Her husband was usually out for 15 to 20 minutes. They thought that Christopher Edwards had also been present on that weekend when the Wycherleys were killed. They also pleaded guilty to theft of a credit balance from a Halifax bank account between May 4, 1998, and October 31, 2013 - an early clue of what lay behind the whole story. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. But staff there never saw him and Mr Stevens, who lived in Harlaxton Drive, never returned home. In March 2014, during an appearance at Nottingham Crown Court, Susan and Christopher Edwards admitted for the first time that they had buried the Wycherleys in the garden of the house in Blenheim Close. They were each sentenced to life with a minimum of 25 years. 14 Feb. Police car rammed by stolen van on M1. DCI Griffin said the couple had acted with "cold calculation and meticulousness". Inspiring options. View the catalogue description for. "It would seem that the vast majority of their money was spent on memorabilia, on authenticated autographed items on people that they admired. As far as the neighbours were concerned, the couple had gone travelling in 1998, and simply never returned. Her co-star, Harry Potter actor David Thewlis, added the truth was stranger than fiction. Once your FOI request has been received it will be processed and you will receive a response within 20 working days. She said that they were both drug addicts and that the 27-year-old man had come to her house in late April 1991 in a nervous stating and looking for drugs. They had had two small children who had been in the house at the time of the attack. Officers think Mr Landa picked up the customer before driving to Cyprus Road, about a mile away. Susan and Christopher Edwards shot Patricia and William Wycherley and buried them at the Wycherleys' home in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, in 1998. A black wig with red tints was seen on the ground after Mr Watson's murder. An artist's impression of the long-haired man in his 20s was released but police never found him. The truth about their fate emerged shortly afterwards. Paul Hutchinson has admitted. The Edwards had married in 1983, and had been in financial difficulties for much of their relationship. Mrs Edwards wrote to relatives in 2007, explaining that her parents had decided to sell the house and were touring Ireland "because of the good air" and might decide to settle there permanently. The widow was found in a pool of blood at her home in Loughrigg Close, The Meadows on March 28, 1992. Mrs Edwards then shot her mother, she said, left the house and called her husband from a phone box - without revealing what had happened - before returning to the house, wrapping the bodies in blankets and hiding them under the bed. Detectives believe he had given someone a lift home. When she was accused of lying, she said, 'What am I going to gain by putting an innocent man down, because that means the real man is still about. She had been bludgeoned to death. Neither William nor Patricia were ever reported missing and we can find no evidence of either of them being alive or dead," said Detective Chief Inspector Rob Griffin. The Edwardses were sentenced to life with a minimum of 25 years each. We would prefer to do this since my wife is already sufficiently frightened. She went back home, but returned the following weekend, this time with her husband - and stopping on the way to buy fish and chips. Closing time arrived at 10.30pm and, about half-an-hour later, only Mr Wilson and his wife, family friend Arthur Ash and his wife and part-time barman Anthony Smith remained. Follow the latest news for Mansfield in Nottinghamshire, England, UK - Local news and information in your area . After the judge directed the jury to return a not guilty verdict on the 32-year-old man, the prosecution dropped their case against the other 27-year-old man and he was also acquitted. If the Edwards surrendered themselves to French police, they would remain under French jurisdiction, and police in Britain would have no power to arrest them. Discover your ideal travel experience. The latest crime news from Nottingham and Nottinghamshire. "The discovery in their former garden last week may be the reason why. * Original reporting by Rebecca Sherdley, Chris Breese, Dominic Howell, Alexander Britton, Jon Robinson and Bryan Henesey. He usually met up with a business friend but as he was on holiday, Mr Stevens went alone, telling his wife he was going to the Albert Hotel. They would regularly travel from their own home in Dagenham, east London, up to the house near Mansfield to maintain the garden. By then, the Edwardses had sold the Blenheim Close house, in 2005, for 66,938, with a false signature. A Mansfield perspective on news, sport, what's on, lifestyle and more, from your local paper the Mansfield and Ashfield Chad. They had lived in a terraced house in Sherwood Street, Mansfield Woodhouse. They worked on the basis that the Edwards had a plan to kill the elderly couple and then pretend they were still alive in order to take their money - whether that was pension payments, benefits, borrowing money in their names, or even selling their house. Mr Keetley, a production worker at Riverside Bakery, in The Meadows, was found without his mobile phone, a gold neck chain with an "R" pendant attached and an Armani watch. Three days later, they were charged with murder. Nottinghamshire is among the top 20 most dangerous counties in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Jason Ward, 23, left 87-year-old Gladys Godfrey. Mansfield Woodhouse is among the top 10 most dangerous small towns in Nottinghamshire, and is the 53rd most dangerous overall out of Nottinghamshire's 236 towns, villages, and cities. This included the proceeds of the sale of the house in Blenheim Close, sold in 2005 for 66,938 using a false signature. Moorside were excellent in every respect. Suspicion eventually fell on a "scruffy" young man who would chat with Joan about classical music and ballet. The house was, to the outside eye, an unremarkable property - a semi-detached home on on the corner of a small cul-de-sac, with neat little gardens front and back. Here we uncover the shocking true story behind the drama series which landed the Edwardses in prison for life. The house in Blenheim Close and (inset) Susan Edwards and Christopher Edwards. With the British police having no jurisdiction in France, finding the couple and bringing them back to the UK could have taken months. Enter the tag you would like to associate with this record and click 'Add tag'. It was found the next day in a Basford garden. Kevin Childerley was found dead when the police arrived, and it was reported that his wife had certainly been left for dead. It was also stated by the prosecution that the 27-year-old man had admitted playing a part in the murder and to having driven the 32-year-old man to Kevin Childerley's house in Sherwood Street. As part of the review we will consult the responsible government department. "We would prefer to do this since my wife is already sufficiently frightened. Mr Watson, 24, of Top Valley, died soon afterwards at the Queen's Medical Centre from a single gunshot wound. In the meantime there were still gaps in the police's knowledge about the couple. AT the time of Shane Thompson's death, gang culture was rife on Nottingham streets. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. Everything we recommend is independently chosen irrespective of affiliate agreements. Daughter of murdered jeweller Marian Bates has now opened her own shop, Coca-Cola and Pepsi consumption could increase testosterone and make testicles bigger, study finds, Nottinghamshire's 5 worst-performing GP surgeries mapped, Home and Away fans rush to support star amid cancer battle update, Many people, including fellow Home and Away actors, expressed support as the star underwent more treatment, Nottinghamshire fraudster who said he was in 'vegetative state' caught walking on camera, BBC Breakfast presenter stops show to tell Lenny Henry 'you shouldn't say that', Charlie was hosting BBC Breakfast on Thursday, ITV Dancing On Ice star Christopher Dean gives update on health of Jayne Torvill, She has received many messages of support, Excitement over plans to transform 'half dead' Lister Gate, It is hoped that the plans would breathe new life into an area of the city centre that has faced a "sad decline" over recent years, Spain summer holiday warning for UK tourists amid dengue fever outbreak, New DWP child benefit rates from April 2023 as payments to rise. It was there that her battered body was found on Wednesday, July 14, 1976. They raised 5,000 from selling books and other items, borrowed 10,000 from work, and fled to live in an apartment in Lille. He watched Nottingham Forest secure a 3-0 win over Watford that afternoon before welcoming customers to his Sneinton pub the Fox and Grapes. The 36-year-old had sustained head and neck injuries during the early hours of Monday October 5, 1992. To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. And the results of the post mortem not yet been finalised. "Its staggering to think that's what they spent their money on, but that's what they did.". A forged document relating to the sale of the house in Blenheim Close in 2005. Subscribe today for just 29 for 12 issues Saga Magazine is supported by its audience. TWO days before his death on Thursday, November 7, 2002, John Shippam was assaulted at a fireworks display at the Anchor pub, in Gunthorpe. Dismissing the appeal, Lady Justice Rafferty said the crown court judge was entitled to reach the conclusions she did when setting the minimum tariff. Buried in the garden were the bodies of Patricia Wycherley, 63, and her 85-year-old husband William, who had moved into the house back in 1987. The benefit is paid every four weeks, either on a Monday or a Tuesday - and there is no limit to how many children a parent or guardian can claim for. His stepmother went to the police at the beginning of October, 2014. They were each sentenced to life with a minimum of 25 years. They acted as if her parents were still alive. Note: The naming of a defendant within this catalogue does not imply guilt Date: 1976-1980 Held by: The National Archives, Kew: Former reference in its original department: 1156/76: Legal status: Shutters set for King's Mill Reservoir activity centre after spate of crime Andrew Topping. They obtained loans and credit cards in Mrs Wycherley's name. Now, he returns to face the haunting effect that his mother's. It was the horrified stepmother who went to the police at the start of October 2013. There, they quickly ran out of money and Christopher called his own elderly stepmother asking for cash, relaying a wild story about why they'd fled. . He and his family had only lived in Sherwood Street for the previous five months. We continue to look into any new information surrounding these crimes. Coordinates: 530730N 11804W / . Neighbours and relatives were told that the Wycherleys had gone travelling or had moved to the coast for health reasons. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. They also wrote letters and cards pretending to be the Wycherleys to keep the ruse rolling. "In the days that followed, we started to see that perhaps it was all true, and that was confirmed when we started the excavation in the garden and discovered Patricia and William were there.". Susan (Olivia Colman) and Christopher Edwards (David Thewlis) killed the couple to steal their money syphoning off more than 250,000 in savings and benefits payments while pretending the couple were enjoying a happy retirement. The house had been sold since the Wycherleys disappeared, and police quickly ruled out any involvement from the new owner and tenant of the house. Carlisle United 0-4 Mansfield Town. Susan said she found her father on the floor in her parents bedroom and her mother holding a revolver. A 30,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and subsequent conviction of David Draycott's murder still stands. By means of forged signatures and the setting up of joint accounts in her and her mothers name, Susan did not just empty 40,000 from their building society account, she obtained loans and credit cards by the same method. The booking had been made by a man who asked to be taken to Mapperley. Kevin Childerley's inquest concluded that he had died from severe head injuries. The 32-year-old man was acquitted after the court heard evidence from a medical expert. Christopher shot Patricia and William Wycherley twice with a Second World War revolver inside the back bedroom of the victims' semi-detached home. "He spoke to her solicitor who said she was a very shy, gentle, well-read, [a] nice woman. Yet when they gave themselves up from their home in France, the couple had just one euro between them. The couple managed to get away with their crime, committed in Forest Town, Notts., for 15 years, forging letters and documents to make it seem as though the Wycherleys were still alive. "The imposition of this minimum term will probably result in her dying in prison.". Subscribe now for regular news, updates and priority booking for events, All content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0, except where otherwise stated, DPP - Records of the Director of Public Prosecutions, DPP 2 - Director of Public Prosecutions: Case Papers, New Series, More information about the Freedom of Information review process, About our
Select tags from below. Around 100 detectives worked on the case but failed to turn up any leads. Now, a new drama about the killings is being filmed by the makers of 'Chernobyl', with Olivia Colman playing Susan Edwards. Susan and her husband Christopher, 57, had previously been living in a rented flat in Dagenham, East London, but in 2012 they had moved to live in Lille, France. Please could you notify the UK Border Force at Lille Europe so that they may expect us.". He was then spotted walking along Mansfield Road shortly after 2.15pm, possibly entering the Arboretum. Definitive identification would take weeks or months. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/, Susan and Christopher Edwards murdered Susan's parents in a calculated 1998 killing, Olivia Colman and David Thewlis play Susan and Christopher Edwards in Landscapers, Christopher and Susan Edwards were both sentenced to life in prison for the double-murder, William Wycherley was shot dead along with his wife Patricia, who has not been pictured, A signed photo of Gary Cooper on which the Edwardses spent some of their ill-gotten gains, A letter Susan sent to the Wycherleys' niece, suggesting 'father' was still alive in 2007, The garden as it looked in 2014 - the Wycherleys had been buried near the fence, Susan sent Christmas cards to relatives suggesting her parents were still alive, Christopher buried the Wycherleys in the garden in 1998 - their bodies were found in 2013, A Commando Colt .38 calibre revolver which cops believed was used to shoot the Wycherleys, Olivia Colman filming scenes for the new drama series Landscapers, Mansfield couple found guilty of murdering parents, Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). He had been shot dead some time between 3.30am and 10.30am. The caravan was found secure and nothing had been stolen, leading police to assume Mr Cope had invited his attacker inside. Always obtain independent, professional advice for your own particular situation. Kent-born Mr Coniam had driven HGVs since 1988 and was an agency driver for several companies in Notts and Derbyshire, making regular runs to Italy, Spain and the Netherlands as well as domestic work. NOTE: You can also add place and crime into the search string manually, ie '2019, knife, london'. Mansfield. Cleary appealed and was released after serving 9 years. He added: "She had no-one in her life but her husband and she will therefore serve this prison sentence without any prospect of a visit from anybody. A month after the murder investigation was launched in 2013, Det Ch Insp received a surprising email marked high importance it was from Christopher. What police do know is that Mr Ghafoor visited a petrol station at the junction of Mapperley Plains and Woodthorpe Drive in the early hours of Tuesday, November 22, 1994. EasyJet launches huge March sale with flights to Europe for under 20 He remains in hospital after sustaining head injuries, Report highlights difficulties in tackling organised crime across East Midlands, East Midlands Special Operations Unit is 'inadequate' in tackling serious and organised crime - while Nottinghamshire Police was rated 'adequate', Man jailed 20 years after sexual assaults on Nottinghamshire teenager, Police say the offender 'underestimated the bravery' of his victim, Driver arrested after being found hiding in back garden. Ethsham Ul Haq Ghafoor was shot twice as he sat in his cab once in the side and once in the head. The overall crime rate in Mansfield Woodhouse in 2021 was 60 crimes per 1,000 people. The 62-year-old's attacker walked into Yeomans Army Stores, in Mansfield Road, at about 2.15pm on Friday, July 26, 1991 and hit her around the head with something like a hammer or a bottle. The 19-year-old, of St Ann's, was chased from a city takeaway to the Two in the Bush pub, in Radford on Sunday, November 30, 1997. Ten days later, on May 8, his body was found near Trent Bridge. . The group moved into the lounge. In December 2021, Mansfield was the worst major town in Nottinghamshire for bicycle theft, with 3 crimes reported and a crime rate of 0.04 per 1,000 inhabitants. Pleasley Colliery 146 And when his friends from St Ann's and Radford clashed with a rival group from The Meadows, the consequences were fatal. Prosecutors say that he and his wife shot dead the couple, Patricia Wycherley, 63, and William. When financial investigators looked at their assets, they found that Mr Edwards only had 17 left to his name in a bank account. They did not live a lavish lifestyle, but instead splashed out thousands of pounds on Hollywood memorabilia, including signed photos and autographs of Gary Cooper, and stamps featuring Frank Sinatra. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. In the meantime, Nottinghamshire detectives had tried to contact the Edwards by phone and e-mail, but after receiving one response there had been nothing more. According to the former librarians version of events, she had been woken by a loud bang on the Sunday morning of the May Day bank holiday weekend in 1998. At about 11pm, Mrs Wilson heard a knock on the door but no one was there. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. FOURTEEN years on from James Brodie's disappearance, his body is yet to be found. A BBC One crime drama examines how murder ignites the deep divides in a former mining community. Police raid Nottingham home 'taken against owner's will', Police are investigating cuckooing after forcing their way into a house in Bilborough as part of a drugs raid, Police investigation after man found with stab wounds in Ilkeston, Hoard of suspected poached deer skulls and fox tails found in drugs raid in Nottinghamshire, Cannabis, bleach and a knife were also found at an address, police said, Cuckooing reports Nottingham house 'taken over against owner's will', Five people were arrested in connection with the investigation, Cannabis user for 30 years handed harsher penalty after repeated fines, Search for Constance Martens baby ends in tragedy as remains found, Police confirmed the news at a press conference, Fires lit and memorial bench vandalised at Nottinghamshire golf course, A gate that allows disabled users to access the course has also been destroyed, Nottingham men charged in people smuggling investigation, They will next appear at Nottingham Crown Court on March 29, Drugged-up robber threatened to stab owner of family-run shop during raid. If you don't have an account please register. The 25-year-old had moved out of his family home just a few weeks before his body was found by a neighbour at his new flat in Chiltern Way, Bestwood. Earlier this year, familial DNA was used to identify the suspected Golden State Killer, a man thought to have committed multiple rapes, murders and burglaries across California in the 1970s and . Six men accused of his murder were acquitted and the trail to Mr Thompson's killers seems to have gone cold. Published: Thursday 04 April 1991 Newspaper: Mansfield & Sutton Recorder A man that had know both the 32-year old man and the 27-year-old man said that whilst they were in prison said that the 32-year-old man had told him that two men had come to his house looking for Kevin Childerley about two weeks before the murder armed with a cosh and that they had intimidated him and so he had shown the men where Kevin Childerley had lived. The version of events told by Edwards, now 56, was all but identical to that told by her husband Christopher. Teacher made 'catastrophic mistake' before crash that killed pensioner, 73-year-old Yvonne Roberts was on her way to a friend's house, Man arrested over 'nasty assault' in Notts village that left another man with head injuries, It was reported a man in his 20s was assaulted. Including the sale of the Blenheim Close house, the Edwardses defrauded more than 286,000. The total amount diverted into the joint account was said at the trial to have been 245,705, although at a later proceeds of crime hearing this was revised upwards to 286,285. [Name withheld] (age 16): murder of Valerie Marjorie WARD on 3 January 1976 at Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. They had been murdered by their daughter, Susan. Forest Town is a former mining village on the outskirts of Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, England.After continuous development it is no longer a separate entity, nowadays being simply an area within Mansfield. Prosecutors also didn't believe the bodies had been left for over a week before being buried. Hospital appointments were cancelled. Tel: 01623 615 219. The scale of the couples deviousness in maintaining the charade that the Wycherleys were still alive in order to cash-in was exposed. A jury of eight women and four men took six hours to convict unanimously Susan and Christopher Edwards of murder. But what police discovered would eventually reveal a shocking story of greed, deceit and murder. When she asked why they had gone to France, he told her what had happened, though he claimed his wife had shot her mother. The pathologist said that the post-mortem examination found a blood-stained footprint on Kevin Childerley's back as well as extensive injuries to his forehead that he considered had been caused by an axe. Police have never worked out who was responsible for Mr Coniam's killing, but suspect it might have been connected to the victim's drug addiction. Police outside the house in Blenheim Close, Inspector Mark Webster addresses the media. Scotland Yard detectives were called in to give a fresh perspective. Bizarrely, both perpetrators fled into the same. View our online Press Pack. Peter Williams, 19, was jailed for 22 years after being convicted of murder. Eventually, the couple would end up stealing some 286,285 from their victims. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. She had been struck with a flat instrument. Nottinghamshire pair among group arrested on people smuggling charges John Smith. "Later on today we are going to surrender ourselves to the UK Border Force Authorities at the Eurostar terminal at Lille Europe station," it read. League Two. He went on to add that the only evidence linking the 21-year-old man to the murder was that of Kevin Childerley's wife and noted that the whole case hinged on her memory, stating that after recovering from her injuries, she had had no recollection of the events to enable her to identify her assailant or assailants, even if they were known to her. She said that the caller hung up when she answered the phone. Save over 50% on a Saga Magazine subscription. It is possible that only parts of the record can be opened. But eventually their elaborate web of lies unravelled and they handed themselves in to cops in Lille after fleeing to France. Single cabins now available on 2023 winter cruises, Interest rates and costs of equity release. 1752 The Moot Hall was erected by Henriette Cavendish Holles (d. December 1755), Countess of Oxford and Mortimer, then Lady of the Manor. For other inquiries, Contact Us. The 45-year-old, from Germany, went out for a quiet drink on the evening of Friday, September 24, 1965. 24 reviews / 4.91 5. The babysitter said that she was woken up by the sounds of Kevin Childerley's wife screaming and Kevin Childerley's moaning. Susan Edwards and her husband Christopher had killed her parents to solve their financial problems, and then embarked on an extraordinary cold-blooded deception. The police said that they were interested in tracing a man that was seen running from the direction of their house in Sherwood Street at about 2am Monday 19 February 1990. However, they said that tests would have to be carried out to confirm their identities.