The Rough Sex Defence / The Death Of Natalie Connolly

“There may have been some sort of consensual behaviour at the start of this night’s activity. But we say that you can be sure that, whatever may have started willingly, there is no way that Natalie either consented to or was able to consent to what John Broadhurst did to her after that, leading to her untimely, unseemly and tragic death.”

— Prosecutor David Mason QC, Birmingham Crown Court, November 2018.

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The Churchwarden Killer - Part 2

Benjamin Field and Martyn Smith were on trial, accused of murdering Peter Farquhar at his home and conspiring to murder Ann Moore-Martin before she died of natural causes. She had handed over more than £30,000 before she died. Peter Farquhar had been found dead. A coroner at first believed he had died of acute alcohol intoxication. However, the authorities now believed that he had been drugged and suffocated (Part 2 of 2).

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The Churchwarden Killer - Part 1

“I think I will get away with most of it”. Those were the words uttered by a deputy churchwarden while he was in the custody police. He was arrested when his second elderly lover in as many years was admitted to hospital. The first had died under somewhat mysterious circumstances. How had this man, in his late twenties, who bore all the hallmarks of a god-fearing churchgoer, worked his way not only into the will’s but also the beds, of a 69-year-old-man and 83-year-old woman, who were neighbours on the same street? That was a puzzle Thames Valley police were determined to solve.  (Part 1 of 2).

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Babes In The Wood Murders - Part 4

As the opening remarks were given to the court — describing the lives of two young girls who would now be in their early forties, Russell Bishop sat writing notes, observed from a public gallery full to the brim with the victims family members, and a large number of journalists, as the case had garnered national news coverage once again (Part 4 of 4).

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Babes In The Wood Murders - Part 3

In November 2002, there appeared to be some movement on the case. Following a speech by the queen, it was announced there were plans to remove the double jeopardy law across England and Wales in which a person could not be tried twice for the same offence. The changes announced were retrospective, which meant that the murders at Wild Park could be reinvestigated (Part 3 of 4).

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