White House Farm murders
 | This article includes a list of references, related reading, or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. (February 2008) |
Jeremy Bamber | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 1961 |
| Education | Gresham's School |
| Occupation | Prisoner serving life sentence for murder |
| Spouse | none |
| Children | none |
Jeremy Bamber (born 1961 in England, United Kingdom) was convicted in 1986 of murdering several members of his family in a highly-publicised case. He has always denied carrying out the killings, and has made several appeals against his convictions, but so far has been unsuccessful.
Murder case
Bamber was 25 years old when he was sentenced to life imprisonment on 28 October 1986 for shooting dead his adoptive parents, sister and twin six-year-old nephews at the family farmhouse in Tolleshunt D'Arcy, Essex in the early hours of 7 August 1985.[1]
In court, the prosecution claimed that Bamber shot his family and then placed the rifle in his sister's hands in order to make her appear the person who carried out the killings and then turned the gun on herself. The police initially believed that his sister, Sheila Caffell, was the killer because she had paranoid schizophrenia and had not been taking her medication, and because Bamber reportedly called the police to state that his father, Nevill, had called him and told him, "Your sister has gone crazy and has got the gun." [2]
The original investigating officer DCI "Taff" Jones had believed the suicide and four murders scenario, but he was taken off the case and died in an accident at home before the case went to court.[1] Jeremy Bamber was placed under suspicion after his fingerprints were found on the gun and his ex-girlfriend Julie Mugford, who was seen comforting Bamber at the funeral of all five relatives, told the court that he had talked in the past about wanting to kill his parents.
It was argued by the prosecution and accepted by most of the jury (there was a 10-2 majority), that Bamber killed his family in order to claim an inheritance of almost £500,000.
Bamber was told by his trial judge, Mr. Justice Drake, that he was "warped and evil" and recommended that he should serve at least 25 years before being considered for release, which would keep him behind bars until at least 2010 and the age of 49, but over the next 17 years a succession of Home Secteraries ruled that life should mean life. In November 2002, a legal challenge by convicted double murderer Anthony Anderson saw politicians stripped of their powers to set minimum terms for life sentence prisoners.
In May 2008, however, Bamber lost a High Court appeal against his whole life tariff. As a peculiar development in this ruling, Bamber now has been denied access to his solicitors.[3]
Claims of innocence
Bamber has always denied guilt, though his extended family have never cast doubt on his convictions. He continues to pursue and offer rewards for fresh evidence in his efforts to overturn his conviction, and suggests a conspiracy against him by other family members. His conviction was based largely upon the testimony of his ex-girlfriend rather than physical evidence to link him with the killings.
His cause has been taken up by the veteran journalist, Bob Woffinden; Respect MP George Galloway; Andrew Hunter (former MP for Basingstoke); and the true crime writer, Scott Lomax, who has had a book published about the case.[4] Bamber is now represented by the Italian avvocato, Giovanni di Stefano.
Bamber has had two appeals against his convictions rejected, and has since launched a third appeal. Bamber centres his argument on previously unseen photographs which imply that Sheila's blood may have been fresh still, or "running", at the time police photographs were taken (approximately nine a.m.—Bamber had been with the police since three). His appeal is currently on hold, awaiting a lenghty review of new evidence by the Criminal Cases Review Commission. [5] As a part of this process, Bamber was given a lie detector test by his defense team, and passed.[6]
Attack in prison
In 2004, Bamber was rushed to a hospital after he was attacked by another inmate while making a telephone call from Full Sutton Prison, near York, where he was serving his sentence. He suffered deep cuts to his neck but made a full recovery.[1]
See also
References
- ^ a b c Lomax, Scott (2003). "Trial and Error: The Case of Jeremy Bamber". Libertarian Alliance. ISBN 1 85637 575 7. Retrieved 2009-02-03.
- ^ Lord Justice, Kay (2002-12-12). "R v Jeremy Bamber (Case No: 20011745 S1)". Royal Courts of Justice. Retrieved 2009-02-03.
- ^ "Bamber: I will die a free man", Anglian Daily Times, 17 May 2008, paragraph 17
- ^ Pocklington Post, 25 October 2008
- ^ BBC NEWS | England | Essex | Bamber in new bid to clear name
- ^ Mass killer Bamber 'passes lie detector' | the Daily Mail
External links
- Jeremy Bamber's official website
- The website of Scott Lomax who has written articles and a book about Bamber's case
- - MURDERUK - Jeremy Bamber case
- Adjournment debate - Andrew Hunter MP
- Question to Home Office minister by George Galloway MP
- Daily Mail article by Bob Woffinden
- "Warped and Evil Beyond Belief" from the Malefactor's Register
- True Crimes: Jeremy Bamber at the Internet Movie Database