Introduction - Former Scotland Yard DI & Author

[Iconoclast]

I strongly suggest you do Steve then you'll come to the same conclusion just like the rest of us. Maybrick is probably the worse of a sad bunch of suspects.

Or probably the best.

You pays your money, Steve and you ...

[erobitha]

I strongly suggest you do Steve then you'll come to the same conclusion just like the rest of us. Maybrick is probably the worse of a sad bunch of suspects.

Maybe Steve can speak with some former colleagues who might be familiar with a visit to Liverpool that occurred in the mid 90s. My understanding is according to one of the officers who interviewed the electricians who pulled up the floorboards, told one of them that he thought the diary was real.

I'd imagine without proof of a crime bring committed, there is very little Scotland Yard can do. Perhaps Steve might be in a position to shed some light.

[Sunny Delight]

Hi Cat

That sounds like a can of worms I wouldn't want to open..... I'd be aiming more at the way an investigation should be conducted today and a comparison with the techniques available back then. I don't know the exact format at the mo, we will be sitting down to work that out. My publishers are more mass market, so it would need to also appeal to the more casual true crime fan.

I really do appreciate your thoughts, it definitely is an interesting angle, and could be the subject of a separate book.... When Murder Investigations Go Wrong. The Daily Mail would love that

Best wishes

Steve

I don't think the Police did too much wrong to be honest. One aspect that may be overlooked however is misogyny. I remember watching a documentary about the Yorkshire Ripper and the deep misogyny in the Police force was striking. I do wonder if that is an aspect worth looking into?

[Iconoclast]

Maybe Steve can speak with some former colleagues who might be familiar with a visit to Liverpool that occurred in the mid 90s. My understanding is according to one of the officers who interviewed the electricians who pulled up the floorboards, told one of them that he thought the diary was real.

I'd imagine without proof of a crime bring committed, there is very little Scotland Yard can do. Perhaps Steve might be in a position to shed some light.

Indeed, ero b. It was probably repeated, but here is an example which Steve might find rather interesting:

Friday, July 9, 2004
Electrician Brian Rawes, interviewed at his home in Liverpool:

BR: Yeah, because what he said in the end, I told him [New Scotland Yard detective] what happened and then I asked him about it and the chap that done most of the talking said he really believed it, that it was genuine, this thing.

But obviously old Bonesy was wrong because the scrapbook is a crap book et cetera.

Ike

[caz]

Hi Ike,

When Bonesy was questioning everyone, in October 1993, it was in connection with the Yard's investigation into whether Robert Smith had committed fraud, by knowingly publishing a fake diary, which he claimed to believe was genuine.

So whether or not Bonesy was "the chap that done most of the talking", if he too said he believed it was genuine, it would have been rather tough to make a case for Robert knowing otherwise.

To be fair though, I think Bonesy did go on to suspect Mike Barrett of faking it, presumably because of his capacity to lie whenever his lips moved and his 'confession' the following June. But gathering the evidence to prove it - let alone proving that Robert knew it back in 1992 - was clearly beyond everyone who ever suspected a Barrett enterprise.

Love,

Caz
X

[Abby Normal]

can you all please stop polluting every thread with the diary BS for gods sake

[jmenges]

Please keep Maybrick debates on Maybrick threads.
God knows there’s plenty of them to choose from.

JM

Ditto.

JM