I knew who he was and he knew that I recognised him. Michael Gregston was murdered by James Hanratty 1962. I do this act in the knowledge that it will clear my family's character of any act or wrong'. When Michael rolled down the window, Hanratty thrust a large black revolver into his face and said: 'This is a hold-up, I am a desperate man, I have been on the run for four months. The sudden intrusion did not seem real. The Getty Images design is a trademark of Getty Images. 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. Look after mum and dad. 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. 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]. Were they to marry? Valerie hid pound notes in her bra to stop Hanratty from taking them. A strong, disabled woman's story. 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. 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. I know that because I was there. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. 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. No DNA other than Hanratty's was found on the handkerchief in which the murder weapon had been found wrapped. He stayed in a room the night before the crime from which bullets that had been fired from the murder weapon were recovered. He also claimed the gun went off by accident. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. Enter your email address below to get the latest news and exclusive content from The History Press delivered straight to your inbox. Woman left with serious injuries after dog attack on residential road in Luton. Learn more about how you can collaborate with us. During one of the phone calls, he pronounced "think" as "fink".[20]. Get in touch for any commercial. This image could have imperfections as its either historical or reportage. His companion, 22-year-old laboratory assistant, Valerie Storie, from Cippenham, near Slough, had been raped and shot five times in the chest. 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. 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. Jamal Edwards, a music producer and entrepreneur, died suddenly in February 2022. The car had been jointly owned by Gregsten's mother and aunt, and lent to the couple who, according to Storie, were planning to attend a car rally. [citation needed] Storie gave another statement to the police later that morning, just before she underwent surgery in Bedford Hospital. "They then left at about 7.30pm in a grey Morris car which I understood belonged to Michael's mother. The trial lasted 21 days, the longest in English legal history up to that time.[21]. 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. They kissed only once. Police handout, showing James Hanratty in police custody, Lennon and Ono protest Hanratty's execution. After six hours they returned to ask the judge for the definition of 'reasonable doubt'. [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 started to bombard his own solicitor with threatening phone calls and letters. 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. ;Picture taken at home of Mrs. Janet Gregston with her two sons Anthony 3 and Simon (9) 1961. James Hanratty denied shooting Michael Gregsten, a physicist, twice in the head last August. Valerie criticised the journalists who campaigned to prove Hanratty's innocence in an interview with the Mail on Sunday in 2002. [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. Boards are the best place to save images and video clips. In 1962, at Bedford Jail, 25-year-old Hanratty became one of the final eight people in the UK to be executed before capital punishment was abolished. 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. By the time of his arrest for the murder of Michael Gregsten, Hanratty had already accumulated four convictions for motoring offences and housebreaking. 1985: West German spy chief defects to East, Man finds A6 murder weapon - broadcast 25 August 1961. A man threatened the couple with a gun. The story of the A6 Murderer in Bedfordshire is infamous, but the story of one of his victim's has remained untold, To stay up to date with all the latest news from across Bedfordshire sign up to our free newsletter for daily updates and all the latest breaking news. All of this money was anonymously donated to Slough Mobility Transport for the purchase of two new vehicles, one of which was named 'Valerie'. 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. Two suspects were spotlighted for the attack, which was dubbed The A6 Murder. James Hanratty was eventually charged and executed, despite claiming his innocence. Still can't find what you're looking for? 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. 341,587,075 stock photos, 360 panoramic images, vectors and videos, Share Alamy images with your team and customers. He leaves two sons, aged seven and two. Bedfordshire Live spoke to Paul about the newly-released book, which is titled The Long Silence - just as Valerie had intended. 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". The circumstances of Hanratty's introduction to France's family, and the reasons for the crippling sense of guilt harboured by France for the harm he felt Hanratty had inflicted on them, so great that it could only be expiated by suicide, remain a mystery.[8]. Rachel Muir For Mailonline Michael was 14 years older than her and married with two children, though he was in the process of separating from his wife. After some investigation, 'Ryan' turned out to be James Hanratty, a 25-year-old petty criminal with four convictions for car theft, larceny and burglary. I repeat that James Hanratty was guilty of the crime for which he was hanged. But tonight, they were talking. In some accounts of the case Janet Gregsten instigated the investigation into James Hanratty by a psychic experience. 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. Try to reignite the pilot light. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. Im a desperate man. Case 173: Rocio Wanninkhof & Sonia Carabantes, Tributes pour in for Sloughs brave Valerie Storie. People need to know what this poor woman went through.'. Against the wishes of his parents, Hanratty's body had been exhumed and his DNA was compared to that found on Valerie's underwear and the handkerchief in which the murder weapon had been hidden. The police then took the unusual step of publicly naming Alphon as the murder suspect. She said: 'They have built their case on this myth and it has grown to become pure folklore. 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. Ingrams said that Foot continued until his own death in 2004 to believe in Hanratty's alibi, despite the DNA tests of 2002. 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 campaign got even more attention when Beatle John Lennon, and his partner, Yoko Ono, joined the campaign. [citation needed]. 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. 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. The unit should also be connected correctly to the power source. The dead man, who has been identified as physicist Michael John Gregsten, 34, from Abbots Langley in Hertfordshire, had been shot twice in the head with a 38-calibre revolver. Transferred briefly to Durham Prison, he was returned to Strangeways where, having served his full term, he was released in March 1961, aged 24. Historical-Meal-5525 2 yr. ago. 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. In October 2000, the Court of Appeal ordered the exhumation of Hanratty's body. [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. He would have been wrongly identified by three witnesses at identification parades; first as the person at the scene of the crime and secondly (by two witnesses) driving a vehicle close to where the vehicle in which the murder was committed was found. If you do as I tell you, you will be all right.'. Their relationship started over a mutual love of car . But then the other suspect, Peter Alphon, publicly confesses to the crime. 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.". Valerie Storie survived the shooting but was left paralysed and wheelchair-bound. That night, after stopping for a drink at The Station Inn at Taplow, they stopped on a countryside road to discuss their future. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. When this evidence went to court in 2002, proving Hanratty's guilt beyond any doubt, reporters once again hounded Valerie to speak. Professor Hobbs said: 'It is important that people understand that it is very easy to jump on a bandwagon and come up with a conclusion that is wrong.'. 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. Something went wrong, please try again later. The gunman replied that Gregsten had frightened him by turning too quickly. 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. Her wish was honoured when The Long Silence was released with the title that Valerie had planned to give to her book. ', Professor Adrian Hobbs, a close friend of Valerie who worked with her at the Road Research Laboratory in Bracknell, Berkshire, said: 'I think she was just waiting to be vindicated. Collect, curate and comment on your files. 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. [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. , updated According to Alphon, a man had paid him a sum of 5,000 to end the affair between Gregsten and Storie. Search for stock images, vectors and videos, Available for editorial use only. 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. Miss Storie's mother, Mrs John Storie, said: "Michael came here last night and had tea with Valerie. Detectives and tracker dogs have spent the day searching the surrounding area and so far two cartridges have been found. Neutral Citation Number (2002) Crim 1141, 'Musing about The A6 Bedfordshire murder', https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=James_Hanratty&oldid=1135732016. 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. "I would be terrified of every unusual sound or knock at the door. Hi, It's truly a crying shame that all the postings on this fascinating forum have been lost, seemingly for ever. Hanratty was convicted of the murder in 1962 and sentenced to death. After nine hours, they returned to the court and entered a unanimous verdict of guilty. Hanratty was then charged with the capital murder of Michael Gregsten. Bedfordshire Police is appealing for witnesses and dashcam footage. The comments below have not been moderated, By [4][5][6][7] By 1937, the family had moved to Wembley in northwest London. [32][33], While some of the original items of physical evidence were destroyed, the sample from Miss Storie's underwear had been discovered in 1991 and, in late-1997, the handkerchief was subsequently found in the possession of the Berkshire police. Signing up to the newsletter is simple. 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 . The Court concludes that this number of alleged coincidences mean that they are not coincidences but provide overwhelming proof of the safety of the conviction from an evidential perspective. Alphon stuck to his confession and continued to repeat it until about 1971, when he withdrew his claims. The man got into the back of the car and told Gregsten to drive further into the field, then stop. But when Michael reached for the bag Hanratty shot him twice in the head, killing him instantly. michael gregsten wife / June 11, 2022 June 11, 2022 / were achilles and patroclus cousins /. Flatline intro and Come play with me intro and outro www.dl-sounds.com, Logo and website design Paulina Szymanska, James Hanratty: The A6 Murder Crime Files, Tributes pour in for Sloughs brave Valerie Storie Slough & South Bucks Observer, Man is charged with A6 murder The Guardian, Court told of A6 car chase The Guardian, Calls to Yard in A6 case The Guardian, Hanratty family in new appeal against murder conviction BBC News, Police denial of concealing evidence The Guardian, Lay by murder gun identified The Guardian, New search in lay by murder The Guardian, Lennon film on the A6 murder found The Observer, Fresh confession revives Hanratty doubts The Guardian, Appeal court to reveal Hanratty murder case The Guardian, DNA hampers effort to clear Hanratty The Guardian, Murder casebook: James Hanratty Crime and Investigation Network, A miscarriage of justice? "Valerie has worked at the laboratory since she left school five years ago and she has known Michael for a long time.". For pouch chewers, reach down in the bottom of the pouch, where the tobacco is moist, and grab a small handful. 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. 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. The man tied Storie's hands behind her back with Gregsten's tie and then saw a duffle bag containing some clean clothing. 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. [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. 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. 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. Twice he told Gregsten to turn off the road and then changed his mind, and the car returned to the A6. Keep an eye on the newspapers, this in years to come will come out.". I could not ever relax.". Michaels duffel bag containing freshly laundered clothing rested next to it. Captions are provided by our contributors. 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. That's basically taking the rest of his brothers life with him, since he knew he wouldn't be cleared. Michael Gregsten's widow later went on to have an affair with her brother in law William Ewer, who left his wife. "[42], Following the DNA evidence in 2002, Storie earned over 40,000 for her participation in various TV and newspaper documentaries. The hotel manager, William Nudds, made a statement to police naming the last occupant of the room as 'James Ryan'. France also left behind several letters for his family, the contents of which have never been made public. .. 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. Believing that he had killed her, Hanratty drove south in the direction of Luton. Alphon claimed he gave Gregsten two chances to get away but "each time the bloody man kept coming back". Despatched to the youth wing of Wormwood Scrubs, he slashed his wrists; placed in the prison hospital, he was declared a 'potential psychopath'. They drove via London Heathrow Airport, up through the Middlesex suburbs, on to the A5 and then on to the A6 to Clophill, Bedfordshire. 2023 Getty Images. He believes that one of the other people was the murdered man's spurned wife, Janet Gregsten, who died recently, and at . 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. All rights reserved. It also tells the true story of Valerie's complicated relationship with 36-year-old Michael. Despite being pilloried by the media, Valerie Storie withdrew from the limelight and tried to live a normal life. Gregsten at first refused, but the man became aggressive and threatened them with the gun. 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. He took several steps back to the car before turning and firing four bullets at her, then reloaded and fired again. 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. However, there was another person called William Usher, who did have two fingers missing from one hand, which looked withered. You shot him. "[25], The journalist and campaigner Ludovic Kennedy wrote many articles asserting Hanratty's innocence. He then stated that he had in fact been in the Welsh coastal town of Rhyl. He had the same identifying manner of speech as the killer. If you do as I tell you, you will be all right." But in May 2002 the Court of Appeal ruled that the DNA evidence had established his guilt "beyond doubt". However, she was certain that this occurred on Monday 21 August. After forcing them to drive 60 miles, gunman James Hanratty murdered Michael before raping Valerie and emptying a number of rounds into her body. "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.". [45][46], This article is about the 1961 murder on the A6 road in England. The journey continued along the A5 through St Albans, which the gunman mistakenly insisted was Watford, before joining the A6. Storie then left the car and returned to sit beside Gregsten's body. Was James Hanratty Guilty or Innocent? After a five-hour ordeal, ending in a layby on the A6 in Bedfordshire, Michael was shot dead and Valerie was raped, shot and left for dead. Mr Stickler remains interested in pursuing the story further and is looking into another case which he believes might have inspired Hanratty. 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 covered about 30 miles before the gunman ordered Gregsten to pull into a lay-by on the A6 at Clophill at around 01 . In 2002 DNA evidence proved beyond all doubt that Hanratty was guilty. 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. 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. "If anyone doesn't want to be punished then they, surely, don't commit the crime. October 11th, 1961, James Hanratty was arrested for murder and rape. 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. This is a hold-up," a mans voice said. Valentine's Day collision leaves moped rider with 'life-changing' injuries. 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. He attempted to escape that facility as well, and was sent to Strangeways Prison, Manchester. Satisfied he had killed her, the gunman drove off southward with much crashing of gears, in the direction of Luton. My evidence has never changed, neither have I ever had any doubts. [8] Gregsten had separated from his wife Janet (d. 1995[13][14]) who lived with their two children at Abbots Langley. ", Planned school expansion will cause 'traffic chaos', councillor claims, Councillor Victoria Harvey warned: This council is failing on travel plans. 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! DNA samples from both sources exactly matched James Hanratty's DNA. Michael gregsten wife / june 11, 2022 june 11, 2022 / were achilles and patroclus cousins. 'There's a very powerful human story in this. [28] However, Bob Woffinden wrote that there was only one occasion when Justice and Jeremy Fox supported Alphon financially, when Fox paid a hotel bill for him. What Valerie then saw surprised her. 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? [41], Valerie Storie was quoted as saying "I identified the guilty man. However, only two days later, Storie gave a different description of her assailant to the police. Michael Gregsten with his wife Janet before he was murdered in his car on the A6 by James Hanratty. Copyright 04/03/2023 Alamy Ltd. All rights reserved. Was this a miscarriage of justice? Inside a parked Morris Minor was a 36-year-old scientist, Michael Gregsten, and his 22-year-old girlfriend, Valerie Storie. Well push your creativity and go beyond your brief. "Im a desperate man. Awesome. Access the best of Getty Images with our simple subscription plan. 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. The police issued an appeal to boarding-house keepers to report any unusual or suspicious guests. View 1 apartments for rent in corsicana, tx. It was clear he either had not driven before, or was unfamiliar with a Morris Minor.