Babes in the Wood murders (Brighton)
The Babes in the Wood murders were the murders of two nine-year old girls, Nicola Fellows and Karen Hadaway, on 9 October 1986. The bodies of the girls were found in Wild Park, Moulsecoomb, north of Brighton, England on the following day. They had been strangled and sexually assaulted.[1] Nicola and Karen, who were neighbours on an estate in Brighton, were last seen alive after going out to play.[2] A 20-year-old local roofer, Russell Bishop, was arrested soon afterwards and tried for the rape and strangulation of the two girls during 1987, but was acquitted.[3] The case remains open.[4][5] Bishop was convicted in December 1990 of the kidnapping and attempted murder of a seven-year-old girl in Whitehawk 10 months earlier, and sentenced to life imprisonment.
Nicola’s father, Barrie Fellows, was arrested in 2009 at his home in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, on suspicion of rape and conspiracy to rape his deceased daughter shortly before her death. A friend of the Fellows family, Douglas Judd, was also arrested for suspicion of sexual offenses. A spokeswoman for the Sussex Police said the investigation into sexual abuse allegations was unrelated to the ongoing murder inquiry.[6] No charges were brought against them and they were released.[7]
On 10 May 2016, a man was arrested for the murders. The suspect was initially not named for legal reasons.[8]
On 2 February 2018, it was announced that Russell Bishop will go on trial for the murders at the Old Bailey; the case is expected to start on 15 October 2018.[9]
Notes and references
- ^ "Babes In The Wood murder: 23 years on, father's first interview". The Independent. 29 June 2009. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
- ^ "Prime suspect in Babes in the Wood murders could be free in months". Mail Online. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
- ^ "Babes in wood families 'find evidence'". BBC News. 15 September 2003. Retrieved 24 June 2011.
- ^ "March over 'Babes in Wood' deaths". BBC News. 10 October 2006. Retrieved 24 June 2011.
- ^ "Police quiz Babes in Wood father". BBC News. 7 April 2009. Retrieved 24 June 2011.
- ^ "Father of 'Babes in the Wood' murder victim arrested". Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
- ^ http://www.chesterchronicle.co.uk/news/chester-cheshire-news/ellesmere-port-babes-wood-dad-5222088
- ^ Man arrested over 1986 'babes in the wood' murders in Brighton The Guardian, 10 May 2016. Retrieved 10 May 2016.
- ^ Roofer, 51, will stand trial for 1986 Babes in the Wood murders, it can finally be revealed Daily Mail, 2 February 2018. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
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