Town Without Pity : The Fight to Clear Stephen Downing of the Bakewell Murders read online MOBI, FB2, PDF
9780712615303 English 071261530X Don Hale's fight to clear Stephen Downing of murder, and the trail of clues the authorities want to hide. In 1973, a woman was brutally murdered in a graveyard in a picturesque market town. Stephen Downing, aged seventeen but with the mental age of eleven, was working as a gardener in the graveyard. He was charged with the crime and served 27 years in prison. Six years ago, Don Hale, the editor of the local newspaper, began his own investigation into the murder. This is the story of one man trapped in a web of evil, and of another's courageous fight to free him., In 1973 in the picturesque market town of Bakewell, in a graveyard Wendy Sewell was brutally and bloodily murdered. Stephen Downing was then seventeen, but had the mental age of eleven, and was working as a gardener in the graveyard. He was taken to the police station, interrogated for 9 hours without access to a solicitor and signed a confession he could not read. Forever afterwards and during his 27 years in jail he maintained his innocence, even though he was offered his freedom if only he would say he was guilty. Here was a picture of innocent suffering. While in prison he educated himself, and wrote an account of the day of the murder and what had followed. Six years ago the editor of the local newspaper, a former professional footballer called Don Hale, was approached by Stephen Downing's parents. He began to learn of all the evidence, including witness statements, which seemed to show a version of the events of the day of the murder, which contradicted the official version - evidence which the police had seemed to discount. Who was the blond man seen running away from the murder scene covered in blood? Which married local bigwigs had been having affairs with Wendy Sewell? Had someone been getting drunk in the pub and boasting he'd been the one to finish her off? Everyone in the town seemed to have a theory as to who the real culprits were. As Don Hale continued his private investigation he was threatened and attempts were made on his life. The police were hostile too. This is the story of how one man, operating on his own, fought tirelessly and courageously against some of the most powerful men in this small community in order to piece together the evidence - and how his heroism eventually secured the release of Stephen Downing., In 1973, a woman was brutally murdered in a graveyard in a picturesque market town. Stephen Downing, aged 17 but with the mental age of 11, was working as a gardener in the graveyard. He was charged with the crime and served 27 years in prison. Six years ago, Don Hale, the editor of the local newspaper, began his own investigation into the murder. This is the story of one man trapped in a web of evil, and of another's courageous fight to free him., The story of Stephen Downing, aged 17 but with the mental age of 11, who was wrongfully imprisoned for the brutal murder of Wendy Sewell in Bakewell in 1973. A local newspaper editor, Don Hale, fought tirelessly against hostile opposition to piece together the truth and to secure Stephen's release.
9780712615303 English 071261530X Don Hale's fight to clear Stephen Downing of murder, and the trail of clues the authorities want to hide. In 1973, a woman was brutally murdered in a graveyard in a picturesque market town. Stephen Downing, aged seventeen but with the mental age of eleven, was working as a gardener in the graveyard. He was charged with the crime and served 27 years in prison. Six years ago, Don Hale, the editor of the local newspaper, began his own investigation into the murder. This is the story of one man trapped in a web of evil, and of another's courageous fight to free him., In 1973 in the picturesque market town of Bakewell, in a graveyard Wendy Sewell was brutally and bloodily murdered. Stephen Downing was then seventeen, but had the mental age of eleven, and was working as a gardener in the graveyard. He was taken to the police station, interrogated for 9 hours without access to a solicitor and signed a confession he could not read. Forever afterwards and during his 27 years in jail he maintained his innocence, even though he was offered his freedom if only he would say he was guilty. Here was a picture of innocent suffering. While in prison he educated himself, and wrote an account of the day of the murder and what had followed. Six years ago the editor of the local newspaper, a former professional footballer called Don Hale, was approached by Stephen Downing's parents. He began to learn of all the evidence, including witness statements, which seemed to show a version of the events of the day of the murder, which contradicted the official version - evidence which the police had seemed to discount. Who was the blond man seen running away from the murder scene covered in blood? Which married local bigwigs had been having affairs with Wendy Sewell? Had someone been getting drunk in the pub and boasting he'd been the one to finish her off? Everyone in the town seemed to have a theory as to who the real culprits were. As Don Hale continued his private investigation he was threatened and attempts were made on his life. The police were hostile too. This is the story of how one man, operating on his own, fought tirelessly and courageously against some of the most powerful men in this small community in order to piece together the evidence - and how his heroism eventually secured the release of Stephen Downing., In 1973, a woman was brutally murdered in a graveyard in a picturesque market town. Stephen Downing, aged 17 but with the mental age of 11, was working as a gardener in the graveyard. He was charged with the crime and served 27 years in prison. Six years ago, Don Hale, the editor of the local newspaper, began his own investigation into the murder. This is the story of one man trapped in a web of evil, and of another's courageous fight to free him., The story of Stephen Downing, aged 17 but with the mental age of 11, who was wrongfully imprisoned for the brutal murder of Wendy Sewell in Bakewell in 1973. A local newspaper editor, Don Hale, fought tirelessly against hostile opposition to piece together the truth and to secure Stephen's release.