The gunman knew the Bear Hotel, Maidenhead. I had found the guilty person. However, what isn't well known is Valerie's side of the story. Just before the defence opened its case, Hanratty changed part of his alibi. The police then took the unusual step of publicly naming Alphon as the murder suspect. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. 8 Janet Gregsten Premium High Res Photos - Getty Images The Crimes | Crime + Investigation UK As they sat there was a tap on the driver's window. Hanratty claimed that his suitcase had been handed in to Lime Street Station to a 'man with a withered or turned hand'. 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. If you do as I tell you, you will be all right." 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. Drain the heater and clean it. ON Tuesday, August 22, 1961, Michael Gregsten, 36, called at the home of his estranged wife at Sabine House, Abbots Langley, and, after taking his nine-year-old son, Simon, to play in Cassiobury Park, Watford, he collected his girlfriend, Valerie Storie, 22, from work. [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. michael gregsten wife - Optimization-world.com Make an enquiry and our team will be get in touch with you ASAP. For pouch chewers, reach down in the bottom of the pouch, where the tobacco is moist, and grab a small handful. He leaves two sons, aged seven and two. Hanratty also raped Gregsten's fiance, Valerie Storie, shot her five times and left her for dead. Their relationship started over a mutual love of car . Following her death, author Paul Stickler was handed Valerie's extensive notes and files, allowing her story to finally be told. 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. 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. He certainly didn't know what he alleged that Mrs Gregsten was the prime mover in commissioning the murder. All rights reserved. Was this a miscarriage of justice? 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 covered about 30 miles before the gunman ordered Gregsten to pull into a lay-by on the A6 at Clophill at around 01 . DNA samples from both sources exactly matched James Hanratty's DNA. During one of the phone calls, he pronounced "think" as "fink".[20]. 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. 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. His reason for lying was that he had seen that Alphon was the police's prime suspect, and had wanted to assist their case. 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. During the incident, the victim was kicked in the back and suffered minor injuries. Michael Gregsten is a 36-year-old research scientist at the Road Research Laboratory at Langley, near Slough. michael gregsten wife - Svm-med.com 1945: Ex-soldier buried his wife on Anglesey beach after . The man then kept them there for two hours, chattering to them incessantly. Michael Gregsten with his wife Janet before he was murdered in his car on the A6 by James Hanratty. [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. 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. 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. "Im a desperate man. It was now approximately 3am, six hours after the ordeal had started at Dorney Reach. Storie was an assistant at the same laboratory and had been having an affair with Gregsten, although this did not become public knowledge until Storie wrote a series of articles for the popular Today magazine in June 1962, five months after the trial. When Valerie died and her papers were given to me I became determined to retell the story with her perspective at its heart. You shot him. She retreated into her own world, while at the same time listening, watching and making notes of what was being said.". 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. Police handout, showing James Hanratty in police custody, Lennon and Ono protest Hanratty's execution. In essence its her posthumous autobiography.". By the time of his arrest for the murder of Michael Gregsten, Hanratty had already accumulated four convictions for motoring offences and housebreaking. James Hanratty was born on 4 October 1936 in Farnborough, Kent,[3] the eldest of four sons of James Francis Hanratty (19071978) and his wife Mary Ann Hanratty (19171999). Bedfordshire Live spoke to Paul about the newly-released book, which is titled The Long Silence - just as Valerie had intended. 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. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. However, as Paul's book reveals, these words were a mask for her true feelings. Michael was 14 years older than her and married with two children, though he was in the process of separating from his wife. She refused and, having managed to free her hands, tried to disarm him but was overpowered; after he threatened to shoot her, she relented. Michael was 14 years older than her and married with two children, though he was in the process of separating from his wife. .. Were going to have traffic chaos. Rachel Muir For Mailonline, Easter getaway havoc as more than 1,100 flights are cancelled with Heathrow airport blaming soaring passenger and staff rotas hit by Covid for long queues as fliers also endure chaos at Manchester and Gatwick, Oligarch who was once Russia's richest man says the nation's billionaire elites need to publicly declare Putin a war criminal to prove they do not work for the Kremlin, Covid lockdowns have left a generation of young children struggling to crawl, talk, share, make friends and use the toilet independently, Ofsted report finds. "I would be terrified of every unusual sound or knock at the door. richmond electric tankless water heater error codes "James Hanratty killed Michael Gregsten. Case 172: Michael Gregsten & Valerie Storie - YouTube 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. The argument for contamination was dismissed as "fanciful" by the judges, who concluded that the "DNA evidence, standing alone, is certain proof of guilt". When this evidence went to court in 2002, proving Hanratty's guilt beyond any doubt, reporters once again hounded Valerie to speak. Try to reignite the pilot light. They were confronted by a man with a gun. [citation needed]. She identified James Hanratty as her attacker during an identity parade. 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! Since his death Hanratty's family and supporters have fought to prove that, although a petty crook, he was not a killer. 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. 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. Professor Hobbs described Valerie as a 'bloody minded and determined' woman with a charming character. 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. Believing that he had killed her, Hanratty drove south in the direction of Luton. michael gregsten wife - Agenciap10.com Her wish was honoured when The Long Silence was released with the title that Valerie had planned to give to her book. Alphon subsequently surrendered himself, and was subjected to an intense interrogation. cid exam previous question papers. Her testimony was critical in securing a guilty verdict, but this was questioned by many who felt the supporting evidence too weak to justify conviction, and Hanratty's brother fought for decades to have the verdict overturned. 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. At that time there was no conclusive forensic evidence to connect Hanratty with the car or the murder scene. The trial lasted 21 days, the longest in English legal history up to that time.[21]. He was found guilty for the murder of a 36 year old scientist Michael Gregsten in August 22nd 1961. Even Valerie's own Member of Parliament, Joan Lestor, insisted Hanratty was innocent, and once sent a letter to Valerie inviting her to join the campaign for the A6 Committee. After ignoring her pleas to shoot her as well, or let her get help for Gregsten, the gunman told her to kiss him. He then stated that he had in fact been in the Welsh coastal town of Rhyl. 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. His wife, Maureen Hanratty, said the family had been 'put through hell' because of the behaviour of the authorities. Despite this, Michael was having an affair with his 22-year-old lab assistant, Valerie Storie. But in May 2002 the Court of Appeal ruled that the DNA evidence had established his guilt "beyond doubt". 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. Gregsten had been hit twice in the head and died instantly. Hanratty: the truth at last? | The Independent | The Independent land for sale in highgate, st mary jamaica . In 2002 DNA evidence proved beyond all doubt that Hanratty was guilty. He explained: "I felt the story had been misrepresented and needed a retelling from a fresh perspective. dr mark weiss psychologist; evaluate crossword clue 4 letters; pitt county jail bookings twitter. In police line-ups, Storie did not recognise Alphon, but eventually identified Hanratty. 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. James Hanratty was later tried, convicted and executed for the murder of Michael John Gregsten on the A6 road. What Is The Case Of Michael Gregsten's Suicide. [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. Hanratty's family and their supporters have continued to contest this conclusion and to press for a further review of his conviction. That's basically taking the rest of his brothers life with him, since he knew he wouldn't be cleared. A strong, disabled woman's story. Case 173: Rocio Wanninkhof & Sonia Carabantes, Tributes pour in for Sloughs brave Valerie Storie. This is a hold-up," a mans voice said. She was always absolutely certain that she was right, there was no question about that.'. After holding them at gunpoint for two hours, Hanratty told Michael to start driving because he wanted food. James Hanratty - Wikipedia After six hours they returned to ask the judge for the definition of 'reasonable doubt'. I know that because I was there. Case 172: Michael Gregsten & Valerie Storie : r/Casefile - Reddit 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. michael gregsten wife / June 11, 2022 June 11, 2022 / were achilles and patroclus cousins /. 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. 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. They had never been disturbed before and it was easier to talk here rather than anywhere else. 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. michael gregsten wife - Blueflamegasinstallation.com However, she was certain that this occurred on Monday 21 August. 79 Michael Gregsten Premium High Res Photos - Getty Images 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. None of it made sense. The prosecution produced witnesses attesting that all the rooms were already occupied at the time and accused Mrs Jones of being an unreliable witness. Nudds' statement also said that Alphon had stayed in the hotel as he claimed, and had remained in his room, Room 6, all night. Forensic science and the case of James Hanratty Roger Lewis, Pseudocide New Spotify exclusive podcast from Casefile Presents, ShipStation Try ShipStation FREE for 60 days with promo code CASEFILE, Best Fiends Download Best Fiends for free, Imperfect Foods Get 20% off and free shipping on your first order with offer code CASEFILE20. List Of Most Dreaded Murderers In British History 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. It was full of her personal effects including her handbag, a wallet and a purse, a few pound notes and coins pushed inside them. Look after mum and dad. AboutPressCopyrightContact. [citation needed] Storie gave another statement to the police later that morning, just before she underwent surgery in Bedford Hospital. I repeat that James Hanratty was guilty of the crime for which he was hanged. It was clear he either had not driven before, or was unfamiliar with a Morris Minor. [24] The Committee attempted to assist Hanratty in his defence, and later tried to disprove his conviction. But if it happens, use the ignition to turn the pilot on again. Circa 1962. James HANRATTY - Murderpedia, the encyclopedia of murderers Still can't find what you're looking for? 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. 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. 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]. With some justification it seemed, since Michael had a tendency to spend willingly rather than save. Another man obtained a gun for Alphon, whereupon he set off and hijacked the pair. He attempted to escape that facility as well, and was sent to Strangeways Prison, Manchester. 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. 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." Mr Gregsten's companion, Valerie Storie, was raped, shot and left for dead. He said: "Whenever journalists came to her asking to tell her story she said no, as they'd misrepresent her. Alamy and its logo are trademarks of Alamy Ltd. and are registered in certain countries. Yet in spite of this, Valerie kept her silence, Paul explained. A BBC Panorama episode in 1966 included extracts from the Jean Justice tapes. Clear my name.". 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.". 96 Michael Gregsten Premium High Res Photos - Getty Images They took with them maps and other things to organise a car rally being held at their office this weekend. Michael Gregsten with his wife Janet before he was murdered in his car on the A6 by James Hanratty. [43][44][citation needed], Valerie Storie died on 26 March 2016 aged 77 in the Cippenham house where she had been born. Were they to marry? This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. When Alphon found out, he flew into a rage. Gregsten was found shot dead in a car on the A6 in Deadman's Hill, Bedfordshire, and his girlfriend Valerie Storie was raped . However, there was another person called William Usher, who did have two fingers missing from one hand, which looked withered. 2023 Getty Images. A brown, check car rug was spread out; another small, personalised feature of the rallying Morris. Alphon claimed he gave Gregsten two chances to get away but "each time the bloody man kept coming back". By First sergeant epr bullets june 30, 2022 | | 0 comment | 2:40 pm. 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. 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. 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. The campaign got even more attention when Beatle John Lennon, and his partner, Yoko Ono, joined the campaign. Justice took the precaution of making thorough notes, and recording all telephone conversations with Alphon. This would be of no interest except for possibly the oddest coincidence in the case. 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. Hanratty - did he rape and murder? | Watford Observer Mr Stickler remains interested in pursuing the story further and is looking into another case which he believes might have inspired Hanratty. I knew who he was and he knew that I recognised him. 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. France also left behind several letters for his family, the contents of which have never been made public. All of this money was anonymously donated to Slough Mobility Transport for the purchase of two new vehicles, one of which was named 'Valerie'. Detectives and tracker dogs have spent the day searching the surrounding area and so far two cartridges have been found. The man then said he wanted to sleep, and that he would have to tie them up. At about 1.30am on August 23, Hanratty told Michael to pull into a lay-by at Deadman's Hill and to hand over his duffle bag. 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. ;Picture taken at home of Mrs. Janet Gregston with her two sons Anthony 3 and Simon (9) 1961. Transferred briefly to Durham Prison, he was returned to Strangeways where, having served his full term, he was released in March 1961, aged 24. 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. , updated Hanratty's appeal was dismissed on 13 March, and despite a petition signed by more than 90,000 people, Hanratty was hanged by executioner Harry Allen at Bedford on 4 April 1962, still protesting his innocence. Even Valerie's own Member of Parliament, Joan Lestor, insisted Hanratty was innocent. Valerie Storie after receiving treatment for stab wounds on the A6 where Michael Gregsten was murdered is taken to court during trial against James. Valerie wrote: "Hanratty committed a crime and was found guilty and was hanged. 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. [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. 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. 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. Journalists such as Paul Foot and Bob Woffinden campaigned for years to prove Hanratty's innocence, casting doubt on Valerie's evidence. 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. Mr Gregsten's body was tonight identified by his wife, Janet. Valerie Storie was left paralysed after James Hanratty attacked her and killed her boyfriend in August 1961. 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 . 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. We'll also send you alerts about important breaking news. Next, use the -inch open-end wrench and pull out the thermistor by turning it counter-clockwise. 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. 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By the age of 11 he had been declared ineducable at St James Catholic High School, Burnt Oak, Barnet, although his parents steadfastly refused to accept he was in any way mentally deficient and successfully resisted attempts to have him placed in a special school. Among the prosecution team at the trial was Geoffrey Lane, who was subsequently appointed Lord Chief Justice. This is a hold-up, a mans voice said. All you have to do is to click here and type in your email address. 22nd August 1961, Michael Gregsten a 36-year-old research scientist at the Road Research Laboratory at Langley, near Slough. BBC - Beds Herts and Bucks - History - James Hanratty - The A6 Murder He ordered them to drive to . [31] Woffinden wrote that there is no evidence that the witnesses even saw the same Morris Minor. She was of the opinion that it is for all of us to make the most of what we have been dealt.'. Gregsten was forced to drive down the A6 until he reached Deadman's Hill near Clophill, Bedfordshire. 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. The decision by the Court of Appeal included a discussion of the handling of the various items of evidence involved. What Valerie then saw surprised her. Eventually, the jury retired. He was then buried in the grounds of Bedford Gaol. Hi, It's truly a crying shame that all the postings on this fascinating forum have been lost, seemingly for ever.