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;Picture taken at home of Mrs. Janet Gregston with her two sons Anthony 3 and Simon (9) 1961. Michael Gregston was murdered by James Hanratty 1962. 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. They were ordered to drive to Deadman's Hill, where the attack took place. Michael Gregsten with his wife Janet before he was murdered in his car on the A6 by James Hanratty. The following extract describes the moments leading up to the events on that fateful nightin August 1961 that turned her life upside down Valeries shopping basket rested on the back seat. Despite this, Michael was having an affair with his 22-year-old lab assistant, Valerie Storie. I had found the guilty person. Satisfied he had killed her, the gunman drove off southward with much crashing of gears, in the direction of Luton. Michael Gregsten with his wife Janet 1962 OLD PHOTO | eBay We are no longer accepting comments on this article. He then ordered Storie to drag Gregsten's body out of the car to the edge of the lay-by 2 or 3 metres away, before ordering her back into the car to start it for him and demonstrate the operation of the gears and switches. 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. He leaves two sons, aged seven and two. Nudds also now added that Alphon had left the hotel 'calm and composed'. 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] Hanratty's defence claimed that Mrs Dinwoodie was mistaken about the date. Lying next to Gregsten, semi-conscious, was Gregsten's mistress, Valerie Jean Storie (24 November 1938 26 March 2016). In the 'Storie papers' is a script containing her stronger feelings on the matter. It's best to encompass . Hanratty confessed to his defence barrister that he had invented part of the Liverpool story as he was unsure he could prove where he was. [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. 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. When Valerie died and her papers were given to me I became determined to retell the story with her perspective at its heart. It was about 1954 that Hanratty became attracted to Soho, where he frequented various clubs and other haunts of the criminal underworld. [34] DNA was donated by Hanratty's mother and brother,[22] which they expected to exonerate him when compared with DNA extracted from surviving evidence. Pre-pay for multiple images and download on demand. Surely we could do much better?, Man in his 70s attacked in his home by burglars in Luton. He stayed in a room the night before the crime from which bullets that had been fired from the murder weapon were recovered. [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. He had the same identifying manner of speech as the killer. They kissed only once. 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. Case 172: Michael Gregsten & Valerie Storie - YouTube 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. Valerie and Lennon never met, but in 2001 she said: "I felt it was very ironic that he himself died by the bullet and it flashed through my mind that when the news came through that John Lennon had been shot and killed, I felt, well now John Lennon, you know what it feels like to be shot.". He attempted to escape that facility as well, and was sent to Strangeways Prison, Manchester. Where was the money going to come from? 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. Keep an eye on the newspapers, this in years to come will come out.". "[42], Following the DNA evidence in 2002, Storie earned over 40,000 for her participation in various TV and newspaper documentaries. Valerie wrote: "Hanratty committed a crime and was found guilty and was hanged. Woman left with serious injuries after dog attack on residential road in Luton. (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. The author now hopes that the posthumous autobiography will be turned into a film so that more people can learn about what she endured. She didn't change her story one iota.'. , updated In 2002 DNA evidence proved beyond all doubt that Hanratty was guilty. Journalists such as Paul Foot and Bob Woffinden campaigned for years to prove Hanratty's innocence, casting doubt on Valerie's evidence. All of this money was anonymously donated to Slough Mobility Transport for the purchase of two new vehicles, one of which was named 'Valerie'. She identified Hanratty from a lineup and testified at his trial. 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! 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. He argued that the evidence may have been contaminated because of lax handling procedures.[34][40]. Select from premium Janet Gregsten of the highest quality. Paul's book describes the events in great detail of the night in illuminating detail, based on Valerie's accounts. Usher admitted remembering Hanratty and the suitcase, and partly remembered the name of the man as 'Ratty'; he was located by private detectives working for the defence, but was never called as a witness. [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. At Deadman's Hill the man ordered Gregsten to pull into a lay-by. [24] The Committee attempted to assist Hanratty in his defence, and later tried to disprove his conviction. Save up to 30% when you upgrade to an image pack. Two suspects were spotlighted for the attack, which was dubbed The A6 Murder. James Hanratty was eventually charged and executed, despite claiming his innocence. This would be of no interest except for possibly the oddest coincidence in the case. 22nd August 1961, Michael Gregsten a 36-year-old research scientist at the Road Research Laboratory at Langley, near Slough. 96 Michael Gregsten Premium High Res Photos - Getty Images They drove around the suburbs of North London, apparently aimlessly. [citation needed]. When Alphon found out, he flew into a rage. Michael Gregston was murdered by James Hanratty 1962. The sudden intrusion did not seem real. Crime A6 Murder of Michael Gregsten. It was clear he either had not driven before, or was unfamiliar with a Morris Minor. One dog was subsequently put to sleep due the severity of it's injuries. Professor Hobbs said: 'It is important that people understand that it is very easy to jump on a bandwagon and come up with a conclusion that is wrong.'. Moreover, the murderer drove badly, whereas Hanratty was an experienced car thief. [31] Woffinden wrote that there is no evidence that the witnesses even saw the same Morris Minor. [12] Gregsten had been shot twice in the head with a .38 revolver at point blank range; Storie had been raped, and then shot with the same weapon, four times in the left shoulder and once in the neck, leaving her paralysed below the shoulders. James Hanratty news from the St Albans & Harpenden Review Although Hanratty's blood group (O) was the same as the murderer's, it was a fairly common blood type shared by 36% of the British population, including Peter Alphon and, apart from Storie's identification, there was no other evidence that Hanratty had ever been in the Maidenhead area. 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. 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. [36] His DNA was compared with other DNA extracted from, firstly, mucus preserved in the handkerchief within which the murder weapon had been found wrapped and, secondly, semen preserved in the underwear worn by Storie when she was raped. Michael Gregsten is a 36-year-old research scientist at the Road Research Laboratory at Langley, near Slough. The gunman ordered Gregsten to drive in several directions, before stopping beside the A6 at Deadman's Hill, where the offences took place. Within a few days, the defence had checked and assembled a new alibi for Hanratty. 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. His companion, 22-year-old laboratory assistant, Valerie Storie, from Cippenham, near Slough, had been raped and shot five times in the chest. The pair tracked down Peter Alphon in February 1962, and began a long friendship with him for the purposes of establishing the truth. We'll also send you alerts about important breaking news. 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 They were confronted by a man with a gun. It was a conclusive match. "If anyone doesn't want to be punished then they, surely, don't commit the crime. a6 murder - Casebook: Jack the Ripper Forums 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. That night, after stopping for a drink at The Station Inn at Taplow, they stopped on a countryside road to discuss their future. 2022 Casefile True Crime Podcast. They had finished the planning for the weekends rally, Valeries maps folded away in her shopping basket. James Hanratty was later tried, convicted and executed for the murder of Michael John Gregsten on the A6 road. 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]. They dispatched a telegram to Valerie's place of work, inviting her to the Corn Exchange to "refute any allegations that may be made against you". 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. Crime A6 Murder of Michael Gregsten. ;Picture taken at home of Mrs 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. 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. What Valerie then saw surprised her. On the evening of August 22, 1961, lovers Michael Gregsten and Valerie Storie were parked by a field near Slough. circa 1962. 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. 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. ease arkansas phone number Hanratty found a job there driving a mechanical shovel for the company of Green Brothers, which made breeze blocks, and remained with the firm for three years. James Hanratty - Watford Observer Was this a miscarriage of justice? Ask the author: Jeremy Craddock on The Jigsaw Murders, Ask the author: Monica Weller on investigating a 50-year-old cold case. 79 Michael Gregsten Premium High Res Photos - Getty Images After holding them at gunpoint for two hours, Hanratty told Michael to start driving because he wanted food. Initially admitted to the Royal Sussex Hospital, Brighton, he was transferred to St Francis Hospital, Haywards Heath, where he underwent a craniotomy following the erroneous diagnosis of a brain haemorrhage. 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. 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. No defence on the basis of mental history was raised at Hanrattys trial. The Beds 'A6 Murderer' who was one of the last people hanged in the UK In police line-ups, Storie did not recognise Alphon, but eventually identified Hanratty. [citation needed]. During the incident, the victim was kicked in the back and suffered minor injuries. [12] Kerr alerted Sydney Burton, a farm labourer, who flagged down two cars and asked the drivers to call an ambulance. [34] However, he admitted that, if contamination could be excluded, the DNA evidence demonstrated that James Hanratty had committed the murder and rape. What was going to happen to them? At that time there was no conclusive forensic evidence to connect Hanratty with the car or the murder scene. 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. Hanratty's family and their supporters have continued to contest this conclusion and to press for a further review of his conviction. The campaign got even more attention when Beatle John Lennon, and his partner, Yoko Ono, joined the campaign. A woman who was raped and shot in a car with her lover - and was then hounded by people who were convinced her attacker was innocent, has told her story in a new book from beyond the grave. Clear my name.". Victim's silence finally broken 60 years after A6 Murderer attack michael gregsten wife / June 11, 2022 June 11, 2022 / were achilles and patroclus cousins /. I'm thinking." At the trial Nudds also stated that the man, upon leaving, had asked the way to a bus stop for a 36A bus, though his statement to police had merely mentioned the 36 bus. Nudds' statement also said that Alphon had stayed in the hotel as he claimed, and had remained in his room, Room 6, all night. the A6 Murder | blackpoolcrime [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. richmond electric tankless water heater error codes 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. However, only two days later, Storie gave a different description of her assailant to the police. With the gun was a handkerchief which provided DNA evidence many years later. He said: "Whenever journalists came to her asking to tell her story she said no, as they'd misrepresent her. Gregsten had been hit twice in the head and died instantly. Miraculously, Valerie survived, but was left paralysed from the chest down for the rest of her life. mobile homes for rent in hammond, la / bourbon red turkey egg production / bourbon red turkey egg production [35], James Hanratty's body was exhumed in 2001 to extract his DNA. 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]. map Storie drank gin and Pepsi, Gregsten had Double Diamond. Despite being depicted in the media for decades as a woman who sent an innocent man to his death, Valerie kept quiet. People need to know what this poor woman went through.'. They took with them maps and other things to organise a car rally being held at their office this weekend. Hanratty: the truth at last? | The Independent | The Independent Police handout, showing James Hanratty in police custody, Lennon and Ono protest Hanratty's execution. .. View 1 apartments for rent in corsicana, tx. 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]. [1] 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. 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. On 7 September 1954, aged 17, Hanratty appeared before Harrow Magistrates' where he was placed on probation for taking a motor vehicle without consent, and for driving without a licence or insurance. Snus is a pasteurized, air-cured, smokeless and spitless tobacco, usually found in pouches. michael gregsten wife - Svm-med.com A BBC Panorama episode in 1966 included extracts from the Jean Justice tapes. Hanratty's early years were troubled. In August 1961, Michael Gregsten and Valerie Storie were sitting in their car in Dorney Reach, UK when an intruder forced his way into the backseat brandishing a gun. 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. Case 172: Michael Gregsten & Valerie Storie : r/Casefile - Reddit Collaborate with our global Enterprise Sales team. Tap into Getty Images' global scale, data-driven insights, and network of more than 340,000 creators to create content exclusively for your brand. The Hanrattys were warm, gentle, determined people, unlikely parents of a man who had been convicted of shooting Michael Gregsten dead in a lay-by off the A6, raping his girlfriend Valerie Storie and then shooting her, leaving her for dead before driving off in the couple's car. Gregsten's girlfriend, Valerie Storie, was raped, shot five times, and left paralysed. James Hanratty denied shooting Michael Gregsten, a physicist, twice in the head last August. Her wish was honoured when The Long Silence was released with the title that Valerie had planned to give to her book. Following her death, author Paul Stickler was handed Valerie's extensive notes and files, allowing her story to finally be told. This time, she did. Just before the defence opened its case, Hanratty changed part of his alibi. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. However, she was certain that this occurred on Monday 21 August. A brown, check car rug was spread out; another small, personalised feature of the rallying Morris. Valerie Storie - obituary - The Telegraph A man tapped on the driver's door window; when Gregsten wound it down, a large black revolver was thrust into his face, and a cockney voice said, "This is a hold-up, I am a desperate man, I have been on the run for four months. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. Rachel Muir For Mailonline Inside a parked Morris Minor was a 36-year-old scientist, Michael Gregsten, and his 22-year-old girlfriend, Valerie Storie. 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. Alphon claimed he gave Gregsten two chances to get away but "each time the bloody man kept coming back". The man got into the back of the car and told Gregsten to drive further into the field, then stop. "The book tells the story of what happened that night and how she dealt with it in the years that followed. The gunman then made to leave but suddenly turned back and shot Valerie several times, with five bullets hitting her. Access the best of Getty Images with our simple subscription plan. [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. However, what isn't well known is Valerie's side of the story. Rachel Muir For Mailonline, Easter getaway havoc as more than 1,100 flights are cancelled with Heathrow airport blaming soaring passenger and staff rotas hit by Covid for long queues as fliers also endure chaos at Manchester and Gatwick, Oligarch who was once Russia's richest man says the nation's billionaire elites need to publicly declare Putin a war criminal to prove they do not work for the Kremlin, Covid lockdowns have left a generation of young children struggling to crawl, talk, share, make friends and use the toilet independently, Ofsted report finds. Professor Hobbs said: 'She never felt sorry for herself. Im a desperate man. He then retrieved a cloth from the duffle bag, covered Gregsten's bloodied head with it, and ordered Storie to clamber into the back of the car, over Gregsten's body. None of it made sense. "I would be terrified of every unusual sound or knock at the door. 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. Or did Scotland Yard have the right man all along? First sergeant epr bullets june 30, 2022 | | 0 comment | 2:40 pm. The case became a cause celebre, with politicians and pop stars, legal experts and writers joining the campaign to prove he was the victim of a miscarriage of justice. 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. 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. Sign up here. That's basically taking the rest of his brothers life with him, since he knew he wouldn't be cleared. Awaiting the Truth about Hanratty - London Review of Books 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. Mr Gregsten's body was tonight identified by his wife, Janet. Valerie Storie was left paralysed after James Hanratty attacked her and killed her boyfriend in August 1961. Learn more about how you can collaborate with us. 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.