Claire Woolterton murder: DNA caught Colin Campbell - BBC News The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. The killer of Claire (left), sister of Nick Woolterton (right), was found because of advances in medical science. [5] Campbell's claims were rejected by the jury and he was found guilty of her murder in December 2013. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. [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. 0000006533 00000 n 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. [5][6] This was indicated by the fact that the last known sighting of her was far away walking down the Uxbridge Road in Acton, yet she was found dead in Windsor. was convicted of the murder of teenage nanny Yolande Waddington, Snow warnings for Scotland and north of England, Scottish bakery Morton's Rolls 'ceases trading', Kuenssberg: Sunak can't escape past Tory horrors, Messages show Hancock reaction after kiss photo, Johnson faces 'punishment' and his 'stitch-up', Walkie Talkie architect Rafael Violy dies aged 78. The Murder of Claire Woolterton - Conviction After 32 Years Last November, police arrested and charged Campbell with Miss Woolterton's murder. [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. The case was reopened in 2011 when advances in DNA analysis helped convict Colin Campbell of murder. Campbell, 66, is facing trial for the murder of Claire Woolterton, 17, in 1981 whose body was found in Barry Avenue, Windsor . Three years later, in December 1984, he murdered 29-year-old Deidre Sainsbury. Claire Woolterton murder investigation British Universities Film He argued he was not in control of his faculties and could not recall the events of August 1981. The jury of four men and eight women at Reading Crown Court had been deliberating since Friday morning before convicting Campbell of murder by majority verdict. [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 BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. [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. Last November, police arrested and charged Campbell with Miss Woolterton's murder. "It opened up so many wounds. 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. Her murderer Colin Campbell went on to kill Deirdre Sainsbury in 1984, for which he is serving a life sentence. 2023 BBC. He was also questioned about Claire Woolterton's murder, but denied any involvement. "We asked for certain exhibits seized in the original investigation (into Claire Woolterton's death) and now stored on file to be re-examined," Mr Beirne said. That evening she saw that a girls body had been found and realised it could be her daughter, the court heard. It is also unlikely that Dr Fenwick and Professor Fenton would have been able to support such a defence, given the content of Dr Fenwicks report dated 5th November 2013 in which he said that if you were found to have killed Claire Woolterton "the fact that he had committed two similar crimes would significantly weaken the possibility that the factors that we determined about his epilepsy at Broadmoor Hospital could have played the central role that was suggested in the case of the Deirdre Sainsbury killing. 0000006008 00000 n 0000007121 00000 n So all investigators had was a body dumped in Windsor with the last confirmed sighting the night before in Hanwell. 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. 144 0 obj <>stream 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. At conservative gathering, Trump is still the favourite. startxref [5] Tapings were taken from Woolterton's body in the hope that fibres might be found to help identify a suspect, although as DNA profiling was not yet invented as a form of evidence in the early 1980s, the significance of these tapings for DNA evidence was not known at the time. 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, Saving Private Ryan actor Tom Sizemore dies at 61, Alex Murdaugh's legal troubles are far from over, 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. Detectives said that had he not been caught, Campbell would have potentially become a serial killer, a term usually used to describe a repeat killer who has killed at least three victims. 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.. He told jurors, who were shown photographs of the teenagers body, they would hear evidence 'inevitably distressing and unpleasant to receive by way of detail.'. Read about our approach to external linking. 0000007903 00000 n [5][6] This time he was not able to repeat the claim that he had only murdered because of his epilepsy, with the experts who had testified that epilepsy may have been a factor in his murder of Sainsbury saying that they did not accept that there was a possibility that epilepsy could explain a man murdering on two occasions. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Pete Beirne was the principal investigator of Thames Valley Police's Major Crime Review Team when the case was reopened in 2011. CLAIRE WOOLTERTON | Police interview | Murder | Crime | TN-81-005-013 Colin Frederick Campbell, 66, formerly of Acton, was convicted of murdering Claire Woolterton, in Windsor, at Reading Crown Court on Wednesday and will serve a minimum of 24 years. [1] At a retrial in 1999, Campbell pled guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility and this plea was accepted by the prosecution. 0000007682 00000 n Can Nigeria's election result be overturned? Read about our approach to external linking. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. "This case was linked to the Kate Bushell killing which happened 12 months before they are pretty unique cases nationally and internationally.". This is the story of the investigation into Claire Woolterton's brutal murder. United Kingdom, UK. Colin Frederick Campbell, I have to sentence you for the brutal murder of Claire Woolterton 32 years ago in August 1981. In 1981, her body was found dumped in the River Thames in Windsor. Claire Woolterton The 17-year-old girl had been so savagely attacked that it was impossible for doctors to determine whether she had been raped. When the case was reopened in 2011, Campbell was a convicted killer serving a life sentence for the manslaughter of Deirdre Sainsbury, from Greenham, in December 1984. Travelling salesman Colin Campbell thought he had got away with the violent, frenetic murder and mutilation of a teenage girl in 1981. In October 1998 on Cornwall's remote Roseland Peninsula, Linda Bryant was stabbed to death as she walked the family dog along country lanes near her home. 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. A convicted killer has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 24 years after being found guilty of murdering a 17-year-old girl more than 30 years ago. 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In fact, for me, some of the clearer thinking came from time away from the investigation room. 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. ", After Campbell was convicted she said she felt "upset, angry and relieved he wasn't able to do the same to anyone else". "We're talking pre-DNA in terms of what was available to the senior investigating officer in 1981," he said. During his trial at Reading. 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. She had been stripped of her clothes and sexually assaulted and then murdered by having her throat cut, a trial at Reading Crown Court heard. "These were also the days before CCTV and mobile phones. Addressing the jury at Reading Crown Court he recounted gruesome details of how she said she had then been sexually assaulted and then murdered. Detectives thought her killer was unaware of the towpaths existence and in the darkness had assumed her corpse would drop into the river. PDF the Crown Court at Reading - Judiciary 212 Volume 14, Number 3, July 2013 JICS Ethics her person. During his trial at Reading Crown Court, the jury heard Campbell did not feature in the original investigation. "We asked for certain exhibits seized in the original investigation (into Claire Woolterton's death) and now stored on file to be re-examined," Mr Beirne said. Get up to 65% OFF in your Babbel subscription! In 1981, the naked body of 17-year-old girl Claire Woolterton was found by the River Thames in Windsor. 0000039134 00000 n Murdaugh is heckled as he leaves court, Alex Murdaugh unanimously found GUILTY of murder of wife and son, Pavement where disabled woman gestured at cyclist before fatal crash, Missing hiker buried under snow forces arm out to wave to helicopter, Insane moment river of rocks falls onto Malibu Canyon in CA, Fleet-footed cop chases an offender riding a scooter, Two Russian tanks annihilated with bombs by Ukrainian armed forces, Isabel Oakeshott clashes with Nick Robinson over Hancock texts. CLAIRE WOOLTERTON | Police interview | Murder | Crime | TN-81-005-013 - YouTube THAMES NEWS 28.8.81Claire Woolterton murder Interview Det. 0 0000001422 00000 n Colin Campbell (murderer) - Wikiwand 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. 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. [1][5], The conviction for the Woolterton murder was noted in the media for the 32-year-gap between the murder and the killer being identified. By 2011, Campbell was serving a life sentence in prison for the manslaughter of Miss Sainsbury, from Greenham, in December 1984. [5] She had been sexually assaulted. 'Cautious' Duke 'was careful not to attack members of the Royal family' says Royal watcher amid fears he 'He's completely beige drained of all his feisty ginger life-blood': JULIE BURCHILL'S verdict on Prince 'I felt different to the rest of my family - and my mum felt the same': Prince Harry opens up on his 'broken 'Hallucinogens have helped me to clean the windscreen of my troubled mind': Prince Harry extols the use of A 14-year-old autistic boy's naive prank. It came at a time another Berkshire "cold case" was yielding similar results. "It is extremely difficult to switch off on leaving work in the evening. Her partially naked body was left face down where it was found by a Windsor commuter at first light. 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. [1] Police officers went to his home and found the murdered woman's missing clothing inside. She had been sexually assaulted and her throat was cut. Claire Woolterton's naked body was found by the River Thames in Windsor. She had. Three years later, in December 1984, he murdered 29-year-old Deidre Sainsbury. She had initially been attacked at another, unknown location and her body showed physical signs consistent with having been partially asphyxiated and rendered unconscious. 0000049569 00000 n A convicted killer has finally been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of a 17-year-old Northolt girl in 1981. On August 28, 1981, Colin Campbell murdered 17-year-old Claire Woolterton and dumped her body by the River Thames. Claire Woolterton's body was found on Barry Avenue, Windsor, in August 1981 . For the loved ones of the victim, not knowing who the killer is and why they died can be one of the most difficult things to come to terms with, she added. Usually after meeting her he drove her home, dropping her off nearby. Ruth Bowskill, temporary chief Crown prosecutor for Thames and Chiltern Crown Prosecution Service, said: Claire Woolterton, who was making her way home in west London after a night out, had the misfortune to come across Campbell. Campbell was subsequently arrested and charged. "To my mind, as a layperson, it's difficult to understand how someone could not remember doing something so horrific. My aim is just to educate and spread awareness about these topics. She wasnt in a good mood, said the arcade owner, who knew her. 0000001944 00000 n But Mr Wright told the jury: 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 o'clock that evening. xref When the case was reopened in 2011, Campbell was a convicted killer serving a life sentence for the manslaughter of Deirdre Sainsbury, from Greenham, in December 1984. Read about our approach to external linking. Colin Campbell sentenced to life for Claire Woolterton 1981 murder This is the tow path in Windsor where Claire was found after being sexually assaulted and murdered. "For the family, you feel accountable - this destroyed their lives. 2023 BBC. Colin Campbell (murderer) - Wikipedia Claire Woolterton's naked body was found by the River Thames in Windsor. [6][1] The lead detective publicly stated that the murderer was clearly a very sadistic kind of person, and was the kind of offender who could strike again (which turned out to be accurate as Campbell would kill again in the area in 1984). [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." Prosecution counsel Peter Wright QC told the jury the 29-year-old's killing bore strong similarities to that of Claire's. 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. "Her head and face had significant injuries but the motive for the killing was - and still is - unclear," said Ch Insp Lee Turner, who has worked on the case since 2012. Colin Campbell sentenced to life for Claire Woolterton 1981 murder After Campbell picked her up as she walked home alone, the 17-year-old was sexually assaulted and had her throat cut. 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. The combination of Painter's 1.56 ERA to go along with his massive 38.7% strikeout rate posted last year (Class-A, Class-A Advanced, and Double-A) positioned him to hit the ground running to . Are they dead? He was sufficiently concerned about her to offer her a lift home, which she declined. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. 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. This is the story of the investigation into Claire Woolterton's brutal murder. ", 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, Saving Private Ryan actor Tom Sizemore dies at 61, Alex Murdaugh's legal troubles are far from over, 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. She had been sexually assaulted and her throat had been cut. [1], At his trial in 2013, a now 66-year-old Campbell claimed he did not know Woolterton. "I think I cried more than when it first happened," she said. But evidence taken at the time and stored in police archives would eventually build a DNA profile against him. [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. Welcome to the Coronation! "Claire went out to meet some friends and never came home. Ken Linney To license a clip please e. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. 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. 0000001077 00000 n kingston crematorium funerals today During his trial at Reading Crown Court, the jury heard Campbell did not feature in the original investigation. Miss Sainsbury's family said: "We all still think of Deirdre every day and this trial has brought a lot of the emotions back for us, which were felt when Campbell was tried for his crime all those years ago. "I was relieved [when he was convicted], I was happy for Claire's family, they had been through an awful lot." Claire Woolterton murder: DNA caught Colin Campbell - BBC News 2023 BBC. The 17-year-old girl had been so savagely attacked that it was impossible for doctors to determine whether she had been raped. 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. . 0000009377 00000 n We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. DNA evidence links convicted killer to 1981 murder of Yeading teenager A convicted killer has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 24 years after being found guilty of murdering a 17-year-old girl more than 30 years ago. 0000063329 00000 n "It has brought back sad memories of Claire instead of the happy ones that I had learnt to live with.". ", Pete Beirne, the principal investigator when the case was reopened, said: "What we've managed to achieve today obviously won't bring Claire back, but hopefully it's a small comfort to [her family] that Campbell has been in custody since 1984.". Claire was preyed upon, sexually assaulted, murdered and mutilated for his own sexual gratification. He was given a life sentence and must serve a minimum of 24 years, concurrent to his current sentence. Published: 20:59 GMT, 14 November 2013 | Updated: 20:59 GMT, 14 November 2013. Not so shipshape! "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. Nobody was arrested or charged with Miss Woolterton's murder during the original investigation. Ch Insp Turner said he felt a "huge sense of responsibility but also a huge sense of pride" working on the case. "He hasn't denied being responsible, he just states he cannot remember if he did or didn't do it," said Pete Beirne. '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? My eldest son suffered a nervous breakdown from which he never recovered.". It was a journey, sadly, that she did not complete.. Police stored evidence on Woolterton's death for 30 years, Reading . Colin Campbell found guilty of Claire Woolterton murder after 32 years All rights reserved |. Snow, Fire and Lights: Photos of the Week, Cricketers hope new league will inspire young women, 'Massive toll' of living in a leasehold property, The children left behind in Cuba's exodus. Colin Campbell, 66, who is already. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. 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. The story of the investigation into the murder of 17-year-old Claire Woolterton, whose body was found dumped by the River Thames in Windsor in 1981. He was convicted of her murder in 1985. "Scientists who then examined the evidence stated there was a one in a million chance of it being anyone else. When asked why his DNA had been found on Miss Woolterton's body, Campbell could not explain how it might have happened. She had. What's the least amount of exercise we can get away with? Copyright 2015 True Crime Library. Despite about 50 people coming forward with fresh information, her murder remains unsolved. Massive gas tanker crashes in Maryland and EXPLODES into fireball killing the driver and setting local What will the next pandemic be? 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. They're [the cases] never far from your mind. This will haunt us forever. 0000002948 00000 n "There was a void between those two events.". British Murders: Colin Campbell | The Murders of Claire Woolterton and 0000001881 00000 n A convicted killer has been sentenced to life in prison for murdering and mutilating a 17-year-old girl in 1981. By 2011, Campbell was serving a life sentence in prison for the manslaughter of Miss Sainsbury, from Greenham, in December 1984. "We knew from other investigations nationally that potentially they could provide critical evidence. Season 3. Killer: Colin Campbell pictured by police in 1981 is already serving a life sentence for the manslaughter of Deirdre Sainsbury but denies murdering Claire, Victims: Deirdre Sainsbury, left, was murdered in December 1984 and her body dumped on a golf course in Buckinghamshire, it is believed that Campbell may also have killed Claire Woolterton, right three years earlier.