In 2013 he was sentenced to life for murdering and mutilating Ms Woolterton. [1] However, subsequent parole board hearings found that he was too dangerous to be released. CLAIRE WOOLTERTON | Police interview | Murder | Crime | TN-81-005-013 Claire Woolterton was sexually assaulted and had her throat cut Her partially naked body was left face down where it was found by a Windsor commuter at first light. Police stored evidence on Woolterton's death for 30 years, Reading . 0000009464 00000 n Pete Beirne was the principal investigator of Thames Valley Police's Major Crime Review Team when the case was reopened in 2011. [5][6] At 6am the next morning, a member of the public walking along Barry Avenue in Windsor heading towards the nearby train station spotted what he thought was a mannequin's body on the footpath, which turned out to be the body of Woolterton. Supt. "Claire went out to meet some friends and never came home. Campbell was subsequently arrested and charged. It is thanks to cold case reviews and developments in DNA/forensic evidence techniques that we were able to secure this conviction today.. startxref Tel: +44(0) 20 8778 0514 When Campbell's DNA profile was found Mr Beirne, a retired officer working on unsolved murders, was "incredibly excited" and described it as "one of the highlights of my 39 years in the police". Her throat was slashed, she ha. It was a journey, sadly, that she did not complete.. 'It was a journey, sadly, that she did not complete.'. The SAVAGE MURDER of Claire Woolterton - Murder Documentary UK By 2011, Campbell was serving a life sentence in prison for the manslaughter of Miss Sainsbury, from Greenham, in December 1984. Season 3. He had also been involved in the original investigation as a detective constable. Claire Woolterton's body was found on Barry Avenue, Windsor, in August 1981 . 0000050058 00000 n The killer of Claire (left), sister of Nick Woolterton (right), was found because of advances in medical science. They were the murders of Vikki Thompson (Ascott-under-Wychwood 1995), Yolanda Waddington (Benham, Newbury in 1966), Rachel Manning (Milton Keynes 2000) and Claire Woolterton (Windsor 1981). "After the initial grieving, which was traumatic and immense, you spend your life searching, not trusting, trying to cope with not only your life but your family's life, watching them in their grief and struggling," said Carol Woolterton. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. A convicted killer has been sentenced to life in prison for murdering and mutilating a 17-year-old girl in 1981. xref The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. DNA evidence links convicted killer to 1981 murder of Yeading teenager However, he added: "The hurt will continue for the rest of their lives.". 2023 BBC. High Court Judge Mr Justice Spencer warned Campbell he was "unlikely" ever to be released from jail after imposing the life sentence on the convicted killer. Claire Woolterton's naked body was found by the River Thames in Windsor. It came at a time another Berkshire "cold case" was yielding similar results. was convicted of the murder of teenage nanny Yolande Waddington, Harry: I always felt different to rest of family, US-made cheese can be called 'gruyere' - court, The children left behind in Cuba's exodus, AOC under investigation for Met Gala dress, Canadian grandma helps police snag phone scammer. Murder trial into 1981 death of Claire Woolterton begins Colin Frederick Campbell (born 16 September 1947) is a British double murderer who in the early 1980s abducted two random women in west London and killed them in sexually motivated attacks. "Those results were then further analysed by a professor of statistics from University College London (UCL), who stated in his opinion there was a one in a billion chance of it being someone else.". "I was always hopeful but also realistic," said Ch Insp Turner. Campbell, 66, is facing trial for the murder of Claire Woolterton, 17, in 1981 whose body was found in Barry Avenue, Windsor . Her murderer Colin Campbell went on to kill Deirdre Sainsbury in 1984, for which he is serving a life sentence. Ken Linney To license a clip please e. We never had the chance to say goodbye. When will the Beast from the East be at YOUR door? [5] They contacted their local police force and discovered that the victim was their daughter. Why Alex Murdaugh was spared the death penalty, Why Trudeau is facing calls for a public inquiry, The shocking legacy of the Dutch 'Hunger Winter'. He was already in prison for the 1984 killing of Deirdre Sainsbury, but had wrongly had his murder conviction in this case downgraded to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility in 1999 after he claimed that he had only killed her due to having an eplieptic fit. She had been sexually assaulted and her throat was cut. The 29-year-old's mutilated body was found close to Denham Golf Course the following morning. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. The court heard that Claire, left, was last seen alive walking towards Hanwell after spending the evening in Ealing while 29-year-old Deirdre while hitchhiking in December 1984, Behind bars: Colin Campbell is currently serving a life sentence for the murder of Deirdre Sainsbury, He told jurors that expert scientists now believe the DNA discovered was 'one million times more likely to have been obtained from Colin Campbell', while another found it 'one billion times more likely.'. [5] Like Sainsbury, Woolterton had disappeared from west London, with her body found a few miles away. 2023 BBC. "I was relieved [when he was convicted], I was happy for Claire's family, they had been through an awful lot." Colin Campbell, 66, who is already serving a life sentence for the manslaughter of Deirdre Sainsbury, killed Claire Woolterton three years earlier, in August 1981. The absence of blood indicated that she was murdered elsewhere. Last November, police arrested and charged Campbell with Miss Woolterton's murder. In 1981, her body was found dumped in the River Thames in Windsor. "Scientists who then examined the evidence stated there was a one in a million chance of it being anyone else. 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The conviction of Campbell for Woolterton's murder was noted in the media for the decades-long gap between the murder and the killer being identified, and was also celebrated for being another successful case of DNA finally solving an infamous cold case in the UK following the recent solving of the murder of Yolande Waddington in 1966 using DNA. Claire Woolterton Campbell, formerly from West London, was arrested in November last year and found guilty of Claires murder by a majority verdict today, Thames Valley Police said. In 2013, 32 years after the event, Campbell was convicted of the high-profile unsolved murder of 17-year-old Claire Woolterton after a DNA match was found to him. "What must have been going through her mind? "Claire's murder had a shocking and distressing permanent effect on our lives. Our website accepts all major credit/debit cards via Secure Trading and PayPal. UPDATE: Murder trial hears of accused's affairs - Windsor Express 02:35AM, Friday 22 November 2013. trailer The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Campbell is serving life for the manslaughter of a 29-year-old female hitch-hiker he picked up in west London December, 1984, and whose body was also dumped in Thames Valley and is clearly an extremely dangerous man. "It opened up so many wounds. When asked why his DNA had been found on Miss Woolterton's body, Campbell could not explain how it might have happened. What's the least amount of exercise we can get away with? We never had the chance to say goodbye. "Our family would like to extend its deepest sympathy to the relatives of Claire Woolterton and we are pleased their long wait for justice is finally over. By 2011, he had been downgraded to a Category D prisoner status and was being allowed out into the public on licence for five days every month, before he was arrested over Miss Woolterton's death. "It was a full-scale murder investigation and at its height there were up to 60 officers working on it," said Peter Beirne, a detective on the case in 1981 and now the principal investigator of Thames Valley Police's major crime review team. Thanks to the work carried out by the major crime review team, working closely with our partners LGC Forensics and the Crown Prosecution Service, we were able to use modern-day technology to identify significant forensic evidence linking Campbell to the murder, which led to his arrest in November 2012. I hope that Claire's family, who have shown courage during this difficult time, can take some comfort in knowing that her killer has finally received the justice he deserves.. PO Box 735 'I can still hear their cruel laughter': Dr Alex George bravely reveals he suffered with an eating disorder Do YOU know your Adam and Eve from your Ruby Murray? [5] One the evening of Thursday 27 August 1981, she had left her work at an amusement arcade in west London to walk home, but never arrived. Colin Frederick Campbell is a British double murderer who in the early 1980s abducted two random women in west London and killed them in sexually motivated attacks. [1] A witness had seen Sainsbury get into Campbell's car and remembered the registration number, and the car was found to belong to Campbell. [1][3] Having already been convicted of the very similar murder of Deirdre Sainsbury only three years later in 1984, lead detective Beirne said that he "immediately knew who he was" when the match was revealed to him. Thirty years later, small strips of adhesive tapings, about two-inches thick, daubed on the body of Claire by scene of crime officers to remove potential fibres, became key to the reinvestigation. The 17-year-olds naked body was found one morning on the promenade by the River Thames on Barry Avenue in Windsor, Berkshire, by a man on his way to work. 0000000016 00000 n It's always on your mind to some extent. Crimes in picturesque towns and villages in rural Britain. [3], In December 1984, Campbell abducted 29-year-old Deirdre Sainsbury in his car as she hitchhiked along the South Circular Road in Roehampton in west London, before killing her and dumping her body on Denham golf course. "The ambition was for all of us to solve it and I still hope one day we will.". In an open prison and about to be released in the early 2010s, Campbell was finally apprehended for Woolterton's murder, which had led to one of the UK's biggest manhunts at the time and a large amount of press coverage due to it being a murder of a child. Campbell was convicted of murder in the case of Deidre in July 1985, but it was later reduced to a manslaughter conviction. However, his conviction was downgraded to manslaughter on appeal in 1999 after he successfully argued his epilepsy had led him to carry out the frenzied attack. Russian minister laughed at for Ukraine war claims. This is the story of the investigation into Claire Woolterton's brutal murder. Advances in DNA analysis helped convict Campbell, 66, of Miss Woolterton's murder 32 years after her death. IT executive blackmailed terrified female colleague and Defence lawyer tells rape victim she should have 'closed her Isabel Oakeshott receives 'menacing' message from Matt Hancock, Dozens stuck in car park as staff refuses to open gate for woman, Incredible footage of Ukrainian soldiers fighting Russians in Bakhmut, Pro-Ukrainian drone lands on Russian spy planes exposing location, 'Buster is next!' She was picked up in Campbell's car while hitchhiking on the South Circular Road in Roehampton. . "I'm very happy we ran a very professional, detailed investigation. Colin Campbell (left), already serving a life sentence for manslaughter, killed Claire Woolterton (right) in 1981, Deirdre Sainsbury (right) was found on a golf course in 1983 after being killed and mutilated by Campbell (right). [4][1], "Colin Campbell is a dangerous individual who cut short the lives of two young women in their primes and has never accepted any responsibility for his actions." "We're talking pre-DNA in terms of what was available to the senior investigating officer in 1981," he said. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. 0000007121 00000 n The trial heard that Claire, who lived in Northolt, north west London, with her mother and her mother's partner, was last seen alive at around 10pm on August 27, 1981, walking towards Hanwell after spending the evening in Ealing with the older married man she was seeing. This is the story of the investigation into Claire Woolterton's brutal murder. But the former detective is not aware of any other crimes similar to the two murder cases. But what impact do unsolved murders have on the police officers trying to catch a killer? Her murderer Colin Campbell went on to kill Deirdre Sainsbury in 1984, for which he is serving a life sentence. Read about our approach to external linking. [1] He also said that his conviction for Sainsbury's 1984 murder should not have been downgraded to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility in 1999,[1] saying: Had it been known in 1999 that you were responsible as well for the killing of Claire Woolterton, the prosecution would never have accepted your plea of diminished responsibility in relation to the killing of Deirdre Sainsbury. [1] Having already served 13 years he was given a minimum tariff of 1 day. Travelling salesman Colin Campbell thought he had got away with the violent, frenetic murder and mutilation of a teenage girl in 1981. "Her head and face had significant injuries but the motive for the killing was - and still is - unclear," said Ch . But police have never been able to . Juliette Fletcher has been hearing today's evidence at Reading Crown Court. Email: enquiries@truecrimelibrary.com. Her mother said she was rather prudish, and would never willingly have got into a car with a stranger. 'For 32 long years the identity of her killer remained unknown, her murder unsolved. VideoRussian minister laughed at for Ukraine war claims, The children left behind in Cuba's mass exodus, Xi Jinping's power grab - and why it matters, Snow, Fire and Lights: Photos of the Week. At conservative gathering, Trump is still the favourite. Street fighting in Bakhmut but Russia not in control, Russian minister laughed at for Ukraine war claims. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. The case law instructs us that a competent person may refuse lifesaving treatment12 and that the individual does not have to stipulate reason for the refusal.13 We also know that the presence of mental illness does not preclude the presence Play it now! The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Colin Campbell (murderer) - Wikiwand 0000001422 00000 n Campbell was convicted of murder in the case of Deidre in July 1985, but it was later reduced to a manslaughter conviction. kingston crematorium funerals today At conservative gathering, Trump is still the favourite. On August 28, 1981, Colin Campbell murdered 17-year-old Claire Woolterton and dumped her body by the River Thames. Convicted killer is linked by DNA to second woman's death, court hears ", Thames and Chiltern Crown Prosecution Service, Ant & Dec Saturday Night Takeaway turn up at Binfield pub, Gemma Atkinson shares 'inspirational' body positive message during her pregnancy, Police respond to loud bang sound heard across Bucks, Berks, and beyond, Martin Lewis says there is an '85% likelihood' energy bills will not go up in April, Road closures round-up: Disruption continues in central Maidenhead, 'Have a go' at being a firefighter in Maidenhead, Street fighting in Bakhmut but Russia not in control, Harry: I always felt different to rest of family, Sonic boom heard as RAF Typhoon jets escort plane, Echoes of Hillsborough for Arena families. "What we found was a DNA profile matching that already on record for Colin Campbell. Miss Sainsbury had also been picked up in Campbell's car while hitchhiking on the South Circular Road in Roehampton, within miles of the last sighting of Miss Woolterton. Three years later, in December 1984, he murdered 29-year-old Deidre Sainsbury. Burgess' trial, 46 years after the murder, contained evidence obtained through advances in DNA analysis. It was a case that obsessed police for more than three decades as they struggled to prove who had committed such a depraved act on an innocent young girl. [5] The body was partially naked with multiple knife wounds and a cut to the throat. [1], In 2013, it materialised that Campbell had in fact already murdered by the time he killed Sainsbury, when he was convicted of the 1981 murder of teenager Claire Woolterton, revealing he was a double killer and indicating that epilepsy was not the reason why he had murdered Sainsbury. Desperation led to the use of hypnosis and even clairvoyants until DNA came to the rescue. Mr Wright went on: 'Sadly, on this night, she and he having had a disagreement, she decided to make her own way home and set off at around about 10 oclock that evening. At conservative gathering, Trump is still the favourite. The comments below have been moderated in advance. "It's one of those cases which will never be closed," he said. The judge made it clear to Campbell in his sentencing for Woolterton's murder that he would not get away this time with the defence that his epilepsy had caused him to murder. Colin Campbell jailed for life for the brutal murder of Claire 0000063586 00000 n [5] The police had noted the large number of similarities between the murders at the time and believed they were linked, but they had little concrete evidence against Campbell. Colin Frederick Campbell (born 16 September 1947) is a British double murderer who in the early 1980s abducted two random women in west London and killed them in sexually motivated attacks. [5] Campbell's claims were rejected by the jury and he was found guilty of her murder in December 2013. He was convicted of her murder in 1985. Phillies get depressing injury update on star prospect Andrew Painter Stephen Bear revenge porn prison term 'sends clear message', 'Money can't buy you a better cheeseburger', Billionaire Bill Gates talks to Amol Rajan about wealth, conspiracies and controversy, The meteoric rise and dizzying fall of tycoon Arif Naqvi, Inside the factory where supercars are made, Meet the people behind McLaren's latest model, There's something for everyone on BBC iPlayer. 'One of which the defendant has already admitted his responsibility for, namely Deirdre Sainsbury. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Russian minister laughed at for Ukraine war claims. Key to the 66-year-old west Londoner's conviction were advances in forensic analysis and DNA profiling, the like of which were unimaginable to crime scene investigators in August 1981. That was when the mutilated body of teenager Claire Woolterton was discovered on a promenade in Barry Avenue by the River Thames in Windsor. [1] Two witnesses came forward to say they had seen a girl being bundled into a car that night on the Uxbridge Road, and the police theory was that, since she had been found on one side of a stone wall right next to the River Thames, her killer may have parked their car there in the darkness and dumped her body over the wall, thinking it would go into the river. Over the decades the police have eliminated "many people" from the investigation but have had no firm suspect. He said: "This feels as raw as it did 32 years ago. Why Alex Murdaugh was spared the death penalty, Why Trudeau is facing calls for a public inquiry, The shocking legacy of the Dutch 'Hunger Winter'. 107 38 At the time of Claire's murder an extensive investigation was carried out, an investigation I was part of, and at that time Campbell did not feature in our inquiries. ", After Campbell was convicted she said she felt "upset, angry and relieved he wasn't able to do the same to anyone else". Scientific advances meant it was possible to find evidence of Campbell's DNA profile from adhesive tapings taken from Miss Woolterton's body. In 1981, the naked body of 17-year-old girl Claire Woolterton was found by the River Thames in Windsor. [4][1] Her body had been mutilated and she was found naked. What's the least amount of exercise we can get away with? CLAIRE WOOLTERTON | Police interview | Murder | Crime | TN-81-005-013 - YouTube THAMES NEWS 28.8.81Claire Woolterton murder Interview Det. It was then stored by police for 30 years until the case was reviewed in 2011. By 2011, Campbell was serving a life sentence in prison for the manslaughter of Miss Sainsbury, from Greenham, in December 1984. A CONVICTED murderer has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of teenage girl Claire Woolterton 32 years ago. Her body was found in a wooded area of Denham Golf Course in Buckinghamshire, after Campbell picked her up in his car in Upper Richmond Road, Roehampton, on the evening of December 22. 144 0 obj <>stream [5], In 2011 the case was reviewed by a team led by Pete Beirne, who had been a junior detective on the original murder inquiry. If it happened tonight there are things we would do differently compared to 1966.". "Our family would like to extend its deepest sympathy to the relatives of Claire Woolterton and we are pleased their long wait for justice is finally over. Claire, who had left school at 16, was reported missing by her worried mother the next day. Colin Campbell found guilty of Claire Woolterton murder after 32 years She had been sexually assaulted and her throat had been cut. Claire Woolterton's body was found on Barry Avenue, Windsor, on 28 August 1981 "We asked for certain exhibits seized in the original investigation (into Claire Woolterton's death) and now stored . Children drinking PINTS and the King riding in a 14-wheel golden HGV - this is Do not sell or share my personal information. Claire Woolterton's naked body was found by the River Thames in Windsor. Video, Russian minister laughed at for Ukraine war claims, Harry: I always felt different to rest of family, US-made cheese can be called 'gruyere' - court, The children left behind in Cuba's exodus, AOC under investigation for Met Gala dress, Alex Murdaugh's legal troubles are far from over, Walkie Talkie architect Rafael Violy dies aged 78, Saving Private Ryan actor Tom Sizemore dies at 61. Advances in DNA profiling and analysis convicted Colin Campbell of the 1981 murder of Claire Woolterton, Claire Woolterton was sexually assaulted and had her throat cut, Colin Campbell also killed Deirdre Sainsbury in 1984, Claire Woolterton's body was found on Barry Avenue, Windsor, on 28 August 1981, Pete Beirne led the police review of Claire Woolterton's murder. Mark John Phillips Jason Redshaw Stephen Wood. Test yourself with this Cockney Rhyming Slang quiz. 2023 BBC. Colin Campbell, 66, who is already serving a life sentence for the manslaughter of Deirdre Sainsbury, denies murdering Claire Woolterton in August 1981. The former travelling salesman, who lived in Acton, west London, at the time of the murder, told the court he could not remember the events of August 1981 or if he had ever met Miss Woolterton. Colin Campbell was also convicted of a killing in 1984, Claire Woolterton's body was found in Windsor in August 1981, Colin Campbell also killed Deirdre Sainsbury in 1984. "Claire was a hard-working girl, who was very kind and would always help people. The 29-year-old's mutilated body was found close to Denham Golf Course the following morning. He was also questioned about Claire Woolterton's murder, but denied any involvement. A serial killer is most commonly defined as a person who kills three or more people for psychological gratification; reliable sources over the years agree. ", Despite the case being closed, the emotional wounds caused by Ms Woolterton's death remain.