', Professor Adrian Hobbs, a close friend of Valerie who worked with her at the Road Research Laboratory in Bracknell, Berkshire, said: 'I think she was just waiting to be vindicated. The author now hopes that the posthumous autobiography will be turned into a film so that more people can learn about what she endured. Source: www.apartments.com. The day before he died he wrote a letter to his brother Michael in which he said: "I'm dying tomorrow but I'm innocent. Please God, the judgement by the Lord Chief Justice sees not merely the end of yet one more chapter but the end of this book that has been part of my life for so many years. The journey continued along the A5 through St Albans, which the gunman mistakenly insisted was Watford, before joining the A6. [8], Hanratty's capital murder trial started at Bedfordshire Assizes on 22 January 1962 before Mr Justice Gorman and a jury; it was originally to have been heard at the Old Bailey, as requested by Hanratty's defence counsel, Michael Sherrard QC, later CBE. He then ordered her to drag Michael's body out of the car to the edge of the lay-by before ordering her to show him how to operate the vehicle. Find the right content for your market. Sign up here. Keep an eye on the newspapers, this in years to come will come out.". Why did you shoot him?" 22nd August 1961, Michael Gregsten a 36-year-old research scientist at the Road Research Laboratory at Langley, near Slough. Storie was an assistant at the same laboratory and had been having an affair with Gregsten, although this did not become public knowledge until Storie wrote a series of articles for the popular Today magazine in June 1962, five months after the trial. [35], James Hanratty's body was exhumed in 2001 to extract his DNA. The full text of the Court of Appeals Decision: This page was last edited on 26 January 2023, at 14:31. When Paul was handed what he calls the 'Storie papers', made up of her own notes on that fateful night as well as police tapes, he decided her story needed to be told. You shot him. Hanratty said he had called into a sweetshop in Scotland Road and asked directions to 'Carleton' or 'Tarleton' Road. Michael J. Gregsten, mmn = Oulet, GRO Register of Deaths: JUN 1962 4a 7 AMPTHILL. The car Gregsten and Storie had been using at the time of the attack, a grey four-door 1956 Morris Minor registration 847BHN, was found abandoned behind Redbridge tube station in Essex later that evening. "If anyone doesn't want to be punished then they, surely, don't commit the crime. The A6 Committee made a list of claims which, they contended, indicated that Alphon was the murderer: Paul Foot warned "against jumping to hasty conclusions, in particular about Peter Alphon he really didn't know as much as he pretended. The case involved the death of a man who lived not far from Hanratty and Mr Stickler thinks he could have heard about it while he was in prison for house breaking. For disappearances in France on the A6 between Paris and Lyon, see, GRO Register of Deaths SEP 1978 11 0739 BRENT - James Francis Hanratty, DoB = 3 October 1907, GRO Register of Marriages DEC 1936 2a 1724 BROMLEY - James Hanratty = Mary A. Wilson, GRO Register of Deaths JUL 1999 C81A 2421C 97 LEWISHAM - Mary Ann Hanratty, DoB = 6 April 1917, GRO Register of Births DEC 1936 2a 1038 BROMLEY - James Hanratty, mmn = Wilson, GRO Register of Births: MAR 1925 3a 660 BARNET. The Long Silenceis, in essence, Valeries posthumous autobiography, explaining for the first time every explicit detail of the cat and mouse drive, as Michael and Valerie tried on over twenty occasions to deter and thwart the apparently indecisive Hanratty. Save up to 30% when you upgrade to an image pack. Private detectives tracked down a Mrs Grace Jones, a landlady with a guest house which had a green bath in the attic as described by Hanratty. First sergeant epr bullets june 30, 2022 | | 0 comment | 2:40 pm. The gunman replied that Gregsten had frightened him by turning too quickly. He was hanged at Bedford Jail on 4 April 1962, after being convicted of the murder of scientist Michael Gregsten, aged 36, who was shot dead in a car on the A6 at Deadman's Hill, near Clophill, Bedfordshire in August 1961. There was plenty of evidence that Hanratty had been in London all day on Monday 21 August: in the morning he had deposited a suit into a dry cleaners' in Swiss Cottage; he had been to his friend Charles France's house on the Monday afternoon, and visited the Vienna Hotel in the evening. During the 1990s, increasingly advanced DNA analysis techniques became widely available. I know that because I was there. Try to reignite the pilot light. [15][16] Storie, an only child, lived with her parents in Cippenham, a suburb of Slough. In 1999 the case was referred to the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC). The two were facing each other, their arms resting on the backs of the seats as they spoke quietly when there was a tap on the drivers window. Despite being left paralysed and having to spend several months undergoing therapy at Stoke Mandeville Hospital, she returned to her job as a member of the on-the-spot accident team at the Road Research Laboratory just ten months after the ordeal. She was always absolutely certain that she was right, there was no question about that.'. 2023 Getty Images. Paul Foot and some other campaigners argued elsewhere that the DNA evidence could have been contaminated, in view of the fact that the small DNA samples from items of clothing, kept in a police laboratory for over 40 years in conditions that, as they argue, "do not satisfy modern evidential standards", had to be subjected to amplification techniques to yield any genetic profile. Peter Alphon died in January 2009 after a fall at his home. Hanratty would be convicted after a trial lasting almost four weeks but his execution marked the beginning of a forty-year journey of cries of a miscarriage of justice, media frenzies, legal arguments, criticism of the police, a referral to the Criminal Cases Review Commission and finally a Court of Appeal ruling in 2002 when DNA evidence would finally put an end to the furore; he was indeed guilty. dr mark weiss psychologist; evaluate crossword clue 4 letters; pitt county jail bookings twitter. AboutPressCopyrightContact. People need to know what this poor woman went through.'. Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images Mr Stickler said: 'She was absolutely measured and calm and wholly consistent from minute one to the very end. The man tied Storie's hands behind her back with Gregsten's tie and then saw a duffle bag containing some clean clothing. However, only two days later, Storie gave a different description of her assailant to the police. However, in a new edition of his book, 36 Murders and Two Immoral Earnings, printed immediately after the publication of the Hanratty DNA evidence, he retracted his assertions of Hanratty's innocence.[26]. In the 'Storie papers' is a script containing her stronger feelings on the matter. He would have been wrongly identified by three witnesses at identification parades; first as the person at the scene of the crime and secondly (by two witnesses) driving a vehicle close to where the vehicle in which the murder was committed was found. James Hanratty (4 October 1936 4 April 1962), also known as the A6 Murderer, was a British criminal who was one of the final eight people in the UK to be executed before capital punishment was effectively abolished. (Photo by Central Press/Getty Images) Victim's Wife 23rd November 1961: Mrs Janet Gregsten arrives at Ampthill Court in Bedfordshire, to attend the trial of James Hanratty for the murder of her husband, Michael Gregsten. Despite being pilloried by the media, Valerie Storie withdrew from the limelight and tried to live a normal life. Streamline your workflow with our best-in-class digital asset management system. As a result of these facts, after the A6 murder, Valerie was often unfairly characterised as a "loose woman". On Tuesday, 22nd August, 1961, Michael Gregsten, 36, a research physicist, called at the address of his estranged wife at Sabine House, Abbots Langley, and. The dead man, who has been identified as physicist Michael John Gregsten, 34, from Abbots Langley in Hertfordshire, had been shot twice in the head with a 38-calibre revolver. And when she was found the following morning she was able to give a hugely detailed description of what happened. Michael gregsten wife / june 11, 2022 june 11, 2022 / were achilles and patroclus cousins. Make an enquiry and our team will be get in touch with you ASAP. In July of the following year he fell from his bicycle, injuring his head and remaining unconscious for 10 hours; he was admitted to Wembley Hospital, where he remained for nine days. By the time of his arrest for the murder of Michael Gregsten, Hanratty had already accumulated four convictions for motoring offences and housebreaking. After Hanratty received a unanimous verdict of guilty in court, a petition arguing his innocence was signed by 90,000 people, but an appeal was dismissed. Find Janet Gregsten stock photos and editorial news pictures from Getty Images. Im a desperate man. October 11th, 1961, James Hanratty was arrested for murder and rape. Woman left with serious injuries after dog attack on residential road in Luton. ", "Hanratty's body is reburied after DNA testing", "DNA proves Hanratty guilt 'beyond doubt', "The A6 Murder (BBC2 programme transcript)", "Hanratty family in new appeal against murder conviction", "Rape victim speaks out at last about Hanratty", "Community transport service launches new bus", "Tributes pour in for Slough's brave Valerie Storie", Criminal Cases Review Commission Referral, "Hanratty's defence lawyer: "The wrong man was not hanged", Innocent.org.uk Criminal Cases Review Commission, A miscarriage of justice? During the incident, the victim was kicked in the back and suffered minor injuries. By [17], Late in the evening of Tuesday, 22 August 1961, Valerie Storie was sitting alongside Gregsten in his car in a cornfield at Dorney Reach, Buckinghamshire. The car had been jointly owned by Gregsten's mother and aunt, and lent to the couple who, according to Storie, were planning to attend a car rally. [citation needed] Storie gave another statement to the police later that morning, just before she underwent surgery in Bedford Hospital. Michael Gregsten's widow later went on to have an affair with her brother in law William Ewer, who left his wife. Inside a parked Morris Minor was a 36-year-old scientist, Michael Gregsten, and his 22-year-old girlfriend, Valerie Storie. When this evidence went to court in 2002, proving Hanratty's guilt beyond any doubt, reporters once again hounded Valerie to speak. They were confronted by a man with a gun. She was of the opinion that it is for all of us to make the most of what we have been dealt.'. On 29 August, Valerie Storie and another witness, Edward Blackhall, who had seen the driver of the Morris Minor, compiled an Identikit picture which was then released. Rachel Muir For Mailonline She wanted to write a book to finally give her version of events but did not get round to this before her death in 2016. All you have to do is to click here and type in your email address. He stayed in a room the night before the crime from which bullets that had been fired from the murder weapon were recovered. Select from premium Janet Gregsten of the highest quality. Were going to have traffic chaos. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Michael Gregsten with his wife Janet 1962 OLD PHOTO at the best online prices at eBay! Michael Streeter on the latest twist in a celebrated murder mystery. But then the other suspect, Peter Alphon, publicly confesses to the crime. Forensic science and the case of James Hanratty, England and Wales Court of Appeal (Criminal Division) Decisions. The suspect falsely identified himself as 'Frederick Durrant'; he was actually Peter Louis Alphon, a drifter surviving on an inheritance and the proceeds of gambling. I do this act in the knowledge that it will clear my family's character of any act or wrong'. [34] Modern testing of DNA from Hanratty's exhumed corpse and members of his family convinced Court of Appeal judges in 2002 that Hanratty's guilt was proved "beyond doubt". Alphon subsequently surrendered himself, and was subjected to an intense interrogation. Hanratty became one of the final eight people in the UK to be executed before capital punishment was abolished, but the others that came after him were seen as 'more clear cut' cases, so the idea of Hanratty's innocence became a beacon for those opposing capital punished. Nudds' statement also said that Alphon had stayed in the hotel as he claimed, and had remained in his room, Room 6, all night. RM ID: B5E30P Preview Image details Contributor: Trinity Mirror / Mirrorpix / Alamy Stock Photo File size: 30 MB (1.3 MB Compressed download) Releases: When Valerie died and her papers were given to me I became determined to retell the story with her perspective at its heart. Detectives and tracker dogs have spent the day searching the surrounding area and so far two cartridges have been found. At 11.30pm, the man said he wanted food, and told Gregsten to start driving. The man then said he wanted to sleep, and that he would have to tie them up. With some justification it seemed, since Michael had a tendency to spend willingly rather than save. Valerie Storie did not recognise Alphon in an identity parade, and he was released four days later after being detained on a charge of assaulting Meike Dalal. At about 9pm on August 22, 1961, Michael Gregsten, 36, and his girlfriend Valerie Storie, 22, were sitting in their Morris Minor 1000 car in a lay-by at Dorney Reach, Buckinghamshire, when. Hanratty's appeal was dismissed on 13 March, and despite a petition signed by more than 90,000 people, Hanratty was hanged by executioner Harry Allen at Bedford on 4 April 1962, still protesting his innocence. Something went wrong, please try again later. Want the latest Bedfordshire news direct to your inbox? ON Tuesday, August 22, 1961, Michael Gregsten, 36, called at the home of his estranged wife at Sabine House, Abbots Langley, and, after taking his nine-year-old son, Simon, to play in Cassiobury Park, Watford, he collected his girlfriend, Valerie Storie, 22, from work. No DNA other than Hanratty's was found on the handkerchief in which the murder weapon had been found wrapped. For pouch chewers, reach down in the bottom of the pouch, where the tobacco is moist, and grab a small handful. "[25], The journalist and campaigner Ludovic Kennedy wrote many articles asserting Hanratty's innocence. Hanratty was initially buried in the grounds of Bedford Gaol, but, on 22 February 1966, his remains were exhumed and re-interred in a grave at Watford, later shared with his aunt.[22][23]. After a five-hour ordeal, ending in a layby on the A6 in Bedfordshire, Michael was shot dead and Valerie was raped, shot and left for dead. It is not known why the trial was moved to Bedford, just nine miles from the murder scene, although this afforded easier access for the now-paraplegic Valerie Storie, who had received treatment at nearby Stoke Mandeville Hospital. Despite being depicted in the media for decades as a woman who sent an innocent man to his death, Valerie kept quiet. His companion, 22-year-old laboratory assistant, Valerie Storie, from Cippenham, near Slough, had been raped and shot five times in the chest. 83 Michael Gregsten Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images CREATIVE Collections Project #ShowUs Creative Insights EDITORIAL VIDEO BBC Motion Gallery NBC News Archives MUSIC BLOG BROWSE PRICING ENTERPRISE VisualGPS INSIGHTS BOARDS CART SIGN IN Images Images Creative Editorial Video Creative Editorial FILTERS CREATIVE EDITORIAL VIDEO After leaving the school in 1951 at the age of 15, Hanratty, still illiterate, joined the Public Cleansing Department of Wembley Borough Council as a refuse sorter. Next, use the -inch open-end wrench and pull out the thermistor by turning it counter-clockwise. I had found the guilty person. At about 1.30am on August 23, Hanratty told Michael to pull into a lay-by at Deadman's Hill and to hand over his duffle bag. Michael Gregsten is a 36-year-old research scientist at the Road Research Laboratory at Langley, near Slough. Two suspects were spotlighted for the attack, which was dubbed The A6 Murder. James Hanratty was eventually charged and executed, despite claiming his innocence. No precise diagnoses were offered, and it has since been suggested that he suffered from either epilepsy or post-concussional syndrome, which would have had a marked effect on his personality.[8]. Sixty years ago today, on April 4, 1962, their attacker was one of the last eight people in the UK to be executed when he was hanged at Bedford Prison. Collaborate with our global Enterprise Sales team. He argued that the evidence may have been contaminated because of lax handling procedures.[34][40]. After driving them around the English countryside for hours, the intruder shot both Michael and Valerie, leaving them on the side of the road at a location known as Deadmans Hill.
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