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. 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. 1945: Ex-soldier buried his wife on Anglesey beach after . They were, though, generally relaxed talking in their cornfield. 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. [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. Search for stock images, vectors and videos, Available for editorial use only. Clear my name.". Through the window of the car and despite the fading light, she could clearly see that he was wearing a suit and tie with a white shirt. The man got into the back of the car and told Gregsten to drive further into the field, then stop. James Hanratty denied shooting Michael Gregsten, a physicist, twice in the head last August. 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. Boards are the best place to save images and video clips. 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. It also tells the true story of Valerie's complicated relationship with 36-year-old Michael. 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. Rachel Muir For Mailonline During one of the phone calls, he pronounced "think" as "fink".[20]. Want the latest Bedfordshire news direct to your inbox? But in May 2002 the Court of Appeal ruled that the DNA evidence had established his guilt "beyond doubt". [8], Gregsten was a scientist at the Road Research Laboratory in Slough. Signing up to the newsletter is simple. The Long Silence, published in August 2021, is the first book to explain in detail the 'cat and mouse' drive and it has been heralded by many as a much overdue account. A strong, disabled woman's story. [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. Gregsten at first refused, but the man became aggressive and threatened them with the gun. Case 173: Rocio Wanninkhof & Sonia Carabantes, Tributes pour in for Sloughs brave Valerie Storie. They drove via London Heathrow Airport, up through the Middlesex suburbs, on to the A5 and then on to the A6 to Clophill, Bedfordshire. However, there was another person called William Usher, who did have two fingers missing from one hand, which looked withered. 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. His last words to his family were "Mick, I am completely innocent. [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. 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. Alamy and its logo are trademarks of Alamy Ltd. and are registered in certain countries. In police line-ups, Storie did not recognise Alphon, but eventually identified Hanratty. . In essence its her posthumous autobiography.". James Hanratty was later tried, convicted and executed for the murder of Michael John Gregsten on the A6 road. The initial prime suspects were Hanratty, a petty criminal, and Peter Louis Alphon, an eccentric drifter. 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. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. We choose the most important stories of the day to include in the email, including crime, court news, long reads, traffic and travel, food and drink articles and more. 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. cid exam previous question papers. Something went wrong, please try again later. Police handout, showing James Hanratty in police custody, Lennon and Ono protest Hanratty's execution. Peter Alphon died in January 2009 after a fall at his home. Was a married man, he and his wife Janet had two boys, Simon, eight, and Anthony, nearly two. Copyright 04/03/2023 Alamy Ltd. All rights reserved. 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. Michaels duffel bag containing freshly laundered clothing rested next to it. 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. Ingrams said that Alphon, in conversations with Foot and others, had spoken "obsessively about the case, frequently incriminating himself". House-to-house inquiries have also been carried out. (Known as the 'A6 Murderer' Known for Killing Scientist 'Michael Gregsten') 3 3 Birthdate: October 4, 1936 Sun Sign: Libra Birthplace: Bromley, Kent, England Died: April 4, 1962 Better known as the A6 Murderer, James Hanratty was one of the last people to be executed before capital punishment was abolished. Long before his trial for the A6 murder, he had already been described as a retard, a psychopath, and a pathological liar. 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). "[42], Following the DNA evidence in 2002, Storie earned over 40,000 for her participation in various TV and newspaper documentaries. [4][5][6][7] By 1937, the family had moved to Wembley in northwest London. They drove around the suburbs of North London, apparently aimlessly. The prosecution was led by Graham Swanwick QC, later a High Court judge. 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. Hanratty's initial defence was that he had been in Liverpool on the day of the murder, but then, halfway through the trial, he changed part of his story, claiming that he had in fact been in Rhyl, North Wales. People need to know what this poor woman went through.'. Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images Even when she was vindicated at a trial in 2002, she said little more than a few words publicly. 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. circa 1962. The Getty Images design is a trademark of Getty Images. 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Hanratty would be convicted after a trial lasting almost four weeks but his execution marked the beginning of a forty-year journey of cries of a miscarriage of justice, media frenzies, legal arguments, criticism of the police, a referral to the Criminal Cases Review Commission and finally a Court of Appeal ruling in 2002 when DNA evidence would finally put an end to the furore; he was indeed guilty. 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. Forensic science and the case of James Hanratty, England and Wales Court of Appeal (Criminal Division) Decisions. Hanratty claimed that his suitcase had been handed in to Lime Street Station to a 'man with a withered or turned hand'. They had been here on a few occasions before, to make love or simply to spend time alone together. Crime A6 Murder of Michael Gregsten. Michael Gregston was murdered by James Hanratty 1962. [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. At about 1.30am on Wednesday 23 August, the car was on the A6, travelling south, when the man said he wanted a 'kip' (sleep). The gunman replied that Gregsten had frightened him by turning too quickly. 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. Snus is a pasteurized, air-cured, smokeless and spitless tobacco, usually found in pouches. Michael Gregston was murdered by James Hanratty 1962. Following her death, author Paul Stickler was handed Valerie's extensive notes and files, allowing her story to finally be told. "Valerie has worked at the laboratory since she left school five years ago and she has known Michael for a long time.". It was about 1954 that Hanratty became attracted to Soho, where he frequented various clubs and other haunts of the criminal underworld. (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. 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. He started to bombard his own solicitor with threatening phone calls and letters. What Is The Case Of Michael Gregsten's Suicide. Ask the author: Jeremy Craddock on The Jigsaw Murders, Ask the author: Monica Weller on investigating a 50-year-old cold case. He told Gregsten to pass the bag but, as Gregsten moved, there were two shots. ;Picture taken at home of Mrs. Janet Gregston with her two sons Anthony 3 and Simon (9) 1961. The author now hopes that the posthumous autobiography will be turned into a film so that more people can learn about what she endured. 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. Show all articles. michael gregsten wife / June 11, 2022 June 11, 2022 / were achilles and patroclus cousins /. 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. Free shipping for many products! This standard of travel plan isnt good enough in the modern age. After vainly screaming and waving her petticoat to attract the attention of passing motorists, Storie lost consciousness. 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.