Shropshire Murders (Sutton True Crime History)

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The jury declined to view the body of the deceased and the prison medical officer told the coroner, Major R W E Crawford Clarke, that death had been instantaneous.

Because you’ve got to remember he was me brother-in-law. He comes around and lives through this, you know, he, he’s goin’ to go straight to the Old Bill and they would have got me bang to rights. Despite the fact that the young man had a criminal record Mr Riley believed he was innocent of murder: "On the basis of the evidence, I have always felt and I still feel that George wasn't the bloke who did the murder.

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This cookie is used to recognize the visitor upon re-entry. This cookie allows to collect information on user behaviour and allows sharing function provided by Addthis.com His friend dropped him off outside his home at 1.30am. Half an hour later, Mrs Smith's next door neighbour heard a piercing scream, but it was not until 10am that her battered body was found on the floor of her bedroom. Pathologists continue to disagree as to whether his injuries were more likely the result of an assault or a series of accidental falls. However, the jail cell tapes heard Ligus confessing to a murder he committed in Whitchurch, believed to be Mr Coles. He said: “... climbed through the kitchen window, which was open. Had a root around the house. Went upstairs. Out of the bedroom comes a bloke (laughter). Ligus, a former painter and decorator, was detained in a secure hospital indefinitely following the jurors’ ruling. Died at home – Brian Coles

However, he was convicted and sentenced to hang. Changes to the different categories of murder enshrined in the 1957 Homicide Act meant that because of the element of "murder committed in the course or furtherance of theft" capital punishment was inevitable.The last people to be hanged in Britain were killers Gwynne Evans and Peter Allen, on August 13, 1964. There was some argument at the time about whether Riley was guilty or not. I forget the name of the police superintendent in charge, but he was adamant that Riley was guilty and the whole trial went smoothly. There was an element nationally, led by a barrister called Louis Blom-Cooper. He led the opposition to Riley's hanging. I'm not sure whether his grounds were that it was a mistrial, or that hanging was wrong. Soon afterwards hanging was abolished. It was a controversial hanging, that's for sure." He said he had mixed views about capital punishment: "I suppose I've got almost a biblical attitude, although I'm not religious. I'm a semi detached Christian in many ways. I feel that probably the old world had the right idea and if you did something wrong you had to pay for it."

Senior investigating officer, Detective Chief Inspector Mark Bellamy said: “Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the man who has sadly lost his life.We understand this incident may be concerning for the local community and I would like to offer my reassurance we will carry out a full and thorough investigation to establish the circumstances. Four people are in custody as our investigation continues. The MP for Nelson and Colne, Samuel Silverman who was opposed to the death penalty submitted a question in the House of Commons asking for an inquiry to see whether a miscarriage of justice had occurred but it was ruled inadmissible on 7 February 1961. Another woman added: "The first police were here around 1pm and two ambulance and the air ambulance were here. We were prevented from getting into our own homes while police investigated, so the local pub put everyone up. West Mercia Police have been brilliant though. Forensic officers were here until 11pm last night. I just know a young man has been killed while going out to work to earn a living and that's just terrible."