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. On the evening of August 22, 1961, lovers Michael Gregsten and Valerie Storie were parked by a field near Slough. Pre-pay for multiple images and download on demand. According to Alphon, a man had paid him a sum of 5,000 to end the affair between Gregsten and Storie. 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. 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. When Valerie died and her papers were given to me I became determined to retell the story with her perspective at its heart. "[25], The journalist and campaigner Ludovic Kennedy wrote many articles asserting Hanratty's innocence. 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. Case 173: Rocio Wanninkhof & Sonia Carabantes, Tributes pour in for Sloughs brave Valerie Storie. [34] However, he admitted that, if contamination could be excluded, the DNA evidence demonstrated that James Hanratty had committed the murder and rape. And when she was found the following morning she was able to give a hugely detailed description of what happened. After six hours they returned to ask the judge for the definition of 'reasonable doubt'. Lying next to Gregsten, semi-conscious, was Gregsten's mistress, Valerie Jean Storie (24 November 1938 26 March 2016). [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. Make an enquiry and our team will be get in touch with you ASAP. Twice he told Gregsten to turn off the road and then changed his mind, and the car returned to the A6. In essence its her posthumous autobiography.". 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. 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. 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. He was then buried in the grounds of Bedford Gaol. The gunman knew the Bear Hotel, Maidenhead. [24] The Committee attempted to assist Hanratty in his defence, and later tried to disprove his conviction. Professor Hobbs said: 'She never felt sorry for herself. He explained: "I felt the story had been misrepresented and needed a retelling from a fresh perspective. Learn more about how you can collaborate with us. Hanratty also raped Gregsten's fiance, Valerie Storie, shot her five times and left her for dead. Even when she was vindicated at a trial in 2002, she said little more than a few words publicly. 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. 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. He also wrote a letter to the coroner, in which he referred to the great harm done to the family by Hanratty. July 3, 2022 July 3, 2022. 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. My evidence has never changed, neither have I ever had any doubts. 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. Search for stock images, vectors and videos, Available for editorial use only. 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. At 11.30pm, the man said he wanted food, and told Gregsten to start driving. Paul Stickler's book is available on Amazon here. She didn't change her story one iota.'. 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. His reason for lying was that he had seen that Alphon was the police's prime suspect, and had wanted to assist their case. [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. Well push your creativity and go beyond your brief. The gunman got out of the car and approached her; pleading for her life, she took a pound note from her pocket, screaming, "Here, take this, take the car and go." After holding them at gunpoint for two hours, Hanratty told Michael to start driving because he wanted food. 22:52, 05 Apr 2022. 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 pair had been intimate for two years after meeting through work, and seemingly had spoken about marriage. [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. A BBC Panorama episode in 1966 included extracts from the Jean Justice tapes. Hi, It's truly a crying shame that all the postings on this fascinating forum have been lost, seemingly for ever. Hanratty's early years were troubled. He argued that the evidence may have been contaminated because of lax handling procedures.[34][40]. Mr Gregsten's body was tonight identified by his wife, Janet. map Storie drank gin and Pepsi, Gregsten had Double Diamond. RM ID: B5E30P Preview Image details Contributor: Trinity Mirror / Mirrorpix / Alamy Stock Photo File size: 30 MB (1.3 MB Compressed download) Releases: 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. Michael was 14 years older than her and married with two children, though he was in the process of separating from his wife. Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images Gregsten was forced to drive down the A6 until he reached Deadman's Hill near Clophill, Bedfordshire. He leaves two sons, aged seven and two. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. He was a scientist at the laboratory and being a talented mathematician occasionally taught evening classes at St Albans Technical College, so extra money was coming in, but it nevertheless worried him. During the 1990s, increasingly advanced DNA analysis techniques became widely available. She was able to see only the body of the man between his waist and shoulders, but his smart appearance seemed at odds with his threatening behaviour. 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. Woman left with serious injuries after dog attack on residential road in Luton. In October 2000, the Court of Appeal ordered the exhumation of Hanratty's body. [citation needed]. Believing that he had killed her, Hanratty drove south in the direction of Luton. Private detectives tracked down a Mrs Grace Jones, a landlady with a guest house which had a green bath in the attic as described by Hanratty. 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. Or did Scotland Yard have the right man all along? A brown, check car rug was spread out; another small, personalised feature of the rallying Morris. She was taken to hospital in Bedford where she underwent surgery for her injuries. None of it made sense. A strong, disabled woman's story. 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. Surely we could do much better?, Man in his 70s attacked in his home by burglars in Luton. 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'. Select from premium Janet Gregsten of the highest quality. The comments below have not been moderated, By After nine hours, they returned to the court and entered a unanimous verdict of guilty. Valerie wrote: "Hanratty committed a crime and was found guilty and was hanged. 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]. But for the next 40 years Valerie was slammed by campaign groups and celebrities who were convinced Hanratty was innocent, making her reluctant to speak to the media during her lifetime. Valerie Storie after receiving treatment for stab wounds on the A6 where Michael Gregsten was murdered is taken to court during trial against James. On the evening of August 22, 1961, a car containing lovers Michael Gregsten and Valerie Storie, was parked by a field near . Boards are the best place to save images and video clips. They drove around the suburbs of North London, apparently aimlessly. With the gun still pointing at them, the man said, I have been on the run for four months. Secretly, however, she was drafting the contents of a book and writing hundreds of notes. [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 gunman ordered Gregsten to drive in several directions, before stopping beside the A6 at Deadman's Hill, where the offences took place. A man threatened the couple with a gun. Yet in spite of this, Valerie kept her silence, Paul explained. What Is The Case Of Michael Gregsten's Suicide. Valerie Storie was left paralysed after James Hanratty attacked her and killed her boyfriend in August 1961. Michael Gregsten with his wife Janet before he was murdered in his car on the A6 by James Hanratty. Gregsten was ordered to stop at a milk vending machine and sent into a shop to buy cigarettes, and then to stop at a petrol station for more fuel. 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. 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. 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. On 3 July 1957, aged 20, five months after his release from Wormwood Scrubs, Hanratty was sentenced at Brighton Magistrates' Court to six months' imprisonment (he served four) for a variety of motoring offences, including theft of a motor vehicle and driving without a licence. Alphon subsequently surrendered himself, and was subjected to an intense interrogation. 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. This image could have imperfections as its either historical or reportage. Gregsten at first refused, but the man became aggressive and threatened them with the gun. cid exam previous question papers. Bedfordshire Police is appealing for witnesses and dashcam footage. I looked in his eyes and he looked in mine. Having recently re-read the late Paul Foot's excellent book "Who killed Hanratty", which he painstakingly researched for over 5 years I remain convinced (rightly or wrongly) that the original suspect, Peter Louis Alphon, is the real murderer of Michael Gregsten. They had been here on a few occasions before, to make love or simply to spend time alone together. "If anyone doesn't want to be punished then they, surely, don't commit the crime. But when Michael reached for the bag Hanratty shot him twice in the head, killing him instantly. Ingrams said that Alphon, in conversations with Foot and others, had spoken "obsessively about the case, frequently incriminating himself". 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. Michael Gregsten with his wife Janet before he was murdered in his car on the A6 by James Hanratty. Hanratty claimed that his suitcase had been handed in to Lime Street Station to a 'man with a withered or turned hand'. 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. [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. 22nd August 1961, Michael Gregsten a 36-year-old research scientist at the Road Research Laboratory at Langley, near Slough. 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]. The journey continued along the A5 through St Albans, which the gunman mistakenly insisted was Watford, before joining the A6. When Alphon found out, he flew into a rage. 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. Get in touch for any commercial. But tonight, they were talking. Alphon stuck to his confession and continued to repeat it until about 1971, when he withdrew his claims. I do this act in the knowledge that it will clear my family's character of any act or wrong'. He was struck by how calm and measured she was throughout the whole ordeal. He took several steps back to the car before turning and firing four bullets at her, then reloaded and fired again. He then stated that he had in fact been in the Welsh coastal town of Rhyl. Hanratty was then charged with the capital murder of Michael Gregsten. 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. However, in a new edition of his book, 36 Murders and Two Immoral Earnings, printed immediately after the publication of the Hanratty DNA evidence, he retracted his assertions of Hanratty's innocence.[26]. 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. "James Hanratty killed Michael Gregsten. The Criminal Cases Review Commission announced yesterday that the case of. I therefore have no fear of him. She was of the opinion that it is for all of us to make the most of what we have been dealt.'. 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". James Hanratty denied shooting Michael Gregsten, a physicist, twice in the head last August. AboutPressCopyrightContact. 341,587,075 stock photos, 360 panoramic images, vectors and videos, Share Alamy images with your team and customers. Were they to marry? People need to know what this poor woman went through.'. [4][5][6][7] By 1937, the family had moved to Wembley in northwest London. The argument for contamination was dismissed as "fanciful" by the judges, who concluded that the "DNA evidence, standing alone, is certain proof of guilt". 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. 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. 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. Valerie criticised the journalists who campaigned to prove Hanratty's innocence in an interview with the Mail on Sunday in 2002. 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). 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. 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". It also tells the true story of Valerie's complicated relationship with 36-year-old Michael. The gunman replied that Gregsten had frightened him by turning too quickly. Enter your email address below to get the latest news and exclusive content from The History Press delivered straight to your inbox. However, there was another person called William Usher, who did have two fingers missing from one hand, which looked withered. He told Gregsten to pass the bag but, as Gregsten moved, there were two shots. 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. Use in a presentation/talk (eg,Powerpoint and Keynote) or in an editorial newsletter. Even Valerie's own Member of Parliament, Joan Lestor, insisted Hanratty was innocent. E-mail this story to a friend Watch/Listen Detectives search the murder scene Man finds A6. Gregsten was found shot dead in a car on the A6 in Deadman's Hill, Bedfordshire, and his girlfriend Valerie Storie was raped . 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. It was a conclusive match. All of this money was anonymously donated to Slough Mobility Transport for the purchase of two new vehicles, one of which was named 'Valerie'. 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. Police handout, showing James Hanratty in police custody, Lennon and Ono protest Hanratty's execution. Justice attended the trial every day, being driven there by his chauffeur, and Alphon accompanied him from time to time. But in May 2002 the Court of Appeal ruled that the DNA evidence had established his guilt "beyond doubt". After ignoring her pleas to shoot her as well, or let her get help for Gregsten, the gunman told her to kiss him. Eight weeks later he was found semi-conscious in the street, having apparently collapsed from either hunger or exposure. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. He started to bombard his own solicitor with threatening phone calls and letters. The man then said he wanted to sleep, and that he would have to tie them up. *Thermistor location (two chamber models)* Once you locate the thermistor, detach the thermistor wires from the control board. On 19 March 1997, the Home Office referred the case to the new Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) where Baden Skitt chaired the investigation. Mr Gregsten's body was tonight identified by his wife, Janet. This was the beginning of the crime which would see Michael murdered and Valerie raped and shot before being left at Deadman's Hill on the A6. Police believe the couple, both employees of the Road Research Laboratory near Slough, were confronted by a man with a gun as they were parked on Dorney Common in Berkshire yesterday evening. 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. Alamy and its logo are trademarks of Alamy Ltd. and are registered in certain countries. 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. He stayed in a room the night before the crime from which bullets that had been fired from the murder weapon were recovered. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. [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. Ask the author: Jeremy Craddock on The Jigsaw Murders, Ask the author: Monica Weller on investigating a 50-year-old cold case. She identified James Hanratty as her attacker during an identity parade. After climbing into the car's back seat, he ordered Gregsten to drive. This should have been the end of the matter, but for the rest of her life Valerie was hounded by the media, campaign groups and celebrities including John Lennon and Yoko Ono, who insisted Hanratty was innocent. On 11 September, two cartridge cases were found in the guest basement bedroom of the Vienna Hotel, which were matched with the bullets that killed Gregsten and to the ones in the gun found on the bus. Miss Storie's mother, Mrs John Storie, said: "Michael came here last night and had tea with Valerie. 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.
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