Harold Shipman

Dr Harold Frederick Shipman, known as Fred Shipman to his family (January 14, 1946 – January 13, 2004) was a British general practitioner who was the most prolific known serial killer in British history (and possibly the world).

Suicide

He was found hanged in his cell at HMP Wakefield, West Yorkshire, at 6:20 a.m. on January 13, 2004, on the eve of his 58th birthday, and was pronounced dead at 8:10 a.m. A Prison Service statement indicated that Shipman had hanged himself from the bars of his cell with bed sheets. Some British tabloids celebrated his suicide and encouraged other serial killers to follow his example. However, the victims' families said they felt "cheated" http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/3392135.stm as his suicide meant they would never get a confession and answers. British Home Secretary David Blunkett noted that celebration was tempting, saying "You wake up and you receive a call telling you Shipman has topped himself and you think, is it too early to open a bottle? And then you discover that everybody's very upset that he's done it." http://newswww.bbc.net.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3404041.stm

Related Topics:
HMP Wakefield - West Yorkshire - January 13 - 2004 - Prison Service - Home Secretary - David Blunkett

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His motive for suicide was not established, although he had reportedly told his probation officer he was considering suicide so his widow could receive a National Health Service pension and lump sum, even though he had been stripped of his own pension http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/3611019.stm.

Related Topics:
Suicide - National Health Service

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Questions were posed as to why he had not been on suicide watch at HMP Wakefield, even though he had been on suicide watch at earlier stays at HMP Manchester and HMP Frankland.

Related Topics:
Suicide watch - HMP Manchester - HMP Frankland

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