campbell climbed over his balcony in a bid to escape.

But as he did so he lost his grip on the rail and plumetted to the ground. The Glaswegian suffered multiple injuries and was pronounced dead in Royal Bolton hospital in Bolton, Greater Manchester.

Manchester Crown Court was told during the incident CCTV captured one of the women hiding a baseball bat up the back of her coat, whilst her husband was carrying a hammer.

Another woman was carrying a spanner or wrench and a fourth man was carrying a bike chain. The four tried to hide their faces to avoid being recognised.

Jamie Watson, 32, his wife Sarah Watson, 32, Katia Briercliffe, 36, Paul McCarthy, 36 and Martin McMulkin, 37 all deny manslaughter.

The tragedy occurred at 7.20pm in July last year after the 13 year-old-boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had been Campbell's second floor flat in Blackshaw Lane, Deane, Bolton.

He came out 20 minutes later and told two friends he had been indecently assaulted.
The allegations spread around the Deane area of Bolton, Greater Manchester and locals were seen gathering around the block of flats.

Sarah and Jamie Watson were seen entering the flats with Katia Briercliffe, and the 13 year-old-boy and being joined in the lift by McMulkin and McCarthy - who also lived at the flats.

The boy was seen on the building's CCTV footage pointing out the flat he had been in, before leaving Fernstead House.

CCTV showed Sarah Watson hiding a baseball bat up the back of her coat, Jamie Watson carrying a hammer, Katia Briercliffe carrying a spanner or wrench and Martin McMulkin carrying a bike chain.

Prosecuting Mr Peter Cadwallader said the jury may have some sympathy for the defendants given the allegations made towards the victim.

But he said: 'However justified there position it cannot be acceptable for a vigilante group to start taking the law into their own hands and that is the simple issue in this case because that is what happened.

'A large group of young people of a similar age to the boy also gathered in the vicinity of the deceased flat.

'They didn't take part in the subsequent events although their presence did increase the hostile atmosphere that existed at the time.

'Attempts were made by the individuals to cover and hide their features which the crown say was indicative of what they intended.

'The crown allege that the defendants as a group were armed and all of them save for McMulkin made efforts to hide their faces.

'The only sensible conclusion we suggest that we draw is that they indented to give the defendant a beating. That they intended to assault him.

'In interview Katia said that she and Sarah Watson went into the small vestibule outside the flat. She said that Sarah Watson had called out in a calm voice "Jimmy".
'The males remained outside the vestibule she said. Scott Campbell did open his door but he was too quick and managed to close it before the defendants could force their way in.

'Once Scott had closed the door there was an attack on it with weapons. It was struck. The glass was broke. There was banging and noise and it was so great that it was heard by neighbours.

'One neighbour was listening to a tennis match on TV but he could still hear the attack. He heard a female voice shouting "I'm going to f***ing get you" or "I'm going to f***ing kill you" - he wasn't quite sure.

'The crown say that the defendants were trying to force the door. They were a large group. They were armed. They were damaging the door and attacking it.

'Although you may have little sympathy for Scott Campbell, it must have been a frightening experience and he must have been fearful of what was going to happen if they gained entry.

'Whatever the sympathies are at that stage the defendants, we say, were all acting entirely unlawfully in trying to take the law into their own hands and act as a vigilante group.

'It is not acceptable for defendants to take the law into their own hands. It is apparent from the CCTV footage that whilst the deceased felt under attack he went onto the balcony with the intention to lower himself down.

'It is equally clear that he lost his grip in trying to climb down and he fell and died as a result of injuries he sustained in the fall.

'The inference that can be drawn is that Scott Campbell was in fear as a result of the defendants attempt to break into his flat. He must have known that he faced a beating at least.

'There was no other way out of the flat other than through the front door or by the balcony.

'Therefore it is our case that in trying to escape the unlawful conduct of the defendants he fell to his death.

'It was only after Sarah Watson had left the flats that she called the police about the conduct of the deceased.

'The crown say that this was a vigilante group seeking revenge, seeking to gain entry to the deceased flat to cause him harm. He attempted to escape as a result of that unlawful conduct and in doing so he fell to his death.'

Jamie Watson, 32, Sarah Watson, 32, both of Hibernia Street; Katia Briercliffe, 36, Briercliffe Road; Paul McCarthy, 36 of Fernstead, Blackshaw Lane and Martin McMulkin, 37 of no fixed address all deny manslaughter.

The trial continues. ..News Source.. by Daily Mail Reporter

UK- Murdered man 'was sex offender'

12-30-2008 United Kingdom:

A man who police believe was murdered - even though they have not found a body - was a registered sex offender, officers have confirmed.

Blood found at a house on 21 December on Stockbridge Road, Padiham, matched that of Alan Street, 26, although his body has not yet been discovered.

Keiran Davison, 20, of Stockbridge Road, has been charged with his murder.

Police are searching for Alan Palmer, 43, and Peter Leonard, 51, who they say "could be anywhere in the country".

Lancashire police confirmed that Mr Street was a registered sex offender, but were not releasing further details.

Det Supt Neil Hunter, of Lancashire police, said: "We need to speak to both Mr Leonard and Mr Palmer in relation to this incident as a matter of urgency.

"I would urge them both or anybody who knows of their whereabouts or has been contacted by them or been in their company recently to contact police immediately. I do believe that the two men may be together.

"I would like to make people aware that Mr Palmer is a long distance lorry driver and has strong connections in Padiham and Oswaldtwistle, but due to his employment I cannot rule out that he and Mr Leonard may well have travelled out of the county and could be anywhere in the country."

Police also want to trace Mr Palmer's car, a blue five-door Mitsubishi Colt saloon, registration PE58 OJY.

Mr Leonard is white, about 5ft 8ins tall, of medium build with blue eyes and light brown hair, cut very short.

Accused remanded

He has a two-inch scar on his nose and the words "LOVE" and "HEIDI" tattooed on his hands.

Mr Palmer is white, 5ft 11ins, of medium build, with receding dark brown hair. He has brown eyes and several tattoos on his left arm, including a snake head, a bull, an eagle and a swallow. On his right arm he has tattoos of a snake and a skull, as well as the words "MAM" and "LUCKY".

Mr Street is described as being of medium build, about 5ft 11ins tall with blue eyes and light, straight brown hair, which was cut short. He had a local accent.

Police know he went from Burnley to Oswaldtwistle on 19 December and are appealing for anyone who saw him to contact them.

Mr Davison has been remanded in custody to appear at Preston Crown Court on 18 March. ..News Source.. by BBC

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UK- 'Suspects On The Run With A Body'

1-5-2009 United Kingdom:

Detectives investigating the murder of a sex offender in Lancashire believe his attackers may be on the run with his body.

Blood and DNA found in a house near Burnley in December have convinced police that Alan Street, a convicted rapist, was beaten to death.

Officers were called to an address at Stockbridge Road, Padiham, after blood-stained clothing was discovered.

They believe the attackers may have taken the body with them and are currently on the run.

Long-distance lorry driver Alan Palmer, 43, and Peter Leonard, 51, have not been seen since December 20 - police think they may be together.

Detective Superintendent Neil Hunter said: "I would urge Mr Leonard and Mr Palmer, or anybody who knows of their whereabouts or has been contacted by them or been in their company recently, to contact police immediately. We need to speak to them as a matter of urgency.

"Due to Mr Palmer's employment, I cannot rule out that he and Mr Leonard may well be anywhere in the country."

Police would not comment on Street’s criminal history, but Sky News has learned he has a conviction for rape.

Palmer has several tattoos on his left arm of a snake head, bull, eagle and swallow.

On his right arm he has a snake and skull with two flower designs featuring the words 'Mam' and 'swallow'.

Leonard has a two-inch scar on his nose and the words 'love' and 'Heidi' tattooed on his hands. ..News Source.. by Mike McCarthy, North of England correspondent

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UK- Body Found After Rapist Vanishes

1-19-2009 United Kingdom:

Detectives investigating the murder of a convicted rapist have found a body in Lancashire.

Blood and DNA discovered in a house near Burnley in December have convinced police that sex offender Alan Street was beaten to death.

Underwater search specialists discovered the corpse in a culvert after they were alerted by Environment Agency contractors.

Detective Superintendent Neil Hunter, who is leading the murder investigation, said: "As a result of a call made to police, the underwater search team was brought in.

"They entered the culvert and located the body before successfully recovering it. It has now been taken to Blackburn mortuary where identification and post mortem will take place."

Police say it’s too early to tell whether the body is Alan Street, who they say was subjected to a "sustained and prolonged attack" at the house in Stockbridge Road, Padiham.

One man has already been charged with Street's murder while detectives wish to speak to two other suspects in connection with the death of the 26-year-old.

Alan Palmer, 43, who lived at the scene of the attack in Stockbridge Road, and Peter Leonard, 51, have not been seen since Street went missing.

Palmer has several tattoos on his left arm of a snake head, bull, eagle and swallow.

On his right arm he has a snake and skull with two flower designs featuring the words 'Mam' and 'swallow'.

Leonard has a two-inch scar on his nose and the words 'love' and 'Heidi' tattooed on his hands.

Early in January detectives said Palmer and Leonard were believed to be on the run with Street's body.

Police said Street’s family have been told of the latest developments.

A post mortem examination is due to be carried out. ..News Source.. by Tessa Chapman, Sky News

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UK- Fears of vigilante killing after missing rapist's body is found in underground drain

1-20-2009 United Kingdom:

Detectives investigating the murder of a convicted rapist today confirmed his body was found in an underground drain.

Alan Street is thought to have been killed by a vigilante mob at a house in Padiham, Lancashire, last month after police found blood matching his DNA.

Police believe a 'sustained and prolonged attack' took place at the property in Stockbridge Road in the early hours of December 21.

Street, 26, from Oswaldtwistle, was convicted of rape in 1999.

He was jailed and placed on the sex offender register but repeatedly ignored court orders by drifting between addresses.

It is believed his killers discovered his past when Street turned up in Padiham.
Lancashire police today confirmed a body recovered from a culvert in Accrington was Street.

Contractors working for the Environment Agency alerted police yesterday after finding the body during a routine CCTV inspection of Woodnook Water, Mount Street.
Street's body was recovered by underwater search teams and a post mortem examination took place late last night.

Police said further tests were needed to establish the exact cause of death but confirmed Street did not die of natural causes or accidental injuries.

Kieran Davison, 20, of Stockbridge Road, and Ian Palmer, 45, of Whitegate Close, both Padiham, have been charged with murder.

Detectives are still trying to trace two men, Alan Palmer, 43, and Peter Leonard, 51, in connection with Street's death.

It is believed both men may have left the county as Mr Palmer is a long-distance lorry driver.

Detective Superintendent Neil Hunter, of Lancashire Police, who is leading the investigation said: 'I still want to question Palmer and Leonard.

'We are as committed as ever to finding them.'

Mr Palmer is white, 5ft 11ins, of medium build, with receding/skinhead dark brown hair.

He has brown eyes and several tattoos on his left arm of a snake head, bull, eagle and swallow.

On his right arm he has a snake and skull, and two flower designs with 'MAM' and 'LUCKY' with a swallow.

Mr Leonard is white, around 5ft 8ins, of medium build, with blue eyes and light brown hair, which is cropped very short.

He has a two-inch injury scar on his nose and 'LOVE' tattooed on the knuckles of his left hand with 'HEIDI' on the back of his left hand.

Anyone with any information is asked to call Burnley police on 01282 425001 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. ..News Source.. by Daily Mail Reporter

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Three men deny murder of rapist

5-22-2009 United Kingdom:

Three men have denied murdering a convicted rapist whose body was discovered in a drain.

Alan Street, 26, is believed to have suffered a "sustained and prolonged attack" at a house in Padiham, Lancashire in December last year.

His body was discovered in a culvert in Accrington in January.

Kieren Davison, 20, Ian Palmer, 45, also of Padiham, and Peter Leonard, 51, of Trinity Street, Oswaldtwistle, denied murder at Preston Crown Court.

A fourth man also accused of murdering Mr Street, Allan Palmer, 44, of Stockbridge Road, Padiham, has not yet entered his plea.

Mr Street, 26, from Oswaldtwistle, was convicted of rape in 1999.

The murder trial is scheduled to begin on September 14 and is expected to last up to four weeks.

All four murder accused were remanded in custody.

Four men and one woman were also accused of assisting an offender.

Sean Jackson, 37, from Accrington, Paul Dougill, 39, from Bolton, Michael Helm, 39, from Accrington, and Keith Birtwell, 29, also from Accrington, will all enter pleas on June 26.

A separate trial will be held for those four men and has been provisionally set for October 19.

Nicola Street, 35, from Accrington, pleaded guilty to assisting an offender. ..Source.. by BBC