Collect, curate and comment on your files. FBiH - Konkursi za turistike vodie i voditelje putnike agencije. Surely we could do much better?, Man in his 70s attacked in his home by burglars in Luton. Michael was 14 years older than her and married with two children, though he was in the process of separating from his wife. They had finished the planning for the weekends rally, Valeries maps folded away in her shopping basket. "If anyone doesn't want to be punished then they, surely, don't commit the crime. [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. Alamy and its logo are trademarks of Alamy Ltd. and are registered in certain countries. [34][37][39], At the appeal hearing in 2002, Michael Mansfield QC, the barrister acting for the Hanratty family, said that a vial, among surviving evidential items, had been broken which could account for contamination. Valerie Storie after receiving treatment for stab wounds on the A6 where Michael Gregsten was murdered is taken to court during trial against James. By A man threatened the couple with a gun. Mr Stickler said: 'She was absolutely measured and calm and wholly consistent from minute one to the very end. No DNA other than Hanratty's was found on the handkerchief in which the murder weapon had been found wrapped. He believes that one of the other people was the murdered man's spurned wife, Janet Gregsten, who died recently, and at . No defence on the basis of mental history was raised at Hanrattys trial. While she died in 2016 before she wrote her book and told her story in her words, The Long Silence is a compelling read with never before heard details of what happened on that fateful night and the impact it had on Valerie's life. "I would be terrified of every unusual sound or knock at the door. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. 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 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. [citation needed] She remembered a man resembling Hanratty, and at first said he stayed there during the week of 1926 August but later said she couldnt really remember what week he did stay. See the latest news in your area enter your postcode below or visit InYourArea: This story is well known and Hanratty, often referred to as the A6 Murderer, has become Bedfordshire's most notorious killer. 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. Just before the defence opened its case, Hanratty changed part of his alibi. With the gun still pointing at them, the man said, I have been on the run for four months. Forensic science and the case of James Hanratty, England and Wales Court of Appeal (Criminal Division) Decisions. Was this a miscarriage of justice? After vainly screaming and waving her petticoat to attract the attention of passing motorists, Storie lost consciousness. 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. On 19 March 1997, the Home Office referred the case to the new Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) where Baden Skitt chaired the investigation. 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! A group known as the A6 Committee was set up, with newspaper articles following and demands for an independent review in the House of Lords. 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]. Signing up to the newsletter is simple. The Getty Images design is a trademark of Getty Images. Following her death, author Paul Stickler was handed Valerie's extensive notes and files, allowing her story to finally be told. He attempted to escape that facility as well, and was sent to Strangeways Prison, Manchester. Michael Gregsten, was shot dead in a car on the A6 in Bedfordshire in August 1961, but Hanratty claimed to be in North Wales resort . Home richfield school district michael gregsten wife. 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. In the evening of Thursday 24 August, the murder weapon, a .38 revolver, was discovered under the back seat of a 36A London bus, fully loaded and wiped clean of fingerprints. Want the latest Bedfordshire news direct to your inbox? He was struck by how calm and measured she was throughout the whole ordeal. 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. 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. You don't want it to be blown out. She identified Hanratty from a lineup and testified at his trial. After climbing into the car's back seat, he ordered Gregsten to drive. With some justification it seemed, since Michael had a tendency to spend willingly rather than save. He then stated that he had in fact been in the Welsh coastal town of Rhyl. I do this act in the knowledge that it will clear my family's character of any act or wrong'. [8], Gregsten was a scientist at the Road Research Laboratory in Slough. 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. 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. [12] Kerr alerted Sydney Burton, a farm labourer, who flagged down two cars and asked the drivers to call an ambulance. On 14 October, Valerie Storie identified Hanratty in an identity parade, after each of the men in the parade had repeated the phrase used by the murderer: "Be quiet, will you? She was always absolutely certain that she was right, there was no question about that.'. She then began to draft a book telling her story of what happened that night on the A6, and of the suspicions she endured for years after, but tragically she died in 2016 before she wrote it. They had been here on a few occasions before, to make love or simply to spend time alone together. As they sat there was a tap on the driver's window. [30], The Hanratty family acting through their solicitor, Sir Geoffrey Bindman, repeatedly called for further inquiries into the case. Organize, control, distribute and measure all of your digital content. Captions are provided by our contributors. Were they to marry? A BBC Panorama episode in 1966 included extracts from the Jean Justice tapes. Inside a parked Morris Minor was a 36-year-old scientist, Michael Gregsten, and his 22-year-old girlfriend, Valerie Storie. Storie screamed, "You bastard! It was not yet dark, but twilight had set in and visibility was not perfect. Mr Stickler remains interested in pursuing the story further and is looking into another case which he believes might have inspired Hanratty. Find Janet Gregsten stock photos and editorial news pictures from Getty Images. He ordered them to drive to . But then the other suspect, Peter Alphon, publicly confesses to the crime. 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. Paul's book describes the events in great detail of the night in illuminating detail, based on Valerie's accounts. 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. It was clear he either had not driven before, or was unfamiliar with a Morris Minor. Mr Stickler, a former Hampshire Constabulary police officer who specialised in murder investigations, compiled the book during lockdown using thousands of records and annotated documents left behind by Valerie. Storie and Gregsten pleaded with him not to shoot them. During the 60 mile journey, Michael and Valerie made 22 separate attempts to escape or frustrate the driver. [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. Copyright 04/03/2023 Alamy Ltd. All rights reserved. Michael wound down his window, only halfway, when a gun was thrust through the gap, its muzzle pointing directly at them. But tonight, they were talking. I had found the guilty person. [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. [35], James Hanratty's body was exhumed in 2001 to extract his DNA. 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. When Valerie died and her papers were given to me I became determined to retell the story with her perspective at its heart. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. He told Gregsten to pass the bag but, as Gregsten moved, there were two shots. Since his death Hanratty's family and supporters have fought to prove that, although a petty crook, he was not a killer. The police raided the hotel, and questioned Nudds again, who then changed his story, claiming that Alphon had in fact been in the basement and 'Ryan' in Room 6 but, for reasons unknown, had swapped rooms during the night. It was full of her personal effects including her handbag, a wallet and a purse, a few pound notes and coins pushed inside them. Yet in spite of this, Valerie kept her silence, Paul explained. This image could have imperfections as its either historical or reportage. (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. Hanratty's uneducated London accent and his 'very large icy-blue eyes' enabled Valerie to identify him from a line-up and she later testified at his trial. For over thirty five years one person remained silent. 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.". This time, she did. [citation needed] Storie gave another statement to the police later that morning, just before she underwent surgery in Bedford Hospital. The following month Richard Ingrams, a close friend and colleague of Paul Foot, wrote a brief article about Alphon's part in the case in The Independent. She was of the opinion that it is for all of us to make the most of what we have been dealt.'. His last words to his family were "Mick, I am completely innocent. 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. Im a desperate man. By the time of his arrest for the murder of Michael Gregsten, Hanratty had already accumulated four convictions for motoring offences and housebreaking. [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. Valeries immediate instinct was that it was the farmer coming to find out what they were doing and to tell them to get off his land. In October 2000, the Court of Appeal ordered the exhumation of Hanratty's body. The argument for contamination was dismissed as "fanciful" by the judges, who concluded that the "DNA evidence, standing alone, is certain proof of guilt". Find the right content for your market. Jet tila michael voltaggio and defending champion and last seasons winner brooke williamson. He also wrote a letter to the coroner, in which he referred to the great harm done to the family by Hanratty. Case 173: Rocio Wanninkhof & Sonia Carabantes, Tributes pour in for Sloughs brave Valerie Storie. Save up to 30% when you upgrade to an image pack. Drain the heater and clean it. Two suspects were spotlighted for the attack, which was dubbed The A6 Murder. James Hanratty was eventually charged and executed, despite claiming his innocence. Gregsten's girlfriend, Valerie Storie, was raped, shot five times, and left paralysed. 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. 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. Free shipping for many products! Storie then left the car and returned to sit beside Gregsten's body. Valerie hid pound notes in her bra to stop Hanratty from taking them. Journalists such as Paul Foot and Bob Woffinden campaigned for years to prove Hanratty's innocence, casting doubt on Valerie's evidence. 341,587,075 stock photos, 360 panoramic images, vectors and videos, Share Alamy images with your team and customers. Miss Storie's mother, Mrs John Storie, said: "Michael came here last night and had tea with Valerie. [citation needed]. However, what isn't well known is Valerie's side of the story. 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. Ingrams said that Foot continued until his own death in 2004 to believe in Hanratty's alibi, despite the DNA tests of 2002. "[42], Following the DNA evidence in 2002, Storie earned over 40,000 for her participation in various TV and newspaper documentaries. cid exam previous question papers. Gregsten had been hit twice in the head and died instantly. Another man obtained a gun for Alphon, whereupon he set off and hijacked the pair. 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. Was a married man, he and his wife Janet had two boys, Simon, eight, and Anthony, nearly two. 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. Boards are the best place to save images and video clips. The case for Hanratty's innocence was pursued by his family as well as by some of the opponents of capital punishment in the United Kingdom, who maintained that Hanratty was innocent and sought to draw attention to evidence that would cast doubt on the validity of his conviction. DESCRIPTIONIn August 1961, a couple by the name of Michael Gregsten and Valerie Storie were sitting in their Morris Minor car in Dorney Reach, UK, when an in. Peter Alphon died in January 2009 after a fall at his home. The sudden intrusion did not seem real. Get in touch for any commercial. In March 1958, aged 21, at the County of London Sessions, Hanratty was again convicted of car theft, and of driving while disqualified, and sentenced to three years' corrective training at Wandsworth Prison, and then to Maidstone Prison. Circa 1962. Select from premium Janet Gregsten of the highest quality. He was found guilty for the murder of a 36 year old scientist Michael Gregsten in August 22nd 1961. The murderer left the scene in Mr Gregsten's grey Morris Minor, registration number 847 BHN, which was found abandoned in Ilford, Essex, this evening. He certainly didn't know what he alleged that Mrs Gregsten was the prime mover in commissioning the murder. In August 1961, 22-year-old Valerie Storie and 36-year-old Michael Gregsten were the victims of James Hanratty in the notorious 'A6 Murder'. 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. His companion, 22-year-old laboratory assistant, Valerie Storie, from Cippenham, near Slough, had been raped and shot five times in the chest. 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. AboutPressCopyrightContact. 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. Enter your email address below to get the latest news and exclusive content from The History Press delivered straight to your inbox. However, she was certain that this occurred on Monday 21 August. ", "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? That's basically taking the rest of his brothers life with him, since he knew he wouldn't be cleared. It also tells the true story of Valerie's complicated relationship with 36-year-old Michael. Show all articles. 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. He leaves two sons, aged seven and two. The prosecution produced witnesses attesting that all the rooms were already occupied at the time and accused Mrs Jones of being an unreliable witness. Michael was 14 years older than her and married with two children, though he was in the process of separating from his wife. The man accused of the "A6 murder" has entered a plea of "not guilty" at the start of his trial at Bedfordshire Assizes in Bedford. *Thermistor location (two chamber models)* Once you locate the thermistor, detach the thermistor wires from the control board. 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. "The book tells the story of what happened that night and how she dealt with it in the years that followed. Hanratty also raped Gregsten's fiance, Valerie Storie, shot her five times and left her for dead. circa 1962. Snus is a pasteurized, air-cured, smokeless and spitless tobacco, usually found in pouches. 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. Of approximately seven bullets fired, five hit Storie; she fell to the ground next to Gregsten and played dead. Alphon stuck to his confession and continued to repeat it until about 1971, when he withdrew his claims. . During the 1990s, increasingly advanced DNA analysis techniques became widely available. Look after mum and dad. She refused and, having managed to free her hands, tried to disarm him but was overpowered; after he threatened to shoot her, she relented. The story of the A6 Murderer in Bedfordshire is infamous, but the story of one of his victim's has remained untold, To stay up to date with all the latest news from across Bedfordshire sign up to our free newsletter for daily updates and all the latest breaking news. Alphon was the son of a senior figure at Scotland Yard. 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. how to save a picture on laptop without mouse. [15][16] Storie, an only child, lived with her parents in Cippenham, a suburb of Slough. [43][44][citation needed], Valerie Storie died on 26 March 2016 aged 77 in the Cippenham house where she had been born. 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. 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