[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". 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! 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. It also tells the true story of Valerie's complicated relationship with 36-year-old Michael. By August 22nd 1961 the marriage of Michael and Janet Gregsten had been in difficulties for some time.The 3 year love affair between Valerie Storie and Gregsten had intensified and on 1st August 1961 Gregsten had taken what seemed like an irrevocable step to end his marriage.He took a flat in Maidenhead and told his wife he would be moving in on At that time there was no conclusive forensic evidence to connect Hanratty with the car or the murder scene. Neutral Citation Number: [2002] Crim 1141", "James Hanratty: Close to a final verdict? His DNA was found on a piece of material from Valerie Stories knickers where it would be expected to be if he was guilty; it was also found on the handkerchief found with the gun. Whilst he was a professional thief, he had no convictions for violence, and apparently had never possessed a gun, although he later admitted to the police that he had attempted to obtain one after his last release from prison in March 1961. 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. 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'. Despite this, she was hounded by the media and celebrities, including John Lennon and Yoko Ono, who criticised her for allegedly sending an innocent man to his grave. After climbing into the car's back seat, he ordered Gregsten to drive. Signing up to the newsletter is simple. Michael was 14 years older than her and married with two children, though he was in the process of separating from his wife. She said: 'They have built their case on this myth and it has grown to become pure folklore. For disappearances in France on the A6 between Paris and Lyon, see, GRO Register of Deaths SEP 1978 11 0739 BRENT - James Francis Hanratty, DoB = 3 October 1907, GRO Register of Marriages DEC 1936 2a 1724 BROMLEY - James Hanratty = Mary A. Wilson, GRO Register of Deaths JUL 1999 C81A 2421C 97 LEWISHAM - Mary Ann Hanratty, DoB = 6 April 1917, GRO Register of Births DEC 1936 2a 1038 BROMLEY - James Hanratty, mmn = Wilson, GRO Register of Births: MAR 1925 3a 660 BARNET. Justice attended the trial every day, being driven there by his chauffeur, and Alphon accompanied him from time to time. The report made there acknowledged his unhappy home background (he claimed he was frightened of his mother and had no filial feelings towards his father) and his mental handicaps. My wife and i were driving a neigborhood looking for houses, and came accross a for sale sign with a phone number. Gregsten had been hit twice in the head and died instantly. 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 Moreover, the murderer drove badly, whereas Hanratty was an experienced car thief. 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. My evidence has never changed, neither have I ever had any doubts. Hanratty - did he rape and murder? | Watford Observer James Hanratty - A6 Murder [8], Gregsten was a scientist at the Road Research Laboratory in Slough. Were they to marry? 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. [30], The Hanratty family acting through their solicitor, Sir Geoffrey Bindman, repeatedly called for further inquiries into the case. ease arkansas phone number 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". 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. But if it happens, use the ignition to turn the pilot on again. [41], Valerie Storie was quoted as saying "I identified the guilty man. [43][44][citation needed], Valerie Storie died on 26 March 2016 aged 77 in the Cippenham house where she had been born. Crime A6 Murder of Michael Gregsten. 1945: Ex-soldier buried his wife on Anglesey beach after . The campaign got even more attention when Beatle John Lennon, and his partner, Yoko Ono, joined the campaign. [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. No defence on the basis of mental history was raised at Hanrattys trial. The man then kept them there for two hours, chattering to them incessantly. 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 Deadmans Hill. Tournament Of Champions Food Network Winner Valentine's Day collision leaves moped rider with 'life-changing' injuries. 341,587,075 stock photos, 360 panoramic images, vectors and videos, Share Alamy images with your team and customers. 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. FACTFILE 22nd August 1961, Michael Gregsten and his mistress Valerie Storie, were sitting in his car in a field, they were hijacked by a man with a gun, the man made them drive around for hours, eventually ending up at Deadmans Hill on the A6 just outside Clophill, Bedfordshire. She was taken to hospital in Bedford where she underwent surgery for her injuries. 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]. He stayed in a room the night before the crime from which bullets that had been fired from the murder weapon were recovered. Captions are provided by our contributors. (just round the corner from the authors house). 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. I had found the guilty person. Sign up here. Was a married man, he and his wife Janet had two boys, Simon, eight, and Anthony, nearly two. They are by no means risk free but if smoking a pack of cigs is like downing a bottle of wodka on one night, a nicotine pouch is like drinking a half pint in comparison in terms of health risk. 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. Ingrams said that Alphon, in conversations with Foot and others, had spoken "obsessively about the case, frequently incriminating himself". Hanratty also raped Gregsten's fiance, Valerie Storie, shot her five times and left her for dead. ;Picture taken at home of Mrs. Janet Gregston with her two sons Anthony 3 and Simon (9) 1961. As they sat there was a tap on the driver's window. However, she was certain that this occurred on Monday 21 August. Something went wrong, please try again later. Ingrams said that Foot continued until his own death in 2004 to believe in Hanratty's alibi, despite the DNA tests of 2002. In October 2000, the Court of Appeal ordered the exhumation of Hanratty's body. The pair tracked down Peter Alphon in February 1962, and began a long friendship with him for the purposes of establishing the truth. ;Picture taken at home of Mrs. Janet Gregston with her two sons Anthony 3 and Simon (9) 1961. July 3, 2022 July 3, 2022. A BBC Panorama episode in 1966 included extracts from the Jean Justice tapes. [45][46], This article is about the 1961 murder on the A6 road in England. Try to reignite the pilot light. She told them: "I have never had a problem with the truth. In 2002 Valerie was finally vindicated when DNA evidence proved beyond reasonable doubt that Hanratty was guilty. I'm thinking." Jamal Edwards, a music producer and entrepreneur, died suddenly in February 2022. 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. 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". Another man obtained a gun for Alphon, whereupon he set off and hijacked the pair. Despite this, Michael was having an affair with his 22-year-old lab assistant, Valerie Storie. Nudds also now added that Alphon had left the hotel 'calm and composed'. 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. Through the window of the car and despite the fading light, she could clearly see that he was wearing a suit and tie with a white shirt. A man threatened the couple with a gun. All of this money was anonymously donated to Slough Mobility Transport for the purchase of two new vehicles, one of which was named 'Valerie'. 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. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. 'There's a very powerful human story in this. Author Paul Stickler said: 'This is a story that really does need to be told and it's not been told in the way that it should be before now. As she told food network, "i learned more about myself with every battle and i learned more how deeply talented the other warriors in this tournament are. [citation needed] Storie gave another statement to the police later that morning, just before she underwent surgery in Bedford Hospital. Valerie Storie after receiving treatment for stab wounds on the A6 where Michael Gregsten was murdered is taken to court during trial against James. After a failed escape attempt, Hanratty was transferred to Camp Hill Prison, Isle of Wight. A brown, check car rug was spread out; another small, personalised feature of the rallying Morris. She was always absolutely certain that she was right, there was no question about that.'. He then ordered her to drag Michael's body out of the car to the edge of the lay-by before ordering her to show him how to operate the vehicle. 10:56, 04 Apr 2022 The man tied Storie's hands behind her back with Gregsten's tie and then saw a duffle bag containing some clean clothing. Alphon stuck to his confession and continued to repeat it until about 1971, when he withdrew his claims. He was sent to Walton Prison, Liverpool, where he was again identified as a psychopath.[9]. During 1962, the case caught the interest of London businessman Jean Justice, the son of a Belgian diplomat and partner of barrister Jeremy Fox. 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. France, who had suffered from bouts of severe depression for many years, committed suicide by gassing himself (his third attempt) about two weeks before the execution. All you have to do is to click here and type in your email address. Mr Stickler remains interested in pursuing the story further and is looking into another case which he believes might have inspired Hanratty. '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. 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. With the gun still pointing at them, the man said, I have been on the run for four months. 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. [24] The Committee attempted to assist Hanratty in his defence, and later tried to disprove his conviction. Woman left with serious injuries after dog attack on residential road in Luton. 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. Transferred briefly to Durham Prison, he was returned to Strangeways where, having served his full term, he was released in March 1961, aged 24. Just before the defence opened its case, Hanratty changed part of his alibi. With some justification it seemed, since Michael had a tendency to spend willingly rather than save. Bitterness continued in 1970 when the A6 Committee held a public meeting in Bedford to raise awareness of their concerns. 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. Michael J. Gregston [, GRO Register of Marriages: SEP 1951 5f 1655 WOOD GREEN - Michael J. Gregsten = Janet Phillips or Kinnock, GRO Register of Deaths: JAN 1995 38C 7831 24 HORSHAM - Janet Gregsten, DoB = 9 Jan 1930, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Wrongly hanged: Hanratty is found innocent", "40 years after his execution, appeal judges say DNA is certain proof of Hanratty's guilt", "Hansard (for the 2 August 1963 sitting)", "We will never know the truth about the A6 killer", "After 36 years, Hanratty is set to be cleared", "Appeal Court to review Hanratty murder case", "England and Wales Court of Appeal (Criminal Division) Decisions. [27] Justice encouraged the initially reluctant Fox to help him expose what he believed to be the fabrication of the case against Hanratty. Inside a parked Morris Minor was a 36-year-old scientist, Michael Gregsten, and his 22-year-old girlfriend, Valerie Storie. 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. In 1999 the case was referred to the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC). 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. Neutral Citation Number (2002) Crim 1141, 'Musing about The A6 Bedfordshire murder', https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=James_Hanratty&oldid=1135732016. I knew who he was and he knew that I recognised him. At the trial the prosecution called Peter Stringer, who had an artificial arm, but who denied ever having seen the suitcase or Hanratty. [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. Michael gregsten wife / june 11, 2022 june 11, 2022 / were achilles and patroclus cousins. The initial prime suspects were Hanratty, a petty criminal, and Peter Louis Alphon, an eccentric drifter. Gregsten's girlfriend, Valerie Storie, was raped, shot five times, and left paralysed. A strong, disabled woman's story. Case 172: Michael Gregsten & Valerie Storie - Casefile True Crime On the evening of August 22, 1961, lovers Michael Gregsten and Valerie Storie were parked by a field near Slough. 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. They had never been disturbed before and it was easier to talk here rather than anywhere else. 22:52, 05 Apr 2022. With the gun was a handkerchief which provided DNA evidence many years later. 'Feral pigeons' are terrorising Biggleswade's businesses, meeting hears, The 'infestation' has grown to around 50 pigeons, according to one town councillor, Closures expected with Lloyds Pharmacy set to sell off stores across UK, This follows the news that the pharmacy brand is also closing all of the 237 Lloyds outlets inside Sainsbury's, More than 40,000 defrauded from Luton Borough Council during cyber-attack, Councillor Rob Roche, portfolio holder for finance, said: "Money stolen from the council is money stolen from the residents of Luton. Mr Gregsten's companion, Valerie Storie, was raped, shot and left for dead. 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. He then stated that he had in fact been in the Welsh coastal town of Rhyl. However, as Paul's book reveals, these words were a mask for her true feelings. 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. Michaels duffel bag containing freshly laundered clothing rested next to it. michael gregsten wife - Svm-med.com michael gregsten wife - Blueflamegasinstallation.com Free shipping for many products! Forensic science and the case of James Hanratty, England and Wales Court of Appeal (Criminal Division) Decisions. michael gregsten wife - Agencijastratega.com 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. 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. Storie screamed, "You bastard! We are no longer accepting comments on this article. michael gregsten wife. Show all articles. 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". The sudden intrusion did not seem real. This turned out to be untrue, as her and her boyfriend, Michael Gregsten, were held up by a gunman and held captive in Gregsten's car for five hours. After nine hours, they returned to the court and entered a unanimous verdict of guilty. Results from testing in June 1999 were said to be strong evidence of a familial match - the evidential DNA was "two and a half million times more likely" to belong to James Hanratty than to anyone else. [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. The Getty Images design is a trademark of Getty Images. Two suspects were spotlighted for the attack, which was dubbed The A6 Murder. James Hanratty was eventually charged and executed, despite claiming his innocence. circa 1962. "Im a desperate man. Find the right content for your market. During the 60 mile journey, Michael and Valerie made 22 separate attempts to escape or frustrate the driver. Within a few days, the defence had checked and assembled a new alibi for Hanratty. The pair had been intimate for two years after meeting through work, and seemingly had spoken about marriage. One dog was subsequently put to sleep due the severity of it's injuries. 50-year fight to clear James Hanratty's name - BBC News 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. They were, though, generally relaxed talking in their cornfield. 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. a6 murder - Casebook: Jack the Ripper Forums 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. I looked in his eyes and he looked in mine. Was Michael actually going to leave his wife and two boys? [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. Lying next to Gregsten, semi-conscious, was Gregsten's mistress, Valerie Jean Storie (24 November 1938 26 March 2016). By For pouch chewers, reach down in the bottom of the pouch, where the tobacco is moist, and grab a small handful. Streamline your workflow with our best-in-class digital asset management system. The hotel manager, William Nudds, made a statement to police naming the last occupant of the room as 'James Ryan'. The Crimes | Crime + Investigation UK Snus is a pasteurized, air-cured, smokeless and spitless tobacco, usually found in pouches. Professor Hobbs described Valerie as a 'bloody minded and determined' woman with a charming character. Pre-pay for multiple images and download on demand. In July of the following year he fell from his bicycle, injuring his head and remaining unconscious for 10 hours; he was admitted to Wembley Hospital, where he remained for nine days. In police line-ups, Storie did not recognise Alphon, but eventually identified Hanratty. cid exam previous question papers. It was a conclusive match. Eventually, the jury retired. He said: "Whenever journalists came to her asking to tell her story she said no, as they'd misrepresent her. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. The prosecution was led by Graham Swanwick QC, later a High Court judge. Hanratty's family and their supporters have continued to contest this conclusion and to press for a further review of his conviction. 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.". View 1 apartments for rent in corsicana, tx. The gunman then made to leave but suddenly turned back and shot Valerie several times, with five bullets hitting her. He attempted to escape that facility as well, and was sent to Strangeways Prison, Manchester. 1985: West German spy chief defects to East, Man finds A6 murder weapon - broadcast 25 August 1961. After his release, his father resigned his job as dustman with Wembley council to start a window cleaning business with his son in a futile attempt to keep him away from crime. Yet in spite of this, Valerie kept her silence, Paul explained. 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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. Im a desperate man. All rights reserved. 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. I would ask you now to respect my wish to be left in piece.". (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. They kissed only once. What was going to happen to them? 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. 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. michael gregsten wife - Optimization-world.com They took with them maps and other things to organise a car rally being held at their office this weekend. James Hanratty - Watford Observer Police handout, showing James Hanratty in police custody, Lennon and Ono protest Hanratty's execution. He was sent to the gallows at Bedford Prison on 4 April 1962, becoming one of the last people to be hanged in Britain before capital punishment was abolished. E-mail this story to a friend Watch/Listen Detectives search the murder scene Man finds A6. The gunman knew the Bear Hotel, Maidenhead. Why is it called "Deadmans Hill"? - Maulden Village
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