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July 3, 2022 July 3, 2022. 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. Search above 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. However, she was certain that this occurred on Monday 21 August. Valerie Storie after receiving treatment for stab wounds on the A6 where Michael Gregsten was murdered is taken to court during trial against James. Hanratty said he had called into a sweetshop in Scotland Road and asked directions to 'Carleton' or 'Tarleton' Road. [41], Valerie Storie was quoted as saying "I identified the guilty man. 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. In police line-ups, Storie did not recognise Alphon, but eventually identified Hanratty. However, only two days later, Storie gave a different description of her assailant to the police. The police issued an appeal to boarding-house keepers to report any unusual or suspicious guests. At that time there was no conclusive forensic evidence to connect Hanratty with the car or the murder scene. His companion, 22-year-old laboratory assistant, Valerie Storie, from Cippenham, near Slough, had been raped and shot five times in the chest. However, as Paul's book reveals, these words were a mask for her true feelings. "Im a desperate man. The manager of the Alexandra Court Hotel reported a man who had locked himself in his room for five days after the murder, and the police picked him up. Im a desperate man. During the 1990s, increasingly advanced DNA analysis techniques became widely available. [citation needed]. The Long Silence, published in August 2021, is the first book to explain in detail the 'cat and mouse' drive and it has been heralded by many as a much overdue account. Streamline your workflow with our best-in-class digital asset management system. Nudds also now added that Alphon had left the hotel 'calm and composed'. Gregsten's girlfriend, Valerie Storie, was raped, shot five times, and left paralysed. Mr Gregsten's companion, Valerie Storie, was raped, shot and left for dead. [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. One dog was subsequently put to sleep due the severity of it's injuries. 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. 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. 2023 Getty Images. The sudden intrusion did not seem real. Were they to marry? 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]. The gunman ordered Gregsten to drive in several directions, before stopping beside the A6 at Deadman's Hill, where the offences took place. While at Maidstone, Hanratty came to the attention of a researcher who lived and worked alongside the inmates; he was later to remark upon Hanrattys "gross social and emotional immaturity". 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. 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. 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. 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. During the 60 mile journey, Michael and Valerie made 22 separate attempts to escape or frustrate the driver. Victim's silence finally broken 60 years after A6 Murderer attack cid exam previous question papers. Twice he told Gregsten to turn off the road and then changed his mind, and the car returned to the A6. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. 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. 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. On the evening of August 22, 1961, lovers Michael Gregsten and Valerie Storie were parked by a field near Slough. 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. Just before the defence opened its case, Hanratty changed part of his alibi. michael gregsten wife - Synergyarabia.ae 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. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. Rachel Muir For Mailonline 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. 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. They took with them maps and other things to organise a car rally being held at their office this weekend. Despite being pilloried by the media, Valerie Storie withdrew from the limelight and tried to live a normal life. 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. He explained: "I felt the story had been misrepresented and needed a retelling from a fresh perspective. [35] The Court of Appeal did not have the power to order an exhumation of Hanratty's body, but Lord Chief Justice Harry Woolf decided that this was desirable "in the interests of justice". All you have to do is to click here and type in your email address. His last words to his family were "Mick, I am completely innocent. 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. [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. Valerie criticised the journalists who campaigned to prove Hanratty's innocence in an interview with the Mail on Sunday in 2002. 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. The James Hanratty case is perhaps Bedfordshire's most notorious murder. Within a few days, the defence had checked and assembled a new alibi for Hanratty. Storie screamed, "You bastard! 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". Storie and Gregsten pleaded with him not to shoot them. 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. 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. 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. 8 Janet Gregsten Premium High Res Photos - Getty Images When Alphon found out, he flew into a rage. Eight weeks later he was found semi-conscious in the street, having apparently collapsed from either hunger or exposure. 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. You don't want it to be blown out. 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. Gregsten had been hit twice in the head and died instantly. 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]. Michael Gregston was murdered by James Hanratty 1962. 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. The man got into the back of the car and told Gregsten to drive further into the field, then stop. Look after mum and dad. According to Alphon, a man had paid him a sum of 5,000 to end the affair between Gregsten and Storie. 1985: West German spy chief defects to East, Man finds A6 murder weapon - broadcast 25 August 1961. Woman left with serious injuries after dog attack on residential road in Luton. "James Hanratty killed Michael Gregsten. We choose the most important stories of the day to include in the email, including crime, court news, long reads, traffic and travel, food and drink articles and more. michael gregsten wife. 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. She identified James Hanratty as her attacker during an identity parade. During 1962, the case caught the interest of London businessman Jean Justice, the son of a Belgian diplomat and partner of barrister Jeremy Fox. Organize, control, distribute and measure all of your digital content. Yet in spite of this, Valerie kept her silence, Paul explained. Grow your brand authentically by sharing brand content with the internets creators. BBC ON THIS DAY | 23 | 1961: Couple found shot in A6 lay-by Michael was 14 years older than her and married with two children, though he was in the process of separating from his wife. This image could have imperfections as its either historical or reportage. That's basically taking the rest of his brothers life with him, since he knew he wouldn't be cleared. October 11th, 1961, James Hanratty was arrested for murder and rape. The Police tracked down a Mrs Dinwoodie, who served in a sweetshop in Scotland Road, and who recalled a man like Hanratty asking for directions. Source: www.apartments.com. 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. He was then buried in the grounds of Bedford Gaol. "The book tells the story of what happened that night and how she dealt with it in the years that followed. After six hours they returned to ask the judge for the definition of 'reasonable doubt'. Another man obtained a gun for Alphon, whereupon he set off and hijacked the pair. 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. Storie recalled what the man had said about being on the run for four months, yet he was immaculately dressed in a dark three-piece suit and with well-shined shoes. 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. The man then said he wanted to sleep, and that he would have to tie them up. Michael Gregsten with his wife Janet before he was murdered in his car on the A6 by James Hanratty. Hanratty's early years were troubled. He was sent to Walton Prison, Liverpool, where he was again identified as a psychopath.[9]. However, what isn't well known is Valerie's side of the story. [34] However, he admitted that, if contamination could be excluded, the DNA evidence demonstrated that James Hanratty had committed the murder and rape. Shortly after his return, Gregsten left his pregnant wife, Janet, and went to live in Windsor, inviting Valerie Storie to navigate for him during car rallies organised by the de Havilland car. (just round the corner from the authors house). Access the best of Getty Images with our simple subscription plan. But if it happens, use the ignition to turn the pilot on again. 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. Boards are the best place to save images and video clips. E-mail this story to a friend Watch/Listen Detectives search the murder scene Man finds A6. I would ask you now to respect my wish to be left in piece.". She retreated into her own world, while at the same time listening, watching and making notes of what was being said.". A6 Murder who wrote the letter to Gregsten's boss complaining of the 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. Gregsten's girlfriend, Valerie Storie, was raped, shot five times, and left paralysed. Transferred briefly to Durham Prison, he was returned to Strangeways where, having served his full term, he was released in March 1961, aged 24. [31] Woffinden wrote that there is no evidence that the witnesses even saw the same Morris Minor. When this evidence went to court in 2002, proving Hanratty's guilt beyond any doubt, reporters once again hounded Valerie to speak. 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. I'm thinking." At 11.30pm, the man said he wanted food, and told Gregsten to start driving. RM ID: B5E30P Preview Image details Contributor: Trinity Mirror / Mirrorpix / Alamy Stock Photo File size: 30 MB (1.3 MB Compressed download) Releases: [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. But then the other suspect, Peter Alphon, publicly confesses to the crime. Two civil servants employed at the Road Research Laboratory at Langley, near Slough, Michael Gregsten and Valerie Storie, drew up in a Morris Minor car outside the Old Station Inn, a public house just outside the village of Taplow. [27] Justice encouraged the initially reluctant Fox to help him expose what he believed to be the fabrication of the case against Hanratty. Journalists such as Paul Foot and Bob Woffinden campaigned for years to prove Hanratty's innocence, casting doubt on Valerie's evidence. 'There's a very powerful human story in this. He attempted to escape that facility as well, and was sent to Strangeways Prison, Manchester. They drove via London Heathrow Airport, up through the Middlesex suburbs, on to the A5 and then on to the A6 to Clophill, Bedfordshire. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. 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. Michael Gregsten is a 36-year-old research scientist at the Road Research Laboratory at Langley, near Slough. ", "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? [30], The Hanratty family acting through their solicitor, Sir Geoffrey Bindman, repeatedly called for further inquiries into the case. The trial lasted 21 days, the longest in English legal history up to that time.[21]. 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! Was James Hanratty Guilty or Innocent? Valerie Storie - obituary - The Telegraph Find the right content for your market. Despatched to the youth wing of Wormwood Scrubs, he slashed his wrists; placed in the prison hospital, he was declared a 'potential psychopath'. Mr Stickler remains interested in pursuing the story further and is looking into another case which he believes might have inspired Hanratty. Michael was 14 years older than her and married with two children, though he was in the process of separating from his wife. 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? Bitterness continued in 1970 when the A6 Committee held a public meeting in Bedford to raise awareness of their concerns. [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. [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". [4][5][6][7] By 1937, the family had moved to Wembley in northwest London. [citation needed], On 7 September, Meike Dalal was attacked in her home in Richmond, Surrey, by a man claiming to be the A6 murderer, whom she later identified as Alphon in an identity parade on 23 September. "I would be terrified of every unusual sound or knock at the door. "However, my MP joined the rebel cause, became embroiled in a committee set up to prove a miscarriage of justice, and had the temerity to write to me asking me to join it.". A BBC Panorama episode in 1966 included extracts from the Jean Justice tapes. His wife, Maureen Hanratty, said the family had been 'put through hell' because of the behaviour of the authorities. The initial prime suspects were Hanratty, a petty criminal, and Peter Louis Alphon, an eccentric drifter. When she refused, the man got out and forced her out of the car at gunpoint, pushing her on to the back seat, where he ordered her to undo her brassiere and remove her underwear before raping her. This is a hold-up, a mans voice said. The Crimes | Crime + Investigation UK No defence on the basis of mental history was raised at Hanrattys trial. He was struck by how calm and measured she was throughout the whole ordeal. More than 300 homes approved as part of new Luton development, Improvements are set to be made to surrounding roads as part of the development. Long before his trial for the A6 murder, he had already been described as a retard, a psychopath, and a pathological liar. What Is The Case Of Michael Gregsten's Suicide | ipl.org She told them: "I have never had a problem with the truth. [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. After forcing them to drive 60 miles, gunman James Hanratty murdered Michael before raping Valerie and emptying a number of rounds into her body. Was Michael actually going to leave his wife and two boys? He ordered them to drive to . Of approximately seven bullets fired, five hit Storie; she fell to the ground next to Gregsten and played dead. Professor Hobbs said: 'She never felt sorry for herself. He certainly didn't know what he alleged that Mrs Gregsten was the prime mover in commissioning the murder. 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. land for sale in highgate, st mary jamaica . 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. And when she was found the following morning she was able to give a hugely detailed description of what happened. As executor of Valerie's will, Professor Hobbs was the first to come across the documents and notes she left behind and he worked with Mr Stickler to ensure that the 'posthumous autobiography' was an honest and truthful account. Save up to 30% when you upgrade to an image pack. Miraculously, Valerie survived, but was left paralysed from the chest down for the rest of her life. Keep an eye on the newspapers, this in years to come will come out.". circa 1962. ;Picture taken at home of Mrs. Janet Gregston with her two sons Anthony 3 and Simon (9) 1961. Search for stock images, vectors and videos, Available for editorial use only. The man then kept them there for two hours, chattering to them incessantly. 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. 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. 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). It also tells the true story of Valerie's complicated relationship with 36-year-old Michael. He always protested his innocence claiming he was 250-miles from the scene in a bed-and-breakfast in North Wales at the time of the attack. She refused and, having managed to free her hands, tried to disarm him but was overpowered; after he threatened to shoot her, she relented. Next, use the -inch open-end wrench and pull out the thermistor by turning it counter-clockwise. (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. At Deadman's Hill the man ordered Gregsten to pull into a lay-by. Crime A6 Murder of Michael Gregsten. First sergeant epr bullets june 30, 2022 | | 0 comment | 2:40 pm. His reason for lying was that he had seen that Alphon was the police's prime suspect, and had wanted to assist their case. 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What was going to happen to them? She was taken to hospital in Bedford where she underwent surgery for her injuries.