Serial Murders England

One of this town's best-loved doctors was almost certainly Britain's worst serial killer. A year after Harold Shipman was convicted of injecting 15 elderly women with fatal doses of heroin, a government report released Friday suggests that the revered family doctor may have killed closer to 300 of his patients during a quarter of a century of practicing medicine. Most of his suspected victims were elderly. Most were widows or women living alone. And most no doubt welcomed him into their homes.

A public inquiry into a British family doctor suspected of being the world's worst serial killer heard on its opening day Wednesday that he had a history of drug abuse but had still been allowed to practice medicine. Caroline Swift, head of the inquiry's legal team, told the hearing that Harold Shipman, dubbed "Dr. Death," was convicted in 1975 of forging prescriptions to feed his reliance on the painkiller pethidine but that authorities had ignored it.

One of Britain's worst serial murderers went to prison for life Wednesday, protesting she was innocent of torturing and killing 10 women and girls, including a daughter and a stepdaughter. Rosemary West, 41, was impassive as a jury convicted her of seven counts of homicide Wednesday. She was found guilty Tuesday of three others. Her lawyer, Leo Goatley, said the admitted prostitute was "totally devastated and wept uncontrollably" at the sentence. "She continues to maintain her innocence . . .

One of this town's best-loved doctors was almost certainly Britain's worst serial killer. A year after Harold Shipman was convicted of injecting 15 elderly women with fatal doses of heroin, a government report released Friday suggests that the revered family doctor may have killed closer to 300 of his patients during a quarter of a century of practicing medicine. Most of his suspected victims were elderly. Most were widows or women living alone. And most no doubt welcomed him into their homes.

A public inquiry into a British family doctor suspected of being the world's worst serial killer heard on its opening day Wednesday that he had a history of drug abuse but had still been allowed to practice medicine. Caroline Swift, head of the inquiry's legal team, told the hearing that Harold Shipman, dubbed "Dr. Death," was convicted in 1975 of forging prescriptions to feed his reliance on the painkiller pethidine but that authorities had ignored it.

Frederick West, the suspected serial killer at the center of Britain's "House of Horrors" case, hanged himself, a police autopsy confirmed. West, 53, accused of murdering 12 women and girls, was found dead in his prison cell Sunday. His widow, Rosemary West, 41, is charged in nine of the deaths. British newspapers reported Frederick West's death under such headlines as "Death of a Monster."

British police, pulling apart a house where up to five bodies have already been found, fear they may unearth 12 victims of a suspected serial killer, the Sunday Mirror newspaper reported. Police believed they found remains of two people Saturday at the home of a man already charged with three murders and said there was a "distinct possibility" of further finds.

Police in Gloucester found a ninth body entombed in Britain's "House of Horror" and extended their grisly, two-week murder search to a country field. So many bodies have been exhumed that the three-story home was in danger of collapse and workmen were called in to pump the cellar full of concrete. Police have charged the owner with three murders.

Jurors convicted a family doctor on Monday of murdering 15 female patients by injecting the middle-aged and elderly women with lethal doses of heroin. Harold Shipman, 54, who now ranks among Britain's most prolific modern-day serial killers, was given 15 life sentences, the maximum punishment in Britain, which has no death penalty. Investigators said he may have killed dozens more patients.

Britain's "House of Horror," where police have exhumed nine female bodies, is being put up for sale, lawyers for accused serial killer Frederick West and his wife, Rosemary, said Tuesday. West, a 52-year-old builder, has been charged with the murder of nine young women whose remains were dug up by police from the yard, cellar and a bathroom wall at the house in a police operation that began in February.

Jurors convicted a family doctor on Monday of murdering 15 female patients by injecting the middle-aged and elderly women with lethal doses of heroin. Harold Shipman, 54, who now ranks among Britain's most prolific modern-day serial killers, was given 15 life sentences, the maximum punishment in Britain, which has no death penalty. Investigators said he may have killed dozens more patients.

In another macabre twist to the "House of Horrors" murder case, the body of John West, the 54-year-old brother of confessed serial killer Fred West, was found hanging from a beam in the garage of his home in western England. John West was awaiting a verdict on rape charges. He had pleaded not guilty, but his niece testified that he had raped her 300 times, starting when she was 10.

One of Britain's worst serial murderers went to prison for life Wednesday, protesting she was innocent of torturing and killing 10 women and girls, including a daughter and a stepdaughter. Rosemary West, 41, was impassive as a jury convicted her of seven counts of homicide Wednesday. She was found guilty Tuesday of three others. Her lawyer, Leo Goatley, said the admitted prostitute was "totally devastated and wept uncontrollably" at the sentence. "She continues to maintain her innocence . . .

Frederick West, the suspected serial killer at the center of Britain's "House of Horrors" case, hanged himself, a police autopsy confirmed. West, 53, accused of murdering 12 women and girls, was found dead in his prison cell Sunday. His widow, Rosemary West, 41, is charged in nine of the deaths. British newspapers reported Frederick West's death under such headlines as "Death of a Monster."

Britain's "House of Horror," where police have exhumed nine female bodies, is being put up for sale, lawyers for accused serial killer Frederick West and his wife, Rosemary, said Tuesday. West, a 52-year-old builder, has been charged with the murder of nine young women whose remains were dug up by police from the yard, cellar and a bathroom wall at the house in a police operation that began in February.

For years, Frederick West and his family appeared to live a rather ordinary, even dull, English life at 25 Cromwell St., in a three-story row house on a quiet, working-class street. Then the police went searching for West's 16-year-old daughter, Heather, who the Wests said ran away seven years ago. They found her body buried beneath the back yard patio. And, the more they looked, the more they found, uncovering the remains of eight more women.

For years, Frederick West and his family appeared to live a rather ordinary, even dull, English life at 25 Cromwell St., in a three-story row house on a quiet, working-class street. Then the police went searching for West's 16-year-old daughter, Heather, who the Wests said ran away seven years ago. They found her body buried beneath the back yard patio. And, the more they looked, the more they found, uncovering the remains of eight more women.

In another macabre twist to the "House of Horrors" murder case, the body of John West, the 54-year-old brother of confessed serial killer Fred West, was found hanging from a beam in the garage of his home in western England. John West was awaiting a verdict on rape charges. He had pleaded not guilty, but his niece testified that he had raped her 300 times, starting when she was 10.

Police in Gloucester found a ninth body entombed in Britain's "House of Horror" and extended their grisly, two-week murder search to a country field. So many bodies have been exhumed that the three-story home was in danger of collapse and workmen were called in to pump the cellar full of concrete. Police have charged the owner with three murders.

British police, pulling apart a house where up to five bodies have already been found, fear they may unearth 12 victims of a suspected serial killer, the Sunday Mirror newspaper reported. Police believed they found remains of two people Saturday at the home of a man already charged with three murders and said there was a "distinct possibility" of further finds.