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]. [30], The Hanratty family acting through their solicitor, Sir Geoffrey Bindman, repeatedly called for further inquiries into the case. [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". 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. Crime Files Reopened: Was James Hanratty in Rhyl the night a scientist [45][46], This article is about the 1961 murder on the A6 road in England. Hanratty: the truth at last? | The Independent | The Independent He argued that the evidence may have been contaminated because of lax handling procedures.[34][40]. [8], Hanratty claimed that he was staying with friends in Liverpool at the time of the murder, where he had also gone to see one of his criminal friends and former cell mate Terry McNally from Dingle to sell some jewellery. Justice attended the trial every day, being driven there by his chauffeur, and Alphon accompanied him from time to time. Valerie hid pound notes in her bra to stop Hanratty from taking them. They drove around the suburbs of North London, apparently aimlessly. After six hours they returned to ask the judge for the definition of 'reasonable doubt'. Sign up here. Neutral Citation Number (2002) Crim 1141, 'Musing about The A6 Bedfordshire murder', https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=James_Hanratty&oldid=1135732016. Alphon was recorded by PC Ian Thomson as saying "there can't have been any fingerprints in the car otherwise mine would have given me away". By the time of his arrest for the murder of Michael Gregsten, Hanratty had already accumulated four convictions for motoring offences and housebreaking. Was Michael actually going to leave his wife and two boys? If you do as I tell you, you will be all right." When Michael rolled down the window, Hanratty thrust a large black revolver into his face and said: 'This is a hold-up, I am a desperate man, I have been on the run for four months. At about 6:45am on 23 August 1961, the body of Michael John Gregsten (28 December 1924 - 23 August 1961)[10][11] was discovered in a lay-by on the A6 road at Deadman's Hill, near the Bedfordshire village of Clophill, by John Kerr, an Oxford undergraduate conducting a traffic census. Hanratty's family and their supporters have continued to contest this conclusion and to press for a further review of his conviction. [19] Alphon claimed he had spent the evening of 22 August with his mother, and the following night at the Vienna Hotel, Maida Vale; the police quickly confirmed this and Alphon was released. Signing up to the newsletter is simple. Paul's book describes the events in great detail of the night in illuminating detail, based on Valerie's accounts. BBC - Beds Herts and Bucks - History - James Hanratty - The A6 Murder By the age of 11 he had been declared ineducable at St James Catholic High School, Burnt Oak, Barnet, although his parents steadfastly refused to accept he was in any way mentally deficient and successfully resisted attempts to have him placed in a special school. 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 Deadman's Hill. If he hand't been hanged, with life sentences meted out today, then he would be long out of prison. 341,587,075 stock photos, 360 panoramic images, vectors and videos, Share Alamy images with your team and customers. After some investigation, 'Ryan' turned out to be James Hanratty, a 25-year-old petty criminal with four convictions for car theft, larceny and burglary. They compared his DNA to that found on Valerie's underwear and the handkerchief in which the murder weapon had been contained, and found a conclusive match. They were confronted by a man with a gun. According to Storie, the couple were abducted at gunpoint in their car at Dorney Reach, Buckinghamshire, by a man with a Cockney accent and mannerisms matching Hanratty's. The couple were found by a police patrol in the lay-by on the A6 at Deadman's Hill, near Luton, at 0645 BST today. 2022 Casefile True Crime Podcast. On Tuesday, 22nd August, 1961, Michael Gregsten, 36, a research physicist, called at the address of his estranged wife at Sabine House, Abbots Langley, and after taking his 9-year old son, Simon, to play in Cassiobury Park, Watford, he collected his girlfriend, Valerie Storie, 22, from work, and he and Storie went in Gregsten's Morris Minor to the Old Station Inn, Taplow, near Slough. He told Gregsten to pass the bag but, as Gregsten moved, there were two shots. A brown, check car rug was spread out; another small, personalised feature of the rallying Morris. Crime A6 Murder of Michael Gregsten. ;Picture taken at home of Mrs All you have to do is to click here and type in your email address. She said: 'They have built their case on this myth and it has grown to become pure folklore. Hanratty was sent to recuperate at an aunt's home in Bedford, a place he and his brother Michael had visited as children on holiday. For pouch chewers, reach down in the bottom of the pouch, where the tobacco is moist, and grab a small handful. They had never been disturbed before and it was easier to talk here rather than anywhere else. 8 Janet Gregsten Premium High Res Photos - Getty Images Since his death Hanratty's family and supporters have fought to prove that, although a petty crook, he was not a killer. "[42], Following the DNA evidence in 2002, Storie earned over 40,000 for her participation in various TV and newspaper documentaries. Was this a miscarriage of justice? Something went wrong, please try again later. Hanratty telephoned Scotland Yard several times, saying he had fled because he had no credible alibi for the date in question, but repeated each time that he had nothing to do with the A6 murder. After her retirement she remained an active member of her community, giving presentations on family history and helping to establish a minibus service in her hometown of Slough. [8], The first policeman on the scene was handed a census form on which Kerr had written down Storie's account of what she recalled at that moment; the document was never seen again. 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. Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images Why did you shoot him?" When this evidence went to court in 2002, proving Hanratty's guilt beyond any doubt, reporters once again hounded Valerie to speak. Bitterness continued in 1970 when the A6 Committee held a public meeting in Bedford to raise awareness of their concerns. Valerie and 36-year-old Michael Gregsten were held captive in their car for five hours by a gunman who forced them to drive 60 miles from Buckinghamshire to Bedfordshire before shooting them. As they sat there was a tap on the driver's window. Believing that he had killed her, Hanratty drove south in the direction of Luton. Nudds' statement also said that Alphon had stayed in the hotel as he claimed, and had remained in his room, Room 6, all night. She was taken to hospital in Bedford where she underwent surgery for her injuries. [citation needed] Police went back to Nudds, the hotel manager (who himself had a lengthy criminal record for fraud and other offences), who now said that his second statement was a lie, and his first statement, implicating 'Ryan', was in fact true. Gregsten had been hit twice in the head and died instantly. Even Valerie's own Member of Parliament, Joan Lestor, insisted Hanratty was innocent, and once sent a letter to Valerie inviting her to join the campaign for the A6 Committee. The police then took the unusual step of publicly naming Alphon as the murder suspect. Moreover, the murderer drove badly, whereas Hanratty was an experienced car thief. Her testimony was critical in securing a guilty verdict, but this was questioned by many who felt the supporting evidence too weak to justify conviction, and Hanratty's brother fought for decades to have the verdict overturned. Mr Gregsten's body was tonight identified by his wife, Janet. Transferred briefly to Durham Prison, he was returned to Strangeways where, having served his full term, he was released in March 1961, aged 24. Not so much lying to avoid the death sentence, but putting the burden of clearing his name on his brother, even AFTER his death, makes him the worst type of criminal. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. Hanratty's early years were troubled. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. That's basically taking the rest of his brothers life with him, since he knew he wouldn't be cleared. Michael is married and he and his wife Janet have two boys, Simon, eight, and Anthony, nearly two.But Michael is having an affair with his 22-year-old lab assistant, Valerie Storie. I could not ever relax.". 'What I do find distasteful is that the family's belief in their son's innocence has been boosted by campaigners who have given them false hope. Valerie later wrote of it: "In times of trouble one could always go to one's MP and ask for, and possibly receive help and understanding. France also left behind several letters for his family, the contents of which have never been made public. Following her death, author Paul Stickler was handed Valerie's extensive notes and files, allowing her story to finally be told. He leaves two sons, aged seven and two. .. However, what isn't well known is Valerie's side of the story. 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. [28] However, Bob Woffinden wrote that there was only one occasion when Justice and Jeremy Fox supported Alphon financially, when Fox paid a hotel bill for him. BBC ON THIS DAY | 23 | 1961: Couple found shot in A6 lay-by 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. Despite this, Michael was having an affair with his 22-year-old lab assistant, Valerie Storie. michael gregsten wife - Agencijastratega.com Despite being the victim of an unspeakable crime, Valerie found herself at the centre of a witch hunt committed to proving the innocence of the man she knew to be her attacker. I had found the guilty person. According to this, Hanratty had gone to Rhyl to sell a stolen watch to a 'fence', arriving there in the evening of Tuesday 22 August and staying in a boarding house near the railway line. "The book tells the story of what happened that night and how she dealt with it in the years that followed. a6 murder - Casebook: Jack the Ripper Forums It details 22 attempts made by Michael and Valerie to escape or frustrate the gunman, including hatching a plan to drive into a policeman if they came across one on the journey in order to get his attention. Where was the money going to come from? No defence on the basis of mental history was raised at Hanrattys trial. However, as Paul's book reveals, these words were a mask for her true feelings. A brutal crime at Deadman's Hill On August 22, 1961, lovers Gregsten and Storie were parked next to a cornfield in a Morris Minor when a revolver was thrust into the car and a cockney voice let them know they were being held up. The pair had been intimate for two years after meeting through work, and seemingly had spoken about marriage. None of it made sense. Mobile Homes For Rent Corsicana Tx - House for Rent Even once she had been shot and was passing in and out of consciousness, she still managed to wave her petticoat to try to attract attention. Detectives and tracker dogs have spent the day searching the surrounding area and so far two cartridges have been found. The argument for contamination was dismissed as "fanciful" by the judges, who concluded that the "DNA evidence, standing alone, is certain proof of guilt". This was the beginning of the crime which would see Michael murdered and Valerie raped and shot before being left at Deadman's Hill on the A6. Tap into Getty Images' global scale, data-driven insights, and network of more than 340,000 creators to create content exclusively for your brand. He started to bombard his own solicitor with threatening phone calls and letters. 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. Eventually, the jury retired. She identified James Hanratty as her attacker during an identity parade. Captions are provided by our contributors. On Tuesday, 22nd August, 1961, Michael Gregsten, 36, a research physicist, called at the address of his estranged wife at Sabine House, Abbots Langley, and after taking his 9-year old son, Simon, to play in Cassiobury Park, Watford, he collected his girlfriend, Valerie Storie, 22, from work, and he and Storie went in Gregsten's Morris Minor to the Old Station Inn, Taplow, near Slough. Justice took the precaution of making thorough notes, and recording all telephone conversations with Alphon. The other piece of evidence tested, a sample from Valerie Storie's underwear, provided two different sets of male DNA - one that corresponded to Hanratty; and one which the Court of Appeal interpreted as coming from Gregsten.[34]. If you're looking for a way to stay up to date with the latest breaking news from around Bedfordshire, the BedfordshireLive newsletter is a good place to start. [31] Woffinden wrote that there is no evidence that the witnesses even saw the same Morris Minor. Professor Hobbs said: 'She never felt sorry for herself. She refused and, having managed to free her hands, tried to disarm him but was overpowered; after he threatened to shoot her, she relented. As 22-year-old Valerie Storie stepped out of her home on August 22, 1961, she shouted to her parents "Goodbye, I shan't be late". [37][38] However, they further went on to note, in the summary of their judgement: The DNA evidence does not stand alone and the Court refers to some of the more striking coincidences in the light of the DNA evidence if James Hanratty was not guilty. Michael J. Gregsten, mmn = Oulet, GRO Register of Deaths: JUN 1962 4a 7 AMPTHILL. The Long Silence: The Story of James Hanratty and the A6 Murder by Valerie Storie, the Woman Who Lived to Tell the Tale eBook : Stickler, Paul: Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Store. Valerie Storie survived the shooting but was left paralysed and wheelchair-bound. Police handout, showing James Hanratty in police custody, Lennon and Ono protest Hanratty's execution. [8] Gregsten had separated from his wife Janet (d. 1995[13][14]) who lived with their two children at Abbots Langley. [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. James Hanratty murdered Michael Gregsten before shooting 22-year-old 1945: Ex-soldier buried his wife on Anglesey beach after . Michaels duffel bag containing freshly laundered clothing rested next to it. His last words to his family were "Mick, I am completely innocent. Hanratty was then charged with the capital murder of Michael Gregsten. In 1997, a police inquiry concluded he was wrongfully convicted and the case was sent to the Court of Appeal,[1] which ruled in 2002 that a DNA test conclusively proved Hanratty's guilt beyond any doubt.[2]. Professor Hobbs described Valerie as a 'bloody minded and determined' woman with a charming character. This image could have imperfections as its either historical or reportage. They kissed only once. Source: www.apartments.com. 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. Although Gregsten and Storie offered to give him all their money and the car, the man appeared to have no plan and seemed to want them to stay with him. 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. FBiH - Konkursi za turistike vodie i voditelje putnike agencije. I would ask you now to respect my wish to be left in piece.". Police believe the couple, both employees of the Road Research Laboratory near Slough, were confronted by a man with a gun as they were parked on Dorney Common in Berkshire yesterday evening. At the time of France's second suicide attempt in January, one of the letters he left was addressed to the coroner, in which he wrote 'I am of sound mind and body. Lying next to Gregsten, semi-conscious, was Gregsten's mistress, Valerie Jean Storie (24 November 1938 26 March 2016). Hanratty said he had called into a sweetshop in Scotland Road and asked directions to 'Carleton' or 'Tarleton' Road. The pair tracked down Peter Alphon in February 1962, and began a long friendship with him for the purposes of establishing the truth. The man then said he wanted to sleep, and that he would have to tie them up. However, there was another person called William Usher, who did have two fingers missing from one hand, which looked withered. Mr Gregsten's companion, Valerie Storie, was raped, shot and left for dead. Jamal Edwards, a music producer and entrepreneur, died suddenly in February 2022. A man threatened the couple with a gun. Gregsten's girlfriend, Valerie Storie, was raped, shot five times, and left paralysed. You shot him. At about 1.30am on Wednesday 23 August, the car was on the A6, travelling south, when the man said he wanted a 'kip' (sleep). After nine hours, they returned to the court and entered a unanimous verdict of guilty. Access the best of Getty Images with our simple subscription plan. Hanratty - did he rape and murder? | Watford Observer On 3 July 1957, aged 20, five months after his release from Wormwood Scrubs, Hanratty was sentenced at Brighton Magistrates' Court to six months' imprisonment (he served four) for a variety of motoring offences, including theft of a motor vehicle and driving without a licence. The author now hopes that the posthumous autobiography will be turned into a film so that more people can learn about what she endured. Michael was 14 years older than her and married with two children, though he was in the process of separating from his wife. [citation needed]. One of the final eight people in the UK to be executed before capital punishment was abolished, the petty criminal was hanged at Bedford Jail in 1962 for the murder of Michael Gregsten at Deadman's Hill, near Clophill, on the A6. How much time had passed since they had pulled into the field is not absolutely clear since neither was paying particular attention but, Valerie would later estimate, after about thirty minutes their private conversation was disturbed. She told them: "I have never had a problem with the truth. Hanratty's initial defence was that he had been in Liverpool on the day of the murder, but then, halfway through the trial, he changed part of his story, claiming that he had in fact been in Rhyl, North Wales. Nudds also now added that Alphon had left the hotel 'calm and composed'. Storie recalled that he pronounced "things" as "fings" and "think" as "fink".[18]. After vainly screaming and waving her petticoat to attract the attention of passing motorists, Storie lost consciousness. But in May 2002 the Court of Appeal ruled that the DNA evidence had established his guilt "beyond doubt". If you do as I tell you, you will be alright., Extracted from The Long Silence: The True Story of James Hanratty and the A6 Murder by Valerie Storie, the Woman Who Lived to Tell the Tale by Paul Stickler. Michael Gregston was murdered by James Hanratty 1962. michael gregsten wife / June 11, 2022 June 11, 2022 / were achilles and patroclus cousins /. (Known as the 'A6 Murderer' Known for Killing Scientist 'Michael Gregsten') 3 3 Birthdate: October 4, 1936 Sun Sign: Libra Birthplace: Bromley, Kent, England Died: April 4, 1962 Better known as the A6 Murderer, James Hanratty was one of the last people to be executed before capital punishment was abolished. Search for stock images, vectors and videos, Available for editorial use only. With some justification it seemed, since Michael had a tendency to spend willingly rather than save. richmond electric tankless water heater error codes Awaiting the Truth about Hanratty - London Review of Books Historical-Meal-5525 2 yr. ago. For over thirty five years one person remained silent. The 'A6 Defence Committee' was a self-appointed group of campaigners and activists, who included the journalist Paul Foot and the Labour politicians Fenner Brockway and Joan Lestor, the former and current MPs for the Eton & Slough constituency where Valerie Storie lived. Alphon resembled the Identikit pictures more than Hanratty did; Alphon never produced a convincing alibi; He provided a more credible motive than Hanratty could; He was a poor driver, as witnesses had seen the Morris Minor being driven erratically towards Redbridge Station; On 22 March 1967, Detective Superintendent Douglas Nimmo reported to, On 29 May 1996, Detective Chief Superintendent Roger Matthews reported to Home Secretary. Peter Alphon died in January 2009 after a fall at his home. His reason for lying was that he had seen that Alphon was the police's prime suspect, and had wanted to assist their case. Even when she was vindicated at a trial in 2002, she said little more than a few words publicly. ", "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? 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 there was a tap on the driver's window. He stayed in a room the night before the crime from which bullets that had been fired from the murder weapon were recovered. Flatline intro and Come play with me intro and outro www.dl-sounds.com, Logo and website design Paulina Szymanska, James Hanratty: The A6 Murder Crime Files, Tributes pour in for Sloughs brave Valerie Storie Slough & South Bucks Observer, Man is charged with A6 murder The Guardian, Court told of A6 car chase The Guardian, Calls to Yard in A6 case The Guardian, Hanratty family in new appeal against murder conviction BBC News, Police denial of concealing evidence The Guardian, Lay by murder gun identified The Guardian, New search in lay by murder The Guardian, Lennon film on the A6 murder found The Observer, Fresh confession revives Hanratty doubts The Guardian, Appeal court to reveal Hanratty murder case The Guardian, DNA hampers effort to clear Hanratty The Guardian, Murder casebook: James Hanratty Crime and Investigation Network, A miscarriage of justice? 60 years since the A6 murder in Bedfordshire - Home | Bedford Today Circa 1962. It was about 1954 that Hanratty became attracted to Soho, where he frequented various clubs and other haunts of the criminal underworld. [29] Fox split from Jean Justice in the 1970s, but continued the fight to clear Hanratty until his death in 1999, three years before the Court of Appeal upheld the conviction on the basis of the DNA evidence retrieved from Hanratty's corpse.