Casefile True Crime - Case 172: Michael Gregsten & Valerie Storie

Episode Date: April 17, 2021

In August 1961, Michael Gregsten and Valerie Storie were sitting in their car in Dorney Reach, UK when an intruder forced his way into the backseat brandishing a gun. After driving them around the English countryside for hours, the intruder shot both Michael and Valerie, leaving them on the side of the road at a location known as Deadman’s Hill. --- Narration – Anonymous Host Research & writing – Jessica Forsayeth Creative direction – Milly Raso Production and music – Mike Migas Music – Andrew D.B. Joslyn For all credits and sources please visit casefilepodcast.com/case-172-michael-gregsten-valerie-storie

Our episodes deal with serious and often distressing incidents. If you feel at any time you need support, please contact your local crisis centre. For suggested phone numbers for confidential support, please see the show notes for this episode on your app or on our website. Although his family's council flat in St John's Wood, North London was compact, Charles Frantz always opened the door to his good friend Jim Ryan whenever Jim needed a place to stay. Wednesday, August 30, 1961 was one such occasion.

24-year-old Jim slept on the sofa in the sitting room, as he did every time he visited. Although the Frantz family didn't know much about Jim's background, he was an exceptional house guest, tidy, polite and friendly. Charles' wife Charlotte thought of Jim as a son. Her three daughters called him uncle and loved when he came to stay, as he spoiled them with chocolates, flowers and pocket money. During his most recent stay, Jim Ryan joined Charles and Charlotte Frantz in the sitting room where the couple were watching television.

Suddenly, an alert flashed on the screen. Police were seeking an unidentified man for questioning in relation to a murder that had occurred the week prior. The alert was accompanied by a composite sketch known as an identikit of the wanted man. The identikit image showed a man with a pale face, slicked back dark hair, deep-set brown eyes and bushy eyebrows. His right eyebrow was raised, giving him a somewhat inquisitive expression. While studying the sketch, Charlotte Frantz remarked that it looked like her house guest

Jim Ryan, the only exception being that Jim had blue eyes. Jim heard Charlotte, but said nothing, keeping his eyes affixed to the television. A week earlier, on August 22, 1961, Michael Gregston and his girlfriend Valerie Storey took a seat inside their favourite pub, the Old Station Inn. After ordering a pint for them both, Michael spread a map out on their tabletop. The couple worked for the Rhodes Research Laboratory. 36-year-old Michael was a research scientist and 22-year-old Valerie was an assistant. That night, they were organising a car rally for their work social club.

Being car fanatics, this was a task that suited them both. Along with their love of cars, Michael and Valerie shared many other things in common such as music, theatre and their work. Yet, the couple's relationship was not without controversy. Michael was married to another woman with whom he had two children. The Gregston marriage was rocky. Despite numerous attempts, Michael was unable to patch things up with his wife. He met Valerie Storey at work and the two quickly developed feelings for one another.

As that relationship escalated, Michael moved out of his family home to a flat in Windsor, just west of London. He and Valerie planned to marry once Michael was officially divorced. Michael's wife was aware of the affair and didn't approve, refusing to grant her husband a divorce to remarry. Michael was certain she would come around eventually. Both he and Valerie couldn't wait to spend the rest of their lives together. At 9pm, Michael and Valerie left the old station in, in Michael's grey 1956 Morris

Miner. They drove towards Slough, a town 30km west of central London. The summer evening was just beginning to get dark when the couple turned down a long lane off the A4 highway that led to a cornfield. Pitcher-esque and secluded, the cornfield served as a lover's lane for couples. Michael and Valerie visited the area often. On occasion, they'd wandered down to the adjacent River Thames. On this night, they remained in the Morris Miner.

Unlike previous visits, there were no other cars in sight. Approximately half an hour later, Michael and Valerie heard a loud tap on the driver's side window. Outside was a man. He signalled for Michael to wind down his window. He then poked the barrel of a .38 caliber revolver through the opening. The man was immaculately dressed in a clean and crisp dark suit, white shirt and tie. His face was partially concealed by a handkerchief tied over his nose and mouth.

Valerie scoffed, thinking it was a joke. But Michael was noticeably concerned. He did as the man asked and handed him his keys so he could unlock the back door. Taking a seat inside, the hijacker told them in a thick, cockney accent, This is a hold up, I am a desperate man, I've been on the run for four months, if you do as I tell you, you will be alright. The man told the couple that he hadn't shot anyone before. Animated and excited, he said he felt like a cowboy pulling off a stun.

Michael and Valerie annoyed the hijacker. They kept asking what he wanted, to which he replied in a half. It's alright, there's no hurry. He ordered Michael to drive further into the cornfield. It was now pitch black. The air was still. On the man's order, Michael killed the engine and the lights. Every time Michael or Valerie attempted to glance at the stranger in the back seat,

he ordered them to look straight ahead. The man made small talk as the trio sat in the car. He inquired about Michael and Valerie's relationship and asked if they were married. In return, he told them about himself. He revealed that he had been in institutions or remand homes since he was eight years old. Nearly an hour later, at 10.30, there was movement at a house nearby. The trio watched as a man emerged from the property's back door. They wondered whether he would spot the Morris minor in the cornfield.

The gunman warned Michael and Valerie not to say anything if he happened to approach. Moments later, the man walked back inside and closed the door. At 11.30pm, nearly two hours since the ordeal began, the gunman's hunger got the better of him. He ordered Michael out of the car and to the vehicle's boot. Taking a blanket down so his hostage would be comfortable, he instructed Michael to get in. Michael pleaded with the man, telling him that there was an exhaust leak that allowed fumes

into the boot. He would surely die if confined in the small space for a period of time. The hijacker agreed that this was a bad idea. Instead, he forced Michael to drive the car towards London, approximately an hour's drive away. On the journey, the man told Michael to pull over at a milk machine. However, nobody had a sixpence to make a purchase, so they continued on. What should have been a 28-mile journey east soon became a drive all over the English countryside.

The man spoke nearly non-stop. Eventually, the fuel warning light came on, and Michael pulled the Morris Miner into a garage. He approached the elderly pump attendant, asking if he could put two gallons into the tank. He tried to covertly alert the attendant to what was happening in the car, but failed to do so. The trio drove on to Stanmore, moving away from London.

There, the hijacker spotted a cigarette machine. He didn't usually smoke, but ordered Michael out and watched as he walked across the road to purchase a pack. Instead of making a run for it, Michael returned to the car, presumably so Valerie wasn't left alone with the man. The traffic had thinned considerably by the time the three drove north to St Albans and further north towards Luton. The Morris Miner then hit the A6 motorway, heading towards Bedford, approximately 60

miles north of London. By this stage, the man was tired and needed to rest. It was nearing 1.30am. He looked out the rear window for somewhere suitable to stop. He ordered Michael to pull over twice so he could, quote, kip a slang word for a nap. Both times, he changed his mind. As they continued past the small village of Clophill and Upper Hill, the man saw the perfect place to stop.

He told Michael to pull off into a lay-by alongside the road. Michael didn't want to, but eventually relented. His nerves were understandable. Anyone passing by could see the name of the area printed on a sign in flashing lights. Dead Man's Hill The man told Michael and Valerie he would have to tie them up while he had a kip. He took Michael and the pair searched the boot for a suitable material to use as a restraint. If they were able to find anything, they returned to the car.

The man ended up tying Valerie's hands using Michael's tie. They pleaded with him not to kill them. He reassured the couple, if I was going to shoot you, I would have done it before now. The man then noticed a duffel bag of laundry in the front seat. He asked Michael to pick it up and pass it over. As Michael reached down, the man shot him twice at point-blank range. One bullet entered his left ear, the other his left cheek. Michael slumped over.

Valerie screamed, you shot him you bastard, why did you do that? To which the man replied, he frightened me, he moved too quick and I got frightened. As Valerie sobbed, the man warned, be quiet will you, I'm trying to think. They argued for nearly 20 minutes as to whether Michael should receive medical attention. The man then removed the handkerchief from his face and ordered Valerie to kiss him. When she refused, he threatened her with his gun, saying, I will count five. As Valerie turned to kiss her attacker, a truck drove by. For a few seconds, the man's face was illuminated by the passing headlights.

The man ordered Valerie into the back seat. He covered Michael's face with a rag before raping Valerie. A few other cars passed, but none for long enough that Valerie could get another good look at the man's face. When he was finished, Valerie asked the man to take the car and drive away. He reassured her that he was in no hurry. He needed to get rid of Michael's body and asked Valerie to help him. Together, they dragged Michael from the car, dumping him by the side of the road.

The man then ordered Valerie to show him how to start the Morris Miner and change its gears. Twice he stalled, and twice Valerie had to show him how to restart the engine. Eventually, he hopped out of the driver's seat, leaving the engine running. It was 3.30am. Valerie handed him a £1 note from her raincoat and pleaded for the man to just go. He replied he would have to hit her over the head or something. He begged to be left unharmed. The man seemingly relented.

He turned away and walked back towards the car. When he was about six feet from Valerie, he turned suddenly and fired several bullets at her. Valerie fell to her knees and then to the ground, coming to rest next to Michael's body. The man reloaded and shot at Valerie another three times. He calmly took the driver's seat of the Morris Miner and sped off towards London. That morning of Wednesday, August 23, 1961, began as a normal workday for engineering foreman James Skillett.

He picked up a friend as usual, and the two travelled together in his car towards the town of Stratford, heading towards London. As they pulled up to a set of traffic lights in the eastern London town of Wilford, they noticed a car being driven erratically. It was a grey Morris Miner. The car swerved in its lane, narrowly missing James's car as it sped past. A crunching sound could be heard as the driver of the Morris Miner changed gears and dodged further vehicles approaching from the opposite lane.

James Skillett and his passenger caught up to the Morris Miner at a roundabout. Pulling alongside it, James's passenger wound down his window and James lent over him. He shouted, Are you fucking mad or something? He walked to get off the fucking road. The driver of the Morris Miner looked over and laughed before driving off. The car haphazardly drifted out of sight. Earlier that morning at 5.20, a young man named John Kerr had started work for the day. He had a job with the Ministry of Transport, counting the number of cars that passed by

a specific location on the A6 motorway near Deadman's Hill. At 6.45am, he crossed over a grassy knoll and came across the bloodied bodies of Michael Gregston and Valerie Story. Detective Superintendent Robert Acott of Scotland Yard was assigned to the murder investigation. With 28 years' experience under his belt, he was confident the perpetrator would soon be found. Details of Michael's Morris Miner were circulated throughout the press and at 6.00 that night, Detective Acott received the first break in the case.

A man walking his dog on Avondale Crescent in Ilford spotted the Morris Miner parked on the street at an odd angle. The front registration plate was damaged and there was blood spatter inside and outside the vehicle. A local resident reported the car having been parked there since 7.45am. There were no foreign fibres, hair or fingerprints present throughout the vehicle. However, two empty 38-caliber cartridge cases were found within. They matched similar cases found at the crime scene.

The next morning of August 24, housewife Audrey Willis heard a knock at the back door of her house in Old Nebworth, approximately 37 miles north of where the Morris Miner was found. According to the Guardian, Audrey opened the door to find a man wearing a long grey raincoat, dark trousers and brown shoes. He was around 30 years old with a pale and long, thin face and dark, deep-set eyes. The man inquired as to whether her husband was home. When Audrey replied that he was out, the man presented a black revolver from his pocket and forced his way inside.

He asked Audrey for money and something to eat. She gave him four pounds and some milk and cookies. After he had drunk the milk and pocketed the biscuits, he asked Audrey to remove her shoes and go with him to the back door. As she did as requested, the man took off. A search of the area failed to find the intruder. Detectives believed that this incident was related to the A-6 attack on Dead Man's Hill. After that evening, Cleaner for London Transport Edwin Cook was doing his job inspecting the

buses at Rye Lane Garage in Peckham, South London. As he searched the rear of the A-36 bus for rubbish, he lifted the back seat. According to author Paul Foot, Edwin made a habit of checking this seat on every bus he cleaned after once coming across two dead rats nestled in the space. On this occasion, Edwin Cook lifted up the seat and found a dirty handkerchief. Underneath was a fully loaded revolver and five boxes of ammunition. The gun was quickly confirmed to be the .38 caliber used in the A-6 attack. The cleaner was positive the weapon and accessories had been deposited there that day as he had

cleaned the same bus the night before. After busy A-36 bus travelled two routes that day throughout London. Police offered an amnesty for anyone who saw anything suspicious on the bus to come forward. Nobody did. As detectives continued to hunt for the A-6 gunman, both families of Michael Grexton and Valerie Storey were coming to terms with the attack that had forever changed their lives. Michael's wife Janet was bereft at the loss of her husband. In an attempt to take her mind off things, on August 31 she went to her brother-in-law's

antique shop in North London. As reported in the daily sketch, she was helping her brother-in-law William set up a picture display in the storefront window when she noticed a man walking by. She grabbed William's arm and pointed to the man. He was slim, approximately 5'6", and immaculately dressed in a suit with dark hair, a pale complexion and deep, sad eyes. Janet Grexton was certain this was the man who had killed her husband as his face resembled identical images based on witness accounts of the man seen driving Michael's Morris

Miner in the hours following the shooting. They watched him walk into a dry cleaner across the road. William tried to calm Janet, but she couldn't be consoled. She believed she had just crossed paths with her husband's killer. A short while later, William went to the dry cleaner to inquire about the man. The manager told him that he had brought in a green suit to have tailored the week earlier. He had given the dry cleaner an address in St John's Wood and a name. Although his given name was abbreviated to an initial, William had something to work

with. It was Jay Ryan. According to the daily sketch, William did not have to wait long before he ran into Jay Ryan again. The next day, he was sitting at a cafe on Finchley Road in London when a pair of exquisitely made leather shoes caught his eye. As he looked up to see the man sporting the shoes, he realized it was the same man he had seen yesterday from his shop.

William followed the man to a florist and phoned Scotland Yard. An officer arrived and William explained the situation. The florist revealed that the man had come in to send roses to his mother, Mrs Hen Ratty. The names of Jay Ryan and Mrs Hen Ratty were taken down by Scotland Yard, but as there was nothing to link this man to the A6 attack, it was not followed up. The investigation into the A6 attack was slow. Officials admitted that they had little to go on. September 11, 1961 marked nearly three weeks after the shooting.

In Maidervale, West London, hotel manager Robert Crocker was busy inspecting the rooms of the Vienna Hotel. Robert arrived at room 24, a large basement room with multiple beds. It was unoccupied at the time. Robert gave it the once over, looking for anything out of place or missing. On one of the armchairs next to a single bed were two 38-caliber cartridge cases. Robert's first thought was to simply throw them away, but he decided to call his local police and report the finding.

Scotland Yard confirmed that the cartridges matched those fired from the A6 murder weapon. Hotel records were checked to see who had stayed in room 24 when Michael Gregston and Valerie Storie were abducted. Being a basement suite, room 24 was not often used. It was mainly given to travellers when the other rooms were booked out. As such, only three people had stayed there recently. One was a man who had given his surname as Repur. The second was named Frederick Durant.

The third man had stayed in room 24 on August 21, the night before the shooting. Jim Ryan In late September 1961, Charlotte France appeared at Scotland Yard. It had been a month since the A6 shooting, and Charlotte had a growing suspicion towards someone she knew well. A week after the attack, the France family hosted a longtime family friend, Jim Ryan, at their council flat in St. John's Wood. He'd slept on their sofa and was otherwise his typical self.

The frantic search for the A6 gunman was well underway, and his likeness was featured on televised news reports. Charlotte France had noted the suspect bore striking similarities to Jim Ryan, but he remained silent when she mentioned it. Now, Charlotte had come forward to the police to formally implicate Jim in the crime. She also revealed his full name. James Hanratty 25-year-old James Hanratty was a seasoned petty criminal.

At age 15, he began dabbling in minor crimes. By age 17, he had been put on probation for a year after taking and driving a motor vehicle without concern. Two months later, he underwent a medical examination for national service, but, according to the documentary Murder Casebook, was denied entry on the grounds of being illiterate. Following this, James Hanratty started breaking into houses and stealing property. He became adept at breaking into windows without being seen and wiping surfaces clean to remove his fingerprints.

James was caught and served time in prison, where he tried to take his own life. On release in 1957, James Hanratty told his family he was going to stop his criminal behavior. However, he soon returned to prison for stealing cars. In April 1961, James, freshly out of prison, knocked on his parents' door. This time, he assured his parents that he was done with crime for good. All he wanted was a normal and straight life. His father, overjoyed and eager to set James on the straight and narrow, quit his job he had worked for 26 years and lost his pension in order to set up a window washing business

with James. They worked well together, built up a steady clientele base, and his family remarked they had never seen James so cheerful. However, James Hanratty's life as a law-abiding citizen was short-lived. Three months after the beginning of their business endeavor, James' parents took a long overdue holiday. They were under the impression that James would handle the work himself. Instead, he bailed on his job and vanished.

He stole a car and made his way to his favorite place in the UK, Soho London. Known for its vibrant nightlife, restaurants and shops, James Hanratty loved Soho, part of London's west end. With nowhere to stay, James checked himself into cheap boarding houses and hotels under the alias Jim Ryan. As luck would have it, one day he ran into an old friend, Charles Franz. Charles offered James a place to stay in his council home in St. John's Wood. When he wasn't crashing on the Franz family sofa, James would spend a night or two in

boarding houses. During this time, he stole approximately £2,000 worth of jewellery. Charles Franz helped by valuing the stolen jewellery before James sold it to antique dealers and willing buyers in criminal circles. After Charles Franz informed detectives that James Hanratty was the suspect they were looking for, they headed for Ireland. According to Charlotte, James had travelled there to obtain a driver's licence. Detectives flew into Dublin on September 29.

All air and seaports to Ireland were sealed as James Hanratty's boyish face appeared in newspapers. Despite an extensive search, including speaking with a man who wrote postcards on behalf of James to send to his mother, detectives returned to England on October 5 empty-handed. At the time, James Hanratty was living it up in Soho, having returned from Ireland in mid-September. A proficient driver, James had received his driver's licence with no problems. He befriended an antique dealer and stayed in her apartment.

James spent considerable money from his proceeds of crime to buy a car. He would wine and dine women and take them to the theatre at the London Palladium. On October 5, 1961, James Hanratty's luck changed. He was at one of his favourite local hangouts, the rehearsal club, when an acquaintance told him that officers were snooping around, looking for him in relation to the A6 shooting. Pale faced and panicked, James rang his good friend, Charles Frantz. Charles tried to calm James, telling him he had nothing to worry about and to go to Scotland Yard to clear his name.

Hanratty abruptly hung up. Charles Frantz was dismayed. He hadn't kept James on the line long enough for his call to be traced. The following day, James Hanratty phoned Scotland Yard from a public phone booth. He spoke to Detective Acott, explaining that he was innocent. However, he couldn't come forward, as he was wanted for housebreaking, after his fingerprints had been found at a crime scene the month prior. James Hanratty told the detective he couldn't take another prison stint, but desperately

wanted the matter of his alleged involvement in the A6 attack cleared up. James then called the newspaper officers of the Daily Mirror and spoke with an assistant editor. Hanratty explained his predicament and professed his innocence, telling the editor he had a watertight alibi for the night in question. Later that night, James Hanratty made another call to Detective Acott. Acott pleaded for Hanratty to turn himself in for questioning, but again he refused. The next afternoon, Hanratty called Detective Acott again.

He elaborated on his alibi further, telling the detective that he had spent the night of August 21 at the Vienna Hotel under the alias Jim Ryan. The next day, when the A6 attack took place, he had taken a train 200 miles north to Liverpool to stay with friends. He had been there for three nights before returning to London. Hanratty explained three men could vouch for him, but they would not do so as they themselves were criminals. Detectives drove to Liverpool and searched for anyone who might admit to being Hanratty's

alibi. They had no luck. On October 11, four days after his last contact with Detective Acott, James Hanratty entered a cafe in Blackpool, a seaside town 50 miles north of Liverpool. Confident he'd be safe from the officers searching for him in London, Hanratty ordered a meal and took a seat near the jukebox. He bowed his head when two police officers entered the cafe. Upon exiting the cafe, James Hanratty was promptly arrested.

He told the policeman his name was Peter Bates, but after arriving at Blackpool police station, he confessed to being James Hanratty. Detective Acott rushed to the station, arriving at seven the next morning to interview his prime suspect. Although the Hanratty family had a trusted family lawyer, James was not given the option of having him present. According to author Paul Foote, Detective Acott lent over a desk and spoke to Hanratty about the Vienna Hotel, saying,

I can't make it too clear how desperate your position is. I must tell you now, after you're leaving room 24 on August 22, two empty cartridge cases were found at the end of the bed you tell me you slept in that night. James replied, You're kidding me Mr. Acott, aren't you? In response, Detective Acott said, I'm not kidding you Jimmy, this is very serious business. The only other person present in the interview room was another detective who took notes

of what went on. When the interview concluded, these notes were not signed by or read to James Hanratty to ensure they were an accurate representation of what was discussed from his perspective. James then told the officers in his heavy cockney accent that he was off to have a good kip, explaining he was tired and could sleep anywhere. The next day, those who witnessed the Morris Minor driving in the hours before and after the shooting were asked to view an identification parade to pinpoint the offender. Standing before them, amongst several decoys, was James Hanratty.

Two out of three witnesses picked James as being in the car. A third witness, the pump attendant who fuelled the car shortly before the shooting, pointed out someone else. Still, there was one other person who could shed light on James Hanratty's involvement in the A6 attack. Barely surviving the ordeal that killed her partner, Valerie Story had spent the past seven weeks in hospital recovering. After being raped and gunned down, Valerie Story lay in shock beside the body of her

boyfriend Michael Gregston. She couldn't move her legs. The killer had driven away in Michael's Morris Minor. Valerie desperately tried to get the attention of passing motorists by waving her petticoat, but she was concealed from the road by a grassy knoll. Fearing she was going to die, Valerie made the words blue eyes and brown hair out of pebbles to give authorities clues to her and Michael's assailant. After hearing Valerie's pained groans, a farm laborer discovered the couple and sought

help. Council worker John Kerr arrived and flagged down the first car that drove past, telling them to call an ambulance. It was clear to John that Michael had been deceased for some time, so he focused his attention on Valerie. John wrote down Valerie's recollection of the attack on the back of his work papers, in case she passed away before speaking with authorities. According to John, Valerie described the man responsible as a little taller than she was,

with large, staring eyes and light, fairish hair. John turned his notes over to the first police officer who arrived, but they were eventually misplaced. Valerie's story was taken to hospital in a serious condition. Two bullets were lodged in her body. One had struck her spinal cord, paralyzing her from the waist down. This also meant Valerie couldn't feel pain from her injuries, so she was able to speak coherently to detectives.

They noted that her attacker was a man in his 30s, 5'6", with a medium build. However, inconsistencies were gradually emerging. Valerie herself had written in pebbles that her attacker had blue eyes and brown hair. One of her rescuers noted her saying that he had light, fairish hair, and the police, following their initial interviews at Valerie's bedside, reported to the press that the offender had dark brown hair and deeply set dark brown eyes. These inconsistencies would become a lingering issue throughout the investigation. No one could accurately explain why they existed.

Three days later, Valerie assisted in the creation of an identikit of her attacker. A second sketch was also made based on the collective recollections of all those who had seen the driver of the Morris Minor in the hours after the attack. As this sketch was an amalgamation of multiple witness accounts, it looked very different from the one Valerie provided. This was a notable flaw in the identikit process. The human expression can be very difficult to capture. If multiple people contribute their descriptions, the result is often an image vastly different

to the actual face of the subject. Despite this issue, there was one similarity between both sketches. The offender's right eyebrow was raised higher than his left. Both images were circulated in the media in the hope someone would recognise the wanted man. The Liverpool Echo commented that each sketch was dominated by dark, staring eyes. This descriptor was withdrawn on August 31 for reasons unknown. Now, the offender had blue eyes.

Regardless of the inconsistencies, when Charlotte France saw the sketches on television, she was overcome with a sense of recognition. The man was sitting beside her, watching the same news report. When she looked at the sketches, she saw James Hanratty. Following the arrest of James Hanratty, he was brought to Valerie's hospital bedside to participate in an identity parade. The matter was urgent, as Valerie had confided to Detective Acott. My memory of this man's face is fading.

I'm so afraid that when confronted with the man, I may not be able to pick him out. Valerie stared intently at the twelve men standing at her bedside. For ten minutes, she scrutinised their every feature and movement. She whispered to Detective Acott, who in turn instructed the men to say the line, Be quiet will you, I am thinking. One by one, they repeated the sentence. Valerie looked at them one more time and said the number of the man she thought was her attacker.

This man had said thinking instead of thinking in his thick cockney accent, just like her attacker had. As the men filed out, Detective Acott squeezed her arm and said, Well done. Valerie had picked James Hanratty. When James began housebreaking, he dyed his red hair black under the impression it would hide his identity. At the identity parade, James had very noticeable regrowth.

After the hospital lights, his hair looked a very unusual colour. It was also heavily reported in newspapers that police were looking for a suspect who had natural red hair, but may have dyed it black. It was unclear whether Valerie had read this description prior to the parade. James Hanratty approached Detective Acott and asked him if it was fair to be put on parade with his hair in the condition it was. Acott's reply was, I did not ask you to get your hair dyed, Jimmy. If you have any complaints, you can tell the judge.

Two days later, James Hanratty appeared in court handcuffed to a detective. He vehemently denied his involvement in the A6 shooting. In response to the charges, all he had to say was, Alright. Just over one month later, a magistrate sent James for trial at the Old Bailey in London. At the time, the legal system only tried someone for the most serious of the crimes they had committed if they were charged with multiple crimes. Because of this, all charges for the attack on Valerie's story were dropped, and James Hanratty only faced trial for the murder of Michael Gregston.

As detailed by author Paul Foot, a prison medical officer assessed the James Hanratty prior to trial. He noted, He is, in my opinion, quite fit to plead. He knows the difference between right and wrong, and must be held responsible for his actions. Crime correspondence covering the case indicated that James Hanratty would likely be acquitted due to the lack of evidence against him. The main evidence to be used by the prosecution was Valerie's story's identification of him,

the fact he used the word KIP for NAP, and his Cockney accent. Certain himself that he would be found not guilty, James signed a deal with the Daily Express for £5,000 for the exclusive to his story once the trial was over. He wrote letters through a scribe to his parents, relatives and friends professing his innocence. He assured his family that they had nothing to worry about. An excerpt of a letter taken from the book by Paul Foot reads, Well mum, I know it must be hard for you and dad right now, but I want you to have faith in me.

If I had done this terrible thing, I would have took my own life weeks ago. As you know, I love you and dad very much. After I left home, I was thinking of you all the time and I am not saying that just because I am in trouble. But I have got faith in my defence. They are both very intelligent men and without any doubt they know I am innocent. As I said before, please have faith in me. I will soon straighten this terrible thing out.

In order to have the case heard sooner, on January 2, 1962, it was decided that the trial would be moved from London to where the A6 murder occurred. This was a huge setback for James Henraddy. It meant the jury would be comprised of Bedford locals, many of whom had thorough knowledge of and were still outraged by the attack. The trial began on January 22, 1962, near five months after the crime. On the third day, James Henraddy shocked his defence team. He had a confession to make.

James admitted he had lied to detectives about his alibi. He had not been in Liverpool with three criminals, but instead by himself in the Welsh seaside town of Rill, 43 miles west of Liverpool. He told Detective Acott he was in Liverpool as he thought his three criminal friends would vouch for him and he took a train there to offer them £250 to give him an alibi. When his friends refused, not wanting to become involved, James Henraddy was in a bind. He didn't want to say he was in Rill because there was nobody there to verify it, so he stuck with his Liverpool alibi.

Now however, he had a change of heart. Although his legal team warned him that changing his alibi made him look guilty, James said he did not want to take the stand unless he could tell the truth. His defence barrister conceded. As far as he was concerned, James was well regarded as a good-natured, likable person. He felt it was important for the jury to meet James, regardless of his changing alibi. Valerie's story was wheeled into court in a hospital bed. The damage to her spinal cord meant that she would spend the rest of her life in a wheelchair.

Her testimony was read aloud, part of which included the statement. While I was facing him after he shot Mike, a car came up from behind and lit up his face. He seemed to be staring through me with very large, icy blue eyes. The defence team picked apart Valerie's recollections and the different descriptions she allegedly gave of her attacker's physical appearance, specifically the colour of his hair and eyes. All the written records of her describing her assailant had since been lost, so records of what she said could not be backed up in court. The cartridge cases found in the Vienna hotel room where James Hanratty stayed were debated

in court. The prosecution argued that James had bought the gun just prior to the ASIC's murder. They claimed he practiced firing some shots, leaving the casings in the hotel room. His defence argued it was an unlikely scenario. However, the courtroom was about to hear more incriminating evidence against the James Hanratty. It came from his good friend, Charles Franz. As mentioned by author Paul Foote, three days before the trial began, Charles Franz attempted

to take his own life and was admitted to hospital. His treating psychiatrist stated that his depression had been brought on by Charles introducing James Hanratty to his family. Charles allegedly told his doctor, the bastard, it could have been my dear wife and daughter who he killed. Charles appeared in court with two mental health nurses to give evidence against James and it was damning. He testified that a few weeks before the ASIC's murder, he and James had been at a dog track.

Afterwards, they caught the bus back to London. When they hopped on, it was empty. Charles went to take a seat at the front of the bus, but James motioned for him to sit toward the rear with him. Pointing to the back seat, Charles told the jury that James said words to the effect of, this is the only seat that lifts up and it's a good hiding place. Meanwhile, the investigation into James Hanratty's real alibi received a boost when the bed and breakfast he claimed to have stayed at was identified.

The landlady gave evidence that he had stayed there for two nights over the period of the ASIC's murder. However, she was a poor record keeper and did not have any documentation to support her claim. James described in detail the room he stayed in, including that it had a green bath. The prosecution claimed that the bed and breakfast was fully booked at the time. What they were unaware of and something the landlady reluctantly admitted at the trial was that there was an extra bed in one of the private bathrooms.

It was given to guests when there were none others available. It had a green bath inside. The prosecution was without a clear motive in the case against James Hanratty. As Valerie Story had been raped, it was theorized the defendant was sexually motivated. However, there was never any inkling that James behaved violently towards women. Past girlfriends testified that James behaved like a perfect gentleman. One went so far as to label him as impeccable. Other women in his life described him similarly.

When James Hanratty took the stand, he answered questions calmly and without hesitation. At one stage, the prosecution compared his features to the identikit image, saying, Hanratty, do you always hold your right eyebrow higher than your left? To which he replied, I do not know, sir, because I cannot see it. His response prompted the courtroom to fill with laughter. James told the truth about his criminal past, saying, The man who committed this is a maniac and a savage.

I am not a man the court can approve of, but I am not a maniac of any kind. I can prove it with my past girlfriends. I am a decent, I cannot say honest, but I try to live a good and respectable life, except for my housebreakings. The trial against James Hanratty lasted 21 days. It was the longest against one defendant in British history. Over 80 witnesses were called to give evidence. On February 17, 1962, the jury retired for deliberations.

Six hours later, they returned to ask for clarification of the phrase reasonable doubt. Another four hours passed before they reappeared. For the murder of Michael Grexton, James Hanratty was found guilty. The verdict sent shockwaves through the courtroom. The judge noticeably hesitated before delivering the sentence. James Hanratty was sentenced to death by hanging. In response, James' mother collapsed and fainted. James, visibly distressed, fell forward onto the dock.

He was asked if he had any final words to which he replied, I'm innocent my lord, I will appeal. That is all I have to say at this stage. Watching the chaos unfold in court was a man harboring a secret. He wanted to make a confession, but would have to wait a little longer. March 2, 1962 Dear mum, just a few lines in answer to your kind and welcome letter which I received the other day. I was very pleased to hear that you were all in good health and spirits at home.

Things are just the same here. I am over the shock now and I am patiently waiting for my appeal, which you already know is the 12th of March and I will be looking forward to seeing you then. I have had one or two letters from different people all expressing their faith in me and the outcome of the appeal. All I ask is when I go to court that I be given a fair trial and I feel this time the circumstances are different. I have great faith in my defence, he said to me, the guilty will be punished and the innocent set free. It is clear to thousands of people not only in here that the jury has made a terrible mistake.

I can't say at this stage that I am feeling happy, but I am keeping my spirits up and that is what really counts. Good night. God bless you all. James While James Hanradi awaited his appeal, his legal team had been busy trying to further verify his real alibi. They found an additional four witnesses who claimed to have seen a man resembling James in real at the time of the A6 murder. One recalled the strange colour of his hair, thinking it must have been a wig. However, James's legal team chose not to introduce these new witnesses at the appeal. Instead, they argued that the judge had misdirected the jury.

The appeal was ultimately dismissed. As detailed by author Paul Foote, as the judge announced the dismissal, a woman in a wide-brimmed straw hat rose from her seat in the public gallery. She shouted, it's not true, he didn't do it, asked the conductor of the 36th bus. Everyone froze and turned to look at her. She took her seat again. The conductor of the A36 bus, where the murder weapon was located, did not recognise the woman or understand what she meant.

There was another female conductor who worked on that bus also. However, she was never questioned as to what the strange comment might mean. Watching from the public gallery was a man who had attended both the trial and the verdict. His friends had noticed a change in his behaviour that week. He became agitated with moments of hysterics. He had something that he wanted to get off his chest and ended up writing a letter to The Daily Express. It was published two days after James Hanratty's appeal was denied.

The letter read, I've studied the case very closely and I believe Hanratty was innocent. There has been so much confusion and doubt in this extraordinary case that I'm prepared to do all in my power to seek a reprieve. He signed it with his name, Peter Alfon. The next day, the landlady of a Doss house in Acton, London, called the police. In one of her rooms, she had discovered the body of a middle-aged man. A blue exercise book was by his body.

It contained written letters to each of his family members. The letter to his wife, Charlotte, apologised for him bringing someone he thought to be a friend but was actually a monster into their house. It was the body of James Hanratty's long-time friend, Charles Frantz. Charlotte Frantz told The Sunday Times that the family had been pestered by calls in the lead-up to Charles' death. The caller had threatened, if Hanratty dies, you die. An inquest ruled Charles' death for suicide.

The judge refused to disclose the bulk contents of the letters Charles had penned to his loved ones. However, they were written, quote, in great bitterness and great feeling against Hanratty. Meanwhile, James Hanratty's execution date of April 4, 1962 loomed nearer. In a last-ditch effort to save him, James' legal time was over. James' legal team lodged a petition with the Home Office. They sought a pardon in light of the new witnesses that had come forward in real. On March 28, James' father handed in a petition to the Home Office.

It was filled with the names of 90,000 British citizens requesting James Hanratty be pardoned due to a miscarriage of justice. They were skeptical of the strength of the prosecution's evidence implicating James in the murder of Michael Greigston. Some even questioned Valerie's story's ability to recall the physical characteristics of her attacker, given she had gone through serious trauma. Many weren't convinced that she could accurately identify her rapist, as the crime happened in the dark of night, and she only caught a momentary glimpse of

him from a passing light. Four days after submitting the petition, the Hanratty family received a letter from the Home Office. There were no sufficient grounds to provide James Hanratty with a pardon. His execution would go ahead in two days' time. When James heard of the decision, he wrote a letter to his father. It read, in part, Dear Dad, I can't say how sorry I am that this has turned out this way, but that was not my fault. It was the fault of others.

I am writing this letter knowing this is my only chance to thank you and Mum for all you have done for me, and the only way I can pay my respect to you and the family is to show what kind of man I really am. Though I am about to take the punishment for someone else's crime, I will face it like a man, and show both courage and strength, and try to make you proud of your son. The night before his death, James was visited by his brother Michael. The brothers had been incredibly close since childhood, and James was particularly protective of Michael. He asked Michael to continue the quest to prove his innocence after he was gone. He was certain that the truth would come one day.

On the morning of April 4, 1962, James Hanratty was joined by two priests. After spending hours with the convicted killer, both priests were convinced of his innocence. They prayed together before James was led to the gallows. As his family prayed together in a nearby church, James Hanratty was hanged. Two days prior to James Hanratty's execution, housewife Audrey Willis again heard knocking on her back door. She opened it to find the same man who had forced entry into her home the day after the A-6 murder. Yet again, he wielded a black revolver. He asked for food and some money before fleeing out the back door, much like he did the first time.

Long considered to be related to the A-6 murder, the fact that this second confrontation occurred while James Hanratty was in prison assured detectives that it must be unrelated. However, to those who believed in Hanratty's innocence, it meant something else entirely, that the A-6 murderer was still on the loose. Just before the forced entry at Audrey Willis' home, Peter Alfond left his friends in London saying he had a job to do. He returned to London the night before James Hanratty's execution and went out with some friends for dinner. He was acting strangely, telling his friends that he felt the floor was going to give out underneath him. Prone to fits of hysteria, Peter's friends

were concerned. Lately, he seemed to be acting stranger than ever. Not much is known about Peter Alfond's childhood. His father held a respectable position as a records clerk in Scotland Yard, but he and Peter fought often, and as a result, their relationship was strained. Peter did, however, get along very well with his mother. He left school at 15 and served in the Royal Air Force briefly before leading a nomadic lifestyle as a door-to-door salesman and occasional bartender in London. An eccentric man, Peter had difficulty keeping any job for a long period of time. In 1953, he received a minor conviction for taking and riding away a motorcycle. Extremely well-read, Peter Alfond studied extensively on astrology

and theosophy and also had an interest in witchcraft and black magic. He had fascist beliefs and greatly admired Adolf Hitler. Although they didn't get on, Peter's father gave him a small allowance which, combined with his earnings, led Peter to live a comfortable life. With no fixed address, Peter often checked into boarding houses for a few nights at a time before moving on. Although it seemed an open and shut case for those investigating the A6 murder, James Henrady was not the first or only suspect. Four days after the attack and desperate for leads, Scotland Yard reached out to hotel staff for help. As printed in the daily sketch on August 27, 1961, their appeal read, Do you have a lodger who was not stirred out for the past few days?

Long-term border, a school teacher named Miss Perkins, read the appeal. She spoke to her landlord at the Alexandra Court Hotel in Finsbury Park, London. She was very concerned by the behaviour of the man who boarded next to her in Room 80 on the second floor. He paced incessantly in his room, talking to himself. He also rummaged through his wardrobe all night and Miss Perkins could hear the sound of something metallic being rattled. Annoyed by the constant noise, Miss Perkins knocked on his door once to ask him to be quiet. There was no response and the strange noises continued. She noticed that since the A6 murder, the man had hardly left his room. He hadn't been to the communal dining room for a meal for four days. The man was listed in hotel ledgers as

Frederick Durant. However, this was an alias. His real name was Peter Alfon. A detective paid Alfon a visit. He gave an alibi for the night of the A6 murder, saying he visited his mother before checking into another hotel, the Vienna Hotel. It was the same one that James Hanratty had stayed in, the one in which the 38 caliber cartridge cases belonging to the A6 murder weapon were found. Alfon admitted to staying in the basement room where the casings were found on the night of the murder. After two hours of questioning, Peter Alfon was released. He returned to the police station the following morning to ask if he could be of any more assistance. Alfon's alibi was verified by

his mother as well as a hotel worker who remembered Peter checking into the Vienna Hotel only hours after James Hanratty had checked out. The hotel worker recalled Alfon asking how to get to Queensway on the morning of the A6 murder. He was told the best way would be to take the A36 bus, the same bus where the murder weapon was discovered. Both the James Hanratty and Peter Alfon had similar smiles and dark colored hair when Hanratty's was died and were of similar height. But the similarities ended there. Alfon did not have a cockney accent. He had dark eyes, not blue, and he was also of a slightly heavier build. He strongly resembled the identikit Valerie's story had provided of her attacker.

The hotel worker who interacted with the pair said in his police statement, Hanratty was at all times cool, calm and composed and left our hotel like a normal man who had a breakfast after a full night's sleep and was leaving for work. Whereas Alfon was flurried, hurried and agitated. On September 22, 1961, before James Hanratty was even identified as a suspect, Peter Alfon's mother was questioned. Under interrogation, she changed her statement, saying she hadn't seen her son on the night of the A6 attack. It had been a month earlier. Detectives were certain that Peter Alfon was the man responsible for the A6 murder. The problem was, they now couldn't find him.

Police put out a public appeal to locate Alfon. Just before midnight on September 22, the Daily Mail newspaper received a call. It was from Alfon. He was in a phone booth outside of Scotland Yard and was about to give himself up. He explained that he was innocent and needed to clear his name. A reporter met him there and together they went inside. Following a detailed interrogation, detectives felt that Peter Alfon was less likely to be their man. However, to be sure, they conducted a series of identity parades. The first included witnesses who had cited Michael Gregston's Morris Minor being driven

by a man in the hours following Michael's murder. Also present was the Vienna Hotel worker who interacted with Alfon. He was the only person to pick Alfon from the lineup. A lineup featuring Peter Alfon was also presented to Valerie Story while she recovered in hospital. Her eyes slowly travelled across each person several times. Alfon spoke of the experience to the Daily Express. Quote, It dawned on me that she wasn't quite sure of herself. I began to get hot under the collar. Eventually, her gaze fell on me and stayed. Suddenly, she spoke. It was not my number. Valerie pointed to another man. When she was told that it wasn't the person they were

suspecting in the A6 murder, she broke down sobbing and said, I made a mistake. As a result, Peter Alfon was dropped as a suspect. From then on, detectives had their sights set on James Henrady. Peter Alfon was released. He spent hours pouring over the case, long after the trial and execution of James Henrady. On the one year anniversary of the A6 murder, James Henrady's parents heard a knock at their door. They let the stranger inside and he took a seat in their lounge room. He began speaking about James and how he didn't believe there was enough evidence to convict him. He told the Henrady's that he wanted to

write a book about what had happened. It was Peter Alfon. Taking out his checkbook, Peter offered to compensate the Henrady's for what had been done to them. The flabbergasted Henrady's became irate. They asked Peter to leave them alone. He left without incident. A few months later, James Henrady's family began getting hang up phone calls. They were mostly filled with silence. But on one occasion, late at night in January 1963, Mrs. Henrady picked up the phone. The voice on the line said, I am the A6 killer, Mrs. Henrady, and I am coming to get you. Peter Alfon continued to bother the Henrady's over the coming years.

He also chatted to his friends about the case incessantly. In 1966, there was an overhaul of a previous law that hanged men could not be buried in a civilian cemetery. As a result, on February 22, 1966, James Henrady was exhumed from the Bedford prison grounds and reburied in Wembley Cemetery. A plainclothed policeman watched on in case Peter Alfon tried to interrupt proceedings. Later that year, Valerie Story appeared on TV program Panorama to break her silence. She threw her support behind James Henrady's conviction, telling the interviewer, I was there. I was on Deadman's Hill, and I knew it was Henrady. On May 11, 1967, just over five years after James Henrady's death,

reporters from all over the world crammed into the Hotel de Louvre reception room in Paris, France. Alongside them were two representatives from Scotland Yard. Everyone waited with bated breath as Peter Alfon entered the room. Earlier in the day, he had phoned a Daily Mirror correspondent telling him that he was going to hold a very important press conference about the A6 murder. A hush descended as Alfon began to speak. According to the book Who Killed Henrady by Paul Foot, Alfon confessed to being the A6 murderer. He told the stunned reporters, A man offered me a large sum of money and told me to end the relationship between Michael Gregston and Valerie Story. Another man, a mutual friend,

then put a gun in my hand. I was not told in so many words to murder. It was just said, we will get you a gun. Take it from there. I gave the couple in the car two chances. I spoke a lot of rubbish about morality, and I gave Gregston two chances to go away, but each time the bloody man came back. He alleged that James Henrady had been framed in the attack. The gun had been given to Alfon by Charles France, who also disposed of it on the back of the bus. Charles, who was a well-known friend of James Henrady and implicated James at trial, had since taken his own life. British newspapers initially covered the conference with some interest. However,

the confession was not taken seriously by Scotland Yard. They refused to sway from the belief they had arrested the correct man. Having previously confessed to his friends, who had even taken a written confession to the home office, Peter Alfon was certain this public admission would lead to his arrest. The arrest, however, never came. Support for James Henrady continued to grow following Peter Alfon's public confession. The A6 murder committee was founded, which included James's close family and friends, as well as members of the public who believed in his innocence. The committee travelled to Ril and took an advertisement out in the local paper titled

Can You Help Mr and Mrs. Henrady Clear Their Son's Name? They called for anyone who had seen James Henrady over the days of the A6 murder to come forward. Eleven witnesses in total approached the committee to confirm their siding of James Henrady in Ril, including a family who stated he inquired about staying at their bed and breakfast. Throughout 1969, the A6 murder committee held a meeting in Hyde Park every Sunday. With Pickett's proclaiming Henrady's innocence and naming Peter Alfon as the real murderer, they paraded around the park, outside the House of Commons, and even in front of Peter Alfon's parents' house. In November 1969, Mr. and Mrs. Henrady went to stay with their nephew in Ascot.

He said he would put them in touch with his wealthy neighbours who were interested in James's case. On December 9, 1969, the Henrady's met with their nephew's wealthy neighbours. John Lennon and Yoko Ono The former Beatles band member was intrigued by the case and spoke at length about it to Mr and Mrs. Henrady. They wanted to make a film about the murder and James Henrady's wrongful conviction. Following the meeting, John Lennon and Yoko Ono stunned onlookers as they arrived at the film premiere The Magic Christian. The couple stepped out of their white Rolls-Royce with a banner that read, Britain murdered Henrady. The interest from the superstars renewed public

interest in the case. The couple met often with the Henrady family and a documentary film was produced. However, it was not made accessible to the public. More witnesses came forward to further implicate Peter Alfon as the A6 murderer. The proprietress of the old station in revealed that Alfon was in the pub on the night that Michael and Valerie were having a drink before they were attacked. Still, Scotland Yard declined to reopen the case after a secret police investigation failed to uncover any new compelling evidence to prove Henrady's innocence. To authorities, Peter Alfon was seen as a meddling individual trying to insert himself into the case. In April 1992, the home office was asked to reopen the case after a fresh confession

from Peter Alfon. This coincided with the release of a television documentary. A review of the documentary in The Guardian said of James Henrady, there cannot be many people left who think he was guilty. Peter Alfon interfered again, sending a greeting card to Michael Gregston's widow Janet, who promptly reported it to the police. Even Janet came forward requesting a posthumous pardon for James Henrady. In April 1994, the case was reopened. An internal inquiry was completed and new evidence gathered. In January 1997, the inquiry concluded that James Henrady was wrongfully hanged. In March 1997, the A6 murder case was handed over from the home office to the newly formed

Criminal Cases Review Commission, a statutory body responsible for investigating alleged miscarriages of justice. It took one year, but on March 11, 1998, the Henrady family and supporters heard news from the commission. DNA testing had been completed on two pieces of crime scene evidence that had been kept all these years. They were semen staining from Valerie's underwear and mucus on the handkerchief the murder weapon was found wrapped in. Technology at the time of the shooting was limited. It was only able to ascertain that the male source of the fluids had blood type O. This was James Henrady's blood type, but also Peter Alfons and 36% of the British population.

Now, however, technology had advanced to the stage where DNA testing was possible. James Henrady's mother and brother eagerly supplied saliva and blood samples for comparison. The results were inconclusive. In March 1999, the case was handed to the Court of Criminal Appeal. It was widely reported that James Henrady would have his conviction quashed. The Henrady's family solicitor told the Guardian, the amount of information not disclosed by the prosecution at the trial is very substantial. If that material had been disclosed, James Henrady would not have been convicted. James Henrady's family were thrilled with the news.

They told the media that they had been through hell trying to get James posthumously pardoned. Henrady's appeal was set to be heard in December 2000. In July 2000, due to further technological advancements, the DNA samples from the crime scene were able to be examined even further. Peter Alfons supplied his DNA for testing and was officially ruled out as a suspect. His entire confession was a charade. Alfons died in 2009 in London at the age of 79 after suffering a fall. In his later years, he changed his story, coming to vehemently deny any involvement in the A6 murder. Samples provided by the Henrady family were also retested against the specimens from the crime scene.

The tests came back as a familial match, showing that the semen and mucus samples came from someone related to the Henrady family. Michael Henrady, James' brother, dismissed the results. He called the DNA testing flawed. He stated the samples from the crime scene were stored with samples from James Henrady, allowing cross-contamination to occur. The DNA result showed the odds of Henrady being innocent was one in a billion. In 2001, James Henrady's body was exhumed and re-buried after a DNA sample was extracted from one of his teeth. It was compared against the specimens from the crime scene.

On May 10, 2002, the Court of Criminal Appeal ruled there was evidence that showed, beyond doubt, that James Henrady was guilty of the A6 murder. The argument that the samples might have been contaminated were called fanciful and beyond belief. The judge said that DNA alone proved that James Henrady was guilty of the crime. However, when combined with all of the corroborating evidence, there was overwhelming proof of the safety of the conviction. The ruling put the rest decades of speculation. James Henrady was responsible for the murder of Michael Gregston and the rape and attempted murder of Valerie Storey. Valerie Storey told friends how pleased she was that DNA evidence

had proved her right, after many attempts had been made to discredit her by those supporting James Henrady. She never married and continued working as a government scientist, but the decision was made. Having been confined to a wheelchair since age 22, Valerie didn't wallow over what James Henrady had done to her. Instead, she became motivated to better the life of others. She became the director of the Slough Community Transport Service advocating for the physically disabled, a former criminal. She was a former criminal, but she was also a community transport service advocating for the physically disabled, a former colleague and friend stated of Valerie. Being disabled herself, she understood what was needed of our buses,

having used them since she was unable to drive herself anymore. She took on the council over the needs of disabled people. It was her great passion in life. As for her affair with Michael Gregston, Valerie told her friend that she paid a bit of price for what she did. Valerie died in 2016 at age 77. James Henrady's family were unable to accept that he had lied to them and was the perpetrator of the A6 attack. They kept fighting to clear his name, though public support greatly dissipated. The family's refusal to accept James' guilt consumes them and will continue to consume future generations. James' brother Michael spoke on the documentary Murder Casebook

that when he dies, his sons will take over trying to get justice for James. In the hours before his execution, James Henrady wrote a final letter to his brother Michael. Dear Mike, well Mick, I'm going to do my best to face the morning with courage and strength and I'm sure God will give me the courage to do so. I'm going to ask you to do me a small favour, that is I would like you to try and clear my name of this crime. Someone, somewhere, is responsible for this crime and one day they will venture again and then the truth will come out and then Mick, that will be your chance to step in. I feel the police will try to hush it all up if they get the chance. So Mick, I am counting on you to keep your eyes on the papers.

Well Mick, with that, time is drawing near. It is almost daylight. I only wish I could have the chance all over again. Mick, I don't know what I've done to deserve this, but Mick, that's fate for you. you