Satisfied he had killed her, the gunman drove off southward with much crashing of gears, in the direction of Luton. His companion, 22-year-old laboratory assistant, Valerie Storie, from Cippenham, near Slough, had been raped and shot five times in the chest. Access the best of Getty Images with our simple subscription plan. mobile homes for rent in hammond, la / bourbon red turkey egg production / bourbon red turkey egg production [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. Enter your email address below to get the latest news and exclusive content from The History Press delivered straight to your inbox. Michaels duffel bag containing freshly laundered clothing rested next to it. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. The journey continued along the A5 through St Albans, which the gunman mistakenly insisted was Watford, before joining the A6. [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. The initial prime suspects were Hanratty, a petty criminal, and Peter Louis Alphon, an eccentric drifter. As a result of these facts, after the A6 murder, Valerie was often unfairly characterised as a "loose woman". 341,587,075 stock photos, 360 panoramic images, vectors and videos, Share Alamy images with your team and customers. Storie recalled that he pronounced "things" as "fings" and "think" as "fink".[18]. Twice he told Gregsten to turn off the road and then changed his mind, and the car returned to the A6. Were they to marry? During 1962, the case caught the interest of London businessman Jean Justice, the son of a Belgian diplomat and partner of barrister Jeremy Fox.
How much time had passed since they had pulled into the field is not absolutely clear since neither was paying particular attention but, Valerie would later estimate, after about thirty minutes their private conversation was disturbed. Tap into Getty Images' global scale, data-driven insights, and network of more than 340,000 creators to create content exclusively for your brand. 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]. 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]. 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. You shot him. 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. Her wish was honoured when The Long Silence was released with the title that Valerie had planned to give to her book. He attempted to escape that facility as well, and was sent to Strangeways Prison, Manchester. This image could have imperfections as its either historical or reportage. None of it made sense. [12] Kerr alerted Sydney Burton, a farm labourer, who flagged down two cars and asked the drivers to call an ambulance. 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. By
Millions of high-quality images, video, and music options are waiting for you. 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. 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'. For pouch chewers, reach down in the bottom of the pouch, where the tobacco is moist, and grab a small handful. 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. 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. 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. Valerie wrote: "Hanratty committed a crime and was found guilty and was hanged. "James Hanratty killed Michael Gregsten. The gunman then made to leave but suddenly turned back and shot Valerie several times, with five bullets hitting her. [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. I know that because I was there. "They then left at about 7.30pm in a grey Morris car which I understood belonged to Michael's mother. [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.
Miss Storie's mother, Mrs John Storie, said: "Michael came here last night and had tea with Valerie. Signing up to the newsletter is simple. They covered about 30 miles before the gunman ordered Gregsten to pull into a lay-by on the A6 at Clophill at around 01 . ;Picture taken at home of Mrs. Janet Gregston with her two sons Anthony 3 and Simon (9) 1961. The prosecution produced witnesses attesting that all the rooms were already occupied at the time and accused Mrs Jones of being an unreliable witness. Mr Stickler remains interested in pursuing the story further and is looking into another case which he believes might have inspired Hanratty. 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. Look after mum and dad. 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. 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. Find the right content for your market. She was taken to hospital in Bedford where she underwent surgery for her injuries. At 11.30pm, the man said he wanted food, and told Gregsten to start driving. Ingrams said that Alphon, in conversations with Foot and others, had spoken "obsessively about the case, frequently incriminating himself". Pre-pay for multiple images and download on demand. 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. Alphon subsequently surrendered himself, and was subjected to an intense interrogation. michael gregsten wife. They were ordered to drive to Deadman's Hill, where the attack took place. 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. 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. Valerie Storie was left paralysed after James Hanratty attacked her and killed her boyfriend in August 1961. In essence its her posthumous autobiography.". (Photo by Central Press/Getty Images) Victim's Wife 23rd November 1961: Mrs Janet Gregsten arrives at Ampthill Court in Bedfordshire, to attend the trial of James Hanratty for the murder of her husband, Michael Gregsten. Learn more about how you can collaborate with us. [34] However, he admitted that, if contamination could be excluded, the DNA evidence demonstrated that James Hanratty had committed the murder and rape. 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. He leaves two sons, aged seven and two. "Valerie has worked at the laboratory since she left school five years ago and she has known Michael for a long time.". 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. 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. I had found the guilty person. 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 This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. [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. Copyright 04/03/2023 Alamy Ltd. All rights reserved. He also claimed the gun went off by accident. Peter Alphon died in January 2009 after a fall at his home. Awesome. 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. 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. 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. 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. Michael Streeter on the latest twist in a celebrated murder mystery. It's best to encompass . We'll also send you alerts about important breaking news. 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. 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. 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. 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]. michael gregsten wife / June 11, 2022 June 11, 2022 / were achilles and patroclus cousins /. 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. 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. [citation needed] Storie gave another statement to the police later that morning, just before she underwent surgery in Bedford Hospital. In police line-ups, Storie did not recognise Alphon, but eventually identified Hanratty. The man was immaculately dressed. 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 . michael gregsten wife / June 11, 2022 June 11, 2022 / were achilles and patroclus cousins /. Try to reignite the pilot light. "The book tells the story of what happened that night and how she dealt with it in the years that followed. 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. 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. The comments below have not been moderated, By
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. She said: 'They have built their case on this myth and it has grown to become pure folklore. When Valerie died and her papers were given to me I became determined to retell the story with her perspective at its heart. The gunman ordered Gregsten to drive in several directions, before stopping beside the A6 at Deadman's Hill, where the offences took place. Despite this, Michael was having an affair with his 22-year-old lab assistant, Valerie Storie. This would be of no interest except for possibly the oddest coincidence in the case. Neutral Citation Number: [2002] Crim 1141", "James Hanratty: Close to a final verdict? 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. 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 - Micheal Gregston - Murder UK - The - Murder in the Uk As a result of these facts, after the A6 murder, Valerie was often unfairly characterised as a "loose woman". She identified Hanratty from a lineup and testified at his trial. With the gun still pointing at them, the man said, I have been on the run for four months. But if it happens, use the ignition to turn the pilot on again. [citation needed]. Professor Hobbs said: 'She never felt sorry for herself. 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.
The Crimes | Crime + Investigation UK Usher admitted remembering Hanratty and the suitcase, and partly remembered the name of the man as 'Ratty'; he was located by private detectives working for the defence, but was never called as a witness. [34] DNA was donated by Hanratty's mother and brother,[22] which they expected to exonerate him when compared with DNA extracted from surviving evidence. Bedfordshire Live spoke to Paul about the newly-released book, which is titled The Long Silence - just as Valerie had intended. Alphon claimed he gave Gregsten two chances to get away but "each time the bloody man kept coming back". It was clear he either had not driven before, or was unfamiliar with a Morris Minor. Inside a parked Morris Minor was a 36-year-old scientist, Michael Gregsten, and his 22-year-old girlfriend, Valerie Storie. This time, she did. They were, though, generally relaxed talking in their cornfield. You don't want it to be blown out. 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. Or did Scotland Yard have the right man all along?
richmond electric tankless water heater error codes Among the prosecution team at the trial was Geoffrey Lane, who was subsequently appointed Lord Chief Justice. She refused and, having managed to free her hands, tried to disarm him but was overpowered; after he threatened to shoot her, she relented. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. '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. 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. [12] Gregsten had been shot twice in the head with a .38 revolver at point blank range; Storie had been raped, and then shot with the same weapon, four times in the left shoulder and once in the neck, leaving her paralysed below the shoulders.
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