Key to the 66-year-old west Londoner's conviction were advances in forensic analysis and DNA profiling, the like of which were unimaginable to crime scene investigators in August 1981. We never had the chance to say goodbye. Mr Wright said Campbell, who pleaded guilty to hitchhiker Ms Sainsburys manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility, killed the 29-year-old in December 1984. Read about our approach to external linking. "Knowing that the family still has not had closure on this tragedy for nearly 50 years provides further motivation for seeking answers they've painfully awaited for so many years.". Yet the case remained unsolved for 30 years and laid heavy on Mr Beirne's mind and when he visited Windsor he would "think about Claire, what happened to her and more importantly who was responsible". But evidence taken at the time and stored in police archives would eventually build a DNA profile against him. His defence centred around his condition as an epileptic. The case law instructs us that a competent person may refuse lifesaving treatment12 and that the individual does not have to stipulate reason for the refusal.13 We also know that the presence of mental illness does not preclude the presence Campbell was a convicted killer serving a life sentence for the manslaughter of Deirdre Sainsbury, from Greenham, in December 1984. Her naked body had been found on the promenade by the River Thames in Windsor, Berkshire, by a man on his way to work, the Daily Mail reported. Colin Campbell was also convicted of a killing in 1984, Claire Woolterton's body was found in Windsor in August 1981, Colin Campbell also killed Deirdre Sainsbury in 1984. Claire, who had left school at 16, was reported missing by her worried mother the next day. [5][6] At 6am the next morning, a member of the public walking along Barry Avenue in Windsor heading towards the nearby train station spotted what he thought was a mannequin's body on the footpath, which turned out to be the body of Woolterton. [4][1] Her body had been mutilated and she was found naked. Prince Harry opens up about drug use, saying marijuana 'really helped' him but cocaine and alcohol was 'more 'I got picked on quite a lot': Prince Harry opens up about having his nose broken on the rugby pitch during Hollywood's love affair with the new non-binary Brit Pack: After MeToo sex scandals, Tinseltown is desperate Five unexpected signs in your 20s and 30s you're at risk of developing heart disease later in life. Pete Beirne was the principal investigator of Thames Valley Police's Major Crime Review Team when the case was reopened in 2011. 0
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On August 28, 1981, Colin Campbell murdered 17-year-old Claire Woolterton and dumped her body by the River Thames. [3], In December 1984, Campbell abducted 29-year-old Deirdre Sainsbury in his car as she hitchhiked along the South Circular Road in Roehampton in west London, before killing her and dumping her body on Denham golf course. He was given a life sentence and must serve a minimum of 24 years, concurrent to his current sentence. "What we found was a DNA profile matching that already on record for Colin Campbell. 0000002333 00000 n
The jury of four men and eight women at Reading Crown Court had been deliberating since Friday morning before convicting Campbell of murder by majority verdict. 2023 BBC. When the case was reopened in 2011, Campbell was a convicted killer serving a life sentence for the manslaughter of Deirdre Sainsbury, from Greenham, in December 1984. "He hasn't denied being responsible, he just states he cannot remember if he did or didn't do it," said Pete Beirne. Campbell and the solving of the Woolterton case continue to be the subject of various documentaries: Other (active) UK cold cases where the offender's DNA is known: On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Had it not been for his arrest for that offence, Campbell may never have been brought to justice for Claire's murder. Colin Frederick, 66, will serve at least 24 years for killing the 17-year-old (pictured), who lived in the Yeading area and whose body was found on a Thames towpath in Windsor on August 28 1981. "Claire went out to meet some friends and never came home. [5] They contacted their local police force and discovered that the victim was their daughter. [5][6] This time he was not able to repeat the claim that he had only murdered because of his epilepsy, with the experts who had testified that epilepsy may have been a factor in his murder of Sainsbury saying that they did not accept that there was a possibility that epilepsy could explain a man murdering on two occasions. [4][1], "Colin Campbell is a dangerous individual who cut short the lives of two young women in their primes and has never accepted any responsibility for his actions." Scientific advances meant it was possible to find evidence of Campbell's DNA profile from adhesive tapings taken from Miss Woolterton's body. "I worry about most things especially my family," her mother said. After driving her to nearby Hayes, Campbell strangled Miss Sainsbury before dumping her mutilated body near a golf course in Denham, west London. He was already in prison for the 1984 . [5], Police opened a murder investigation immediately at the time, saying that they believed that she had been murdered elsewhere and dumped at the location by the murderer. "Her head and face had significant injuries but the motive for the killing was - and still is - unclear," said Ch . ", Thames and Chiltern Crown Prosecution Service, Ant & Dec Saturday Night Takeaway turn up at Binfield pub, Gemma Atkinson shares 'inspirational' body positive message during her pregnancy, Police respond to loud bang sound heard across Bucks, Berks, and beyond, Martin Lewis says there is an '85% likelihood' energy bills will not go up in April, Road closures round-up: Disruption continues in central Maidenhead, 'Have a go' at being a firefighter in Maidenhead, Street fighting in Bakhmut but Russia not in control, Harry: I always felt different to rest of family, Sonic boom heard as RAF Typhoon jets escort plane, Echoes of Hillsborough for Arena families. So all investigators had was a body dumped in Windsor with the last confirmed sighting the night before in Hanwell. She had. "She'd speak to anybody who needed help and did whatever she could for them. Next day her severely mutilated body was found on a towpath separating Windsors Barry Avenue from the Thames. "These were also the days before CCTV and mobile phones. 'For 32 long years the identity of her killer remained unknown, her murder unsolved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. "To my mind, as a layperson, it's difficult to understand how someone could not remember doing something so horrific. "Our family would like to extend its deepest sympathy to the relatives of Claire Woolterton and we are pleased their long wait for justice is finally over. Read about our approach to external linking. But, the reopening of a police "cold" case 30 years later would eventually see him brought to justice. Since then, he has reflected on the cases a lot and still does to this day. Tel: +44(0) 20 8778 0514 It was then stored by police for 30 years until the case was reviewed in 2011. In 1981, her body was found dumped in the River Thames in Windsor. The former travelling salesman, who lived in Acton, west London, at the time of the murder, told the court he could not remember the events of August 1981 or if he had ever met Miss Woolterton. New heartbreak for Liz Hurley, 57, as third former partner dies: Actor Tom Sizemore, 61, suffers fatal brain aneurysm a year after her ex-fiance Shane Warne's death from a heart attack at 52 - while father to her son Damian lost his life to suicide in 2020, Security footage reveals moment Jackson Mahomes - younger brother of Super Bowl champion Patrick - 'sexually assaulted 40-year-old female bar owner', Disney removes 'zip-a-dee-doo-dah' music from parade over links to 1946 film 'Song of the South' which pushed racial stereotypes amid its ultra-woke makeover which saw fan favorite Splash Mountain reimagined, Mother in custody for allegedly stabbing her five young children, killing three, when CPS worker checked on her for having unsupervised visits at Texas home. Statement released by the family of Deirdre Sainsbury after his conviction for Woolteton's murder, 2013[4]. Key punch operator Claire Woolterton had gone to an Ealing amusement arcade after her days work on Thursday, August 27th, 1981. Mark John Phillips Jason Redshaw Stephen Wood. "Colin Campbell is a dangerous individual who cut short the lives of two young women in their primes and has never accepted any responsibility for his actions. The 17-year-old girl had been so savagely attacked that it was impossible for doctors to determine whether she had been raped. The 17-year-old girl had been so savagely attacked that it was impossible for doctors to determine whether she had been raped. "This case was linked to the Kate Bushell killing which happened 12 months before they are pretty unique cases nationally and internationally.".