10 Rillington Place

10 Rillington Place, Notting Hill, Notting Hill Gate, London, was the site of one of Britain's most notorious serial killers, and a miscarriage of justice which contributed towards the abolition of the death penalty in Britain. It is also the title of a book on the murder case by Ludovic Kennedy published in 1965, and a movie starring Richard Attenborough in 1970.

Christie captured and put on trial

Within hours the police had named their prime suspect, and on 31 March, Christie was spotted by PC Thomas Ledger standing on Putney Bridge gazing into the River Thames. PC Ledger approached him and asked, "are you John Christie." Christie replied, "you are quite right, officer. I am Christie." He was then escorted to Putney police station where he confessed to the murder of his wife, and later several others. John Christie was charged with the murders of Maloney, Nelson, MacLennan, Fuerst, and Eady, and on 8 June, he admitted killing Beryl Evans. This placed the Crown in an odd position, as it cast doubt on the investigation of 1949—Timothy Evans had been convicted of murdering his daughter, but it was assumed that he had also killed his wife. The legal establishment was able to maintain this legal balancing act because Christie never admitted killing Geraldine—the public was led to believe that two murderers had lived in the same house, and both were guilty.

Related Topics:
31 March - Putney Bridge - River Thames - Putney - 8 June - 1949

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Christie's trial was held in June 1953. His defence of not guilty because of insanity was rejected, and the jury took 82 minutes to convict him of murdering Ethel Christie. On 15 July 1953, John Christie became another of Albert Pierrepoint's clients at Pentonville Prison.

Related Topics:
15 July - 1953 - Albert Pierrepoint

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