Latest news with #BabesintheWood
The Irish Sun
7 days ago
- The Irish Sun
Who were Nicola Fellows and Karen Hadaway & how long was the Babes in the Wood killer Russell Bishop sentenced to?
The infamous Brighton Babes in the Wood murders shocked the nation in 1986 when two innocent nine-year-old girls were found dead. The case went unsolved for decades before modern science finally caught their killer. Advertisement 3 Russell Bishop being interviewed Credit: PA:Press Association Russell Bishop was eventually sentenced to life imprisonment for the horrific crime, but how long did this predatory paedophile serve, and who were the young victims whose lives he so cruelly cut short? This Sunday, July 27, viewers can discover the full shocking story on Cold Case Killers, which explores how detectives finally brought one of Britain's most notorious child killers to justice after a 32-year fight. Who were Nicola Fellows and Karen Hadaway? Nicola Fellows and Karen Hadaway were two nine-year-old girls from Brighton who vanished after going out to play on October 9, 1986. The schoolgirls lived near each other in the Moulsecoomb area of Brighton. Advertisement Read more UK crime On that fateful Thursday evening, they told their families they were going out to play but never returned home. Their disappearance sparked an immediate search by concerned parents and neighbours before police were called. The young girls became known as the "Babes in the Wood" - a reference to the old English folk tale - after their bodies were discovered the next day in nearby Wild Park. Their deaths devastated the local community and would haunt Brighton for decades to come. Advertisement Most read in The Sun The horrific crime that shocked the nation The bodies of Nicola and Karen were discovered in woodland at Wild Park, Brighton, on October 10, 1986. In a crime that sent shockwaves across the country, both girls had been sexually assaulted and strangled. My dad spied on my sister with hidden cameras & stalked her at work before she vanished at 17 - I'm convinced he killed her despite serial killer confession They had been killed in a densely wooded den, hidden from view, in what investigators described as a sexually motivated attack. The discovery of their bodies prompted one of Sussex Police's most extensive ever manhunts. Advertisement Parents became afraid to let their children play outside, and the case quickly became one of Britain's most notorious unsolved murders. The double killing left a lasting mark on the community and brought attention to child safety concerns nationwide . The man behind the murders Russell Bishop was a 20-year-old local man at the time of the murders. He lived in the same neighbourhood as the girls and was known to both families. Advertisement Bishop quickly became a suspect in the initial investigation . He had knowledge of the local area and was familiar with Wild Park, where the bodies were found. Despite this, crucial forensic evidence wasn't strong enough at the time to secure a conviction. In a shocking twist, Bishop was actually tried for the murders in 1987 but was acquitted after issues with the investigation and unreliable forensic evidence. Advertisement The verdict meant that the killer remained at large, while the families continued to seek justice for their daughters. 3 The woodland den where the bodies of Karen Hadaway and Nicola Fellows were found Credit: PA:Press Association The 32-year fight for justice Following his acquittal, Bishop continued his predatory behaviour. Just three years later, in 1990, he was convicted of the kidnapping, indecent assault and attempted murder of another seven-year-old girl in Brighton. Advertisement This attack had chilling similarities to the murders of Nicola and Karen. While Bishop served time for this later crime, the double murder case remained open, with detectives convinced Bishop was responsible despite his earlier acquittal. The breakthrough came after changes to double jeopardy laws in 2005, which allowed suspects to be tried twice for the same crime if "compelling new evidence" emerged. This legal change gave investigators renewed hope of finally bringing Bishop to justice. Advertisement How modern science finally caught the killer After decades of waiting, it was scientific advances in DNA testing that finally provided the crucial evidence needed to convict Bishop. Cold case detectives meticulously re-examined evidence from the original crime scene using techniques that weren't available in the 1980s. A blue Pinto sweatshirt found near the scene became a vital piece of evidence. Using advanced DNA techniques, forensic scientists found Bishop's DNA on the sweatshirt, along with fibres linking it to both victims' clothes. Advertisement This evidence proved to be the smoking gun that investigators had sought for over three decades. During the trial, Bishop tried to blame Nicola's father, Barrie Fellows, suggesting he had murdered his own daughter. However, the forensic evidence against Bishop was overwhelming, leading to his conviction. 3 Michelle Hadaway, the mother of Karen Hadaway (left) and Sue Eismann, the mother of Nicola Fellows, outside the Old Bailey in London Credit: PA:Press Association Advertisement Russell Bishop's life sentence In December 2018, 32 years after the murders, Russell Bishop was finally found guilty of killing Nicola Fellows and Karen Hadaway. The Brighton Babes in the Wood murderer was convicted following a month-long trial at the Old Bailey. On December 11, 2018, Bishop was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 36 years. As he was 52 years old when sentenced, this effectively meant Bishop would spend the rest of his life behind bars. Advertisement Sue Eismann, Karen's mother, said after the verdict: "Finally justice has been done and Bishop has been seen as the evil monster he really is". The case stands as one of Britain's most notorious child murders and highlights how advances in forensic science can help solve even the coldest of cases. The memories of Nicola Fellows and Karen Hadaway live on, with their families finally seeing the justice they deserved be served after an agonising 32-year wait. You can tune in this Sunday, July 27, at 11:05 PM, to Cold Case Killers and discover the shocking decades-long struggle that led detectives to finally apprehend one of Britain's most infamous child murderers. Advertisement
Scottish Sun
7 days ago
- Scottish Sun
Who were Nicola Fellows and Karen Hadaway & how long was the Babes in the Wood killer Russell Bishop sentenced to?
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) The infamous Brighton Babes in the Wood murders shocked the nation in 1986 when two innocent nine-year-old girls were found dead. The case went unsolved for decades before modern science finally caught their killer. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 Russell Bishop being interviewed Credit: PA:Press Association Russell Bishop was eventually sentenced to life imprisonment for the horrific crime, but how long did this predatory paedophile serve, and who were the young victims whose lives he so cruelly cut short? This Sunday, July 27, viewers can discover the full shocking story on Cold Case Killers, which explores how detectives finally brought one of Britain's most notorious child killers to justice after a 32-year fight. Who were Nicola Fellows and Karen Hadaway? Nicola Fellows and Karen Hadaway were two nine-year-old girls from Brighton who vanished after going out to play on October 9, 1986. The schoolgirls lived near each other in the Moulsecoomb area of Brighton. Read more UK crime RAP MURDER 5 guilty of killing teen Leonardo Reid in double murder during rap video shoot On that fateful Thursday evening, they told their families they were going out to play but never returned home. Their disappearance sparked an immediate search by concerned parents and neighbours before police were called. The young girls became known as the "Babes in the Wood" - a reference to the old English folk tale - after their bodies were discovered the next day in nearby Wild Park. Their deaths devastated the local community and would haunt Brighton for decades to come. The horrific crime that shocked the nation The bodies of Nicola and Karen were discovered in woodland at Wild Park, Brighton, on October 10, 1986. In a crime that sent shockwaves across the country, both girls had been sexually assaulted and strangled. My dad spied on my sister with hidden cameras & stalked her at work before she vanished at 17 - I'm convinced he killed her despite serial killer confession They had been killed in a densely wooded den, hidden from view, in what investigators described as a sexually motivated attack. The discovery of their bodies prompted one of Sussex Police's most extensive ever manhunts. Parents became afraid to let their children play outside, and the case quickly became one of Britain's most notorious unsolved murders. The double killing left a lasting mark on the community and brought attention to child safety concerns nationwide. The man behind the murders Russell Bishop was a 20-year-old local man at the time of the murders. He lived in the same neighbourhood as the girls and was known to both families. Bishop quickly became a suspect in the initial investigation. He had knowledge of the local area and was familiar with Wild Park, where the bodies were found. Despite this, crucial forensic evidence wasn't strong enough at the time to secure a conviction. In a shocking twist, Bishop was actually tried for the murders in 1987 but was acquitted after issues with the investigation and unreliable forensic evidence. The verdict meant that the killer remained at large, while the families continued to seek justice for their daughters. 3 The woodland den where the bodies of Karen Hadaway and Nicola Fellows were found Credit: PA:Press Association The 32-year fight for justice Following his acquittal, Bishop continued his predatory behaviour. Just three years later, in 1990, he was convicted of the kidnapping, indecent assault and attempted murder of another seven-year-old girl in Brighton. This attack had chilling similarities to the murders of Nicola and Karen. While Bishop served time for this later crime, the double murder case remained open, with detectives convinced Bishop was responsible despite his earlier acquittal. The breakthrough came after changes to double jeopardy laws in 2005, which allowed suspects to be tried twice for the same crime if "compelling new evidence" emerged. This legal change gave investigators renewed hope of finally bringing Bishop to justice. How modern science finally caught the killer After decades of waiting, it was scientific advances in DNA testing that finally provided the crucial evidence needed to convict Bishop. Cold case detectives meticulously re-examined evidence from the original crime scene using techniques that weren't available in the 1980s. A blue Pinto sweatshirt found near the scene became a vital piece of evidence. Using advanced DNA techniques, forensic scientists found Bishop's DNA on the sweatshirt, along with fibres linking it to both victims' clothes. This evidence proved to be the smoking gun that investigators had sought for over three decades. During the trial, Bishop tried to blame Nicola's father, Barrie Fellows, suggesting he had murdered his own daughter. However, the forensic evidence against Bishop was overwhelming, leading to his conviction. 3 Michelle Hadaway, the mother of Karen Hadaway (left) and Sue Eismann, the mother of Nicola Fellows, outside the Old Bailey in London Credit: PA:Press Association Russell Bishop's life sentence In December 2018, 32 years after the murders, Russell Bishop was finally found guilty of killing Nicola Fellows and Karen Hadaway. The Brighton Babes in the Wood murderer was convicted following a month-long trial at the Old Bailey. On December 11, 2018, Bishop was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 36 years. As he was 52 years old when sentenced, this effectively meant Bishop would spend the rest of his life behind bars. Sue Eismann, Karen's mother, said after the verdict: "Finally justice has been done and Bishop has been seen as the evil monster he really is". The case stands as one of Britain's most notorious child murders and highlights how advances in forensic science can help solve even the coldest of cases. The memories of Nicola Fellows and Karen Hadaway live on, with their families finally seeing the justice they deserved be served after an agonising 32-year wait. You can tune in this Sunday, July 27, at 11:05 PM, to Cold Case Killers and discover the shocking decades-long struggle that led detectives to finally apprehend one of Britain's most infamous child murderers.
Daily Mirror
24-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
I jailed Babes in the Wood child murderer after an incredible event
As a victim of 'Babes in the Wood' killer Russell Bishop describes how the monster has cast a dark shadow over her life, we speak to the Detective Inspector responsible for putting him behind bars Malcolm Bacon's first major inquiry as a Detective Inspector was more than 30 years ago but he can remember the details as if it were yesterday. Rachael Watts was just seven years old when she was kidnapped in broad daylight before being sexually assaulted and strangled. The schoolgirl survived against the odds and helped to convict evil Russell Bishop, who had been wrongfully acquitted of murdering Nicola Fellows and Karen Hadaway a few years before in the infamous ' Babes in the Wood ' case. Now 42, Rachael is the subject of a new Sky documentary about the impact of the monster's attack on her life. Retired police officer Malcolm appears in the two-part programme and is convinced Bishop would have struck again if he hadn't been caught. "He was a psychopath, a really dangerous person who would absolutely have killed again," he told The Mirror. "I'm fully convinced he thought he had killed Rachael. He thought he could get away with it but she turned into an incredible witness." Rachael became a victim of predator Bishop in 1990, soon after moving to the Brighton area of East Sussex with her family. She had planned to roller skate to a friend's house but bumped her head, returned home and was given a pound by her father to buy sweets from the local shop. The schoolgirl took a wrong turn on her way home and asked a man for directions. It was Bishop, who was tinkering with his red Ford Cortina. Without saying a word in reply to her, he threw her in the boot of his car and drove his victim to a well-known beauty spot in the South Downs. "When the information came in that a girl had been discovered at Devil's Dyke, the main thing was to preserve the scenes," said Malcolm. "The first 'scene' was Rachael herself and the second was the Dyke, which was a huge area. There were only a few roads in and out, so once we sealed them off, we were fairly happy we had a sterile area." When the predator reached Devil's Dyke, he put Rachael on the back seat of his car and removed her clothing before sexually assaulting and strangling her. He then discarded her underneath some gorse bushes. "He disposed of me like he was flytipping," said the survivor, fighting back tears in the documentary. "Just like I was an old mattress or something, just thrown into a bush somewhere. He left me thinking I was dead." The terrified schoolgirl came around in the dark, and as she stumbled out of the bushes, a nearby couple who had been enjoying the sunset wrapped her in a blanket and sought help. Heartbreakingly, she asked them: "You two aren't kidnappers, are you?". The former DI is convinced Bishop thought he had killed his victim, saying: "She was strangled and suffocated to the point what's known as petechial haemorrhages took place (tiny pinpoint spots of bleeding under the skin caused by straining for a long time) which are quite indicative of a strangle injury. Usually, they only come out at the point of death, really. That's how close to death she was." The young girl's memory of her ordeal until she was strangled unconscious would prove vital. "Rachael was a fabulous witness," said the retired cop. "She was able to explain everything she saw, the man in the red car with a moustache. In the boot of the car, she saw a can of WD40, the same that her dad used. She found a hammer too and started banging on the boot lid." Incredibly, Rachael had the presence of mind to take off her roller skates in the boot of the car, to aid any chance of escape once the boot was opened. "She formulated an escape plan," said Malcolm. "She offered Bishop the pound she had been given if he would let her go." Four years earlier, a double child murder had taken place in Brighton's Wild Park, which became known as the 'Babes in the Wood' murders in the press after the children's tale of the same name. Nicola and Karen were nine-year-old schoolgirls when they went out to play and never came home. Their bodies were found in the park close to their homes the next day. They had known Rachael's future attacker, Bishop, then 20 and a local labourer and petty criminal, and he was charged with killing them. But the monster's then-girlfriend, Jennifer Johnston, changed her story in the witness box after previously saying a blue sweatshirt found close to the scene had been his. And to the horror of police and psychologists involved in the case, Bishop was found not guilty by a jury at Lewes Crown Court in December 1987. With the predator free to roam the streets once more, the experts' worst fears came true. Rachael was his next victim, with retired DI Malcolm describing her as an "articulate, intelligent seven-year-old girl who met a monster". This time, Bishop wouldn't be able to evade justice thanks in large part to the bravery of his victim, who picked him out of an identity parade and testified against him in court. "Her first account got us all going," said Malcolm. "The red car was mentioned in a first briefing, and an intelligence report had come through days before saying Bishop had been seen in a red car. "He went on to admit to driving it and put himself at the point of the abduction at the relevant time. I arrested him on suspicion of kidnapping and indecent assault, and we got his car, opened up the boot and in there was WD40 and a hammer with chip marks on the boot, corresponding to what Rachael had said." "He tried to become chatty with us," added the former police officer. "'What's going on? You trying to fit me up? Of course, it's not me. He was a psychopath; his whole entity was to look after himself. He would try and manipulate things, but he wasn't very bright." Bishop was later jailed for life and ordered to serve a minimum of 14 years for attempted murder, kidnapping and indecent assault. "He was prowling, we suspect he had been following other little girls around," said Malcolm. "We did get another report from another girl who was followed by a man in a red car. If the circumstances were correct, she might have been another victim." Dubbed 'Britain's bravest girl' for stopping a paedophile killer from striking again, Rachael's life was irreparably blighted by Bishop, suffering from crippling depression, agoraphobia and complex post-traumatic stress along the way. As a teenager, she had frequent nightmares where the predator would climb through her window and kill her. The survivor had four children and, in the course of her adult life, moved around a lot and changed her name a couple of times in a bid to remain anonymous. But in 2022, Rachael told her children the secret she was "going to take to my grave" after Bishop died from brain cancer. Today, she's speaking out in public to rid herself of the "boulder" of a secret that has cast a dark shadow over her life. As for the families of the 'Babes in the Wood', they finally achieved some form of justice in 2018, after the 2005 scrapping of the 'double jeopardy' rule combined with advances in forensic technology meant evil Bishop was able to be tried for a second time. This time, he was rightfully convicted for his abhorrent crimes, receiving two life sentences and ordered to serve a minimum of 36 years behind bars. In April last year, Nicola and Karen's families received apologies from Sussex Police for failures in the original investigation into their murders. And in 2022, Bishop's ex-girlfriend, Johnson, who had changed her evidence at his original trial to devastating effect, was jailed for six years for perjury and perverting the course of justice. Watch The Girl Who Caught a Killer on Sky and streaming service NOW
Scottish Sun
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Iconic city centre venue where BBC legends once starred ‘to be demolished' after 110 years
The building was set to be refurbished STAGE EXIT Iconic city centre venue where BBC legends once starred 'to be demolished' after 110 years Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) AN ICONIC city centre theatre is being demolished after a series of arson attacks. The venue has hosted Morecambe and Wise along with some of Britain's all-time greats of the stage. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 7 The venue is in the centre of Derby Credit: BPM 7 The hippodrome has suffered three fires in just 32 days Credit: Spotted Alvaston-Original 7 The venue was used as a bingo hall until 2007. when it closed Credit: Theatres Trust/David Marsden The Derby Hippodrome is being demolished, despite the historic building's Grade II protected status. Derby City Council said it had to use emergency powers to make the site safe after damage from a series of arson attacks. The building was set ablaze on Friday last week, with Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service confirming on Monday that this was done deliberately. This was the third fire the theatre has suffered in just over a month, with incidents in mid-April and early May causing significant damage to its structural integrity. On Sunday, contractors began the process of demolishing the Hippodrome. The theatre is over a hundred years old, having been erected in 1914, and seats over 2,000 spectators. It spent the first 20 years of its life as a cinema, before Morecambe and Wise appeared in the panto classic Babes in the Wood in the 1950s, when it reopened. The venue played host to other national treasures, such as singer George Formby and comic Frankie Howerd. Until as late as 2007, the structure was still being used as a bingo hall, before closing its doors to the public. In February, the Derbyshire Historic Buildings Trust announced its ambition to compulsory purchase the site and renovate it as an alternative music venue. Wrecking machines move in to demolish 'ghost town' Scots estate dubbed 'Britain's Chernobyl' These hopes were boosted by The Theatres Trust (TTT) recently awarding a grant to the Derbyshire Historic Buildings Trust to advance this work. But tragically, these hopes seem to be in vain, as the council has said it does not yet know if any of the red brick theatre can be saved. Its Public Safety chairman, Councillor Ndukwe Onuoha, said: "At the end of the day, we have a responsibility to keep residents safe. "I understand there are people upset because it is a Grade Two listed building but ultimately you must compare that with the possible loss of life if it comes to collapse." The council said the roof of the building, next to Macklin Street, was destroyed on Sunday, and one of the Hippodrome's walls was demolished. This work was done to "level the basement" so that machines can move further into the site and destroy other parts of the structure. While necessary for public safety, the demolition has caused a great deal of upset among local bodies and residents. TTT Chief executive Joshua McTaggart said: "Derby Hippodrome had an irreplaceable social and cultural heritage, much of which is now likely to be sadly lost. "But this is about more than just heritage. 'Until this recent series of fires, there was still a realistic opportunity to save parts of the building and bring it back into use as an independent music venue." Derbyshire Historic Buildings Trust added: "This marks the final chapter in a long and troubled history that has ultimately led to the loss of a building of significant historic and architectural value." Derby Hippodrome is owned by a foreign finance firm. The public have been asked to stay away from the demolition site to enable works to take place. 7 The hippodrome is more than 100 years old Credit: Alamy 7 The Hippodrome wears the scars of its recent fires Credit: Alamy 7 The demolition site is closed off from the public Credit: BPM
Scottish Sun
21-05-2025
- Scottish Sun
Babes in the Wood killer strangled me aged 7 and dumped my body like an old mattress… his ‘motive' was a final gut punch
'LEFT FOR DEAD' Babes in the Wood killer strangled me aged 7 and dumped my body like an old mattress… his 'motive' was a final gut punch Survivor of child murderer Russell Bishop reveals how he continued to haunt her even behind bars - and how she turned the tables
