A6 Rebooted

[Graham]

Nick,

I've read the 23 May Sunday Times articles reproduced by Natalie - basically they are a response by Lewis Chester and others to Ewer's 15-point article published in the Sunday Times of 16 May, and which Woffinden reproduced in his book. Ewer was sufficiently upset by Chester's article to successfully sue the Sunday Times.

Graham

[Graham]

Graham

Gillbanks and his batman certainly enquired at a heck of lot of boarding houses in Rhyl that didn't have one in the attic.

Derrick

That is of course very likely, but as I understand it Gillbanks' opening action at the door of every b&b he knocked on was to ask whoever opened it if he or she recognised the man in the photo that he displayed. If the answer was 'no', as it would have been in all cases except one then Gillbanks moved on. He had a lot of b&b's to call on, and very little time in which to do it. Plainly the most crucial aspect of Gillbanks' thankless trek around Rhyl was to find someone who recognised Hanratty from the photo.

Graham

[cobalt]

Balmer has nothing to do with the case. Hanratty could not get support for his Liverpool alibi which was based on a lie.

That is your opinion, but if it is correct then you may need the shadow of Mr. Balmer to support it. A sweet shop owner in Scotland Road spoke to a man who she believed may have been Hanratty. Ditto a billiard hall owner and railway luggage attendant. Two landladies at Rhyl also believe they spoke to him on the evening of the 22nd. A man in Rhyl, called Dutton as I recall, was certain regarding the date and time and also believed he encountered Hanratty. Now they could all have been mistaken in their identification or, with the exception of Dutton, been mistaken about the date or time. Yet despite a high profile trial and subsequent books written on the A6 Case, so far as I am aware not one person has ever come forward to explain that they were the person mistakenly identified as Hanratty. Not one.

As you are now tying yourself to a Rhyl alibi as supported by Mrs Grace Jones could you be so kind as to say in which room in Ingledene Hanratty stayed?

He stayed in the room stated by Mrs. Jones, whose record keeping was on a par with that at the Vienna Hotel but never held to the same degree of examination. Despite her ordeal in the witness stand Mrs. Jones maintained for the remainder of her life that Hanratty stayed at her boarding house on the evening of 22nd August. She saw him in broad daylight.

Gillbanks himself effectively shot down the alibi by virtue of the single photo.

Probably due to time constraints to be fair, which was a problem created by Hanratty himself. However, my reservations concerning the possible influence of Deputy Chief Constable Balmer upon a former colleague have already been made.

Unless the police and possibly other records are opened to public view before the lot of us on these threads shuffle off, and show that they contain astonishing new evidence to prove or even suggest his innocence, then I believe that the only sensible conclusion is to accept the verdict of the 1961 trial.

Well that would certainly be welcomed by those in authority. I would prefer to keep the case alive and create pressure to have Ewer’s libel case notes and the Matthews report made public at the very least.

The patronizing attitude shown by Swanwick and Sherrard towards some of those members of the public who did their civic duty did not come out of thin air; it comes from a legal system whose zeal in searching for the truth inside a courtroom is only matched by its commitment to guarding its own darker secrets. If the A6 Case is an open and shut case, why the secrecy?

[cobalt]

Alphon's father was little more than a minor clerk at Scotland Yard, and seemed not much interested in what his wayward son was up to. Alphon himself admitted that he didn't 'get on' with his father. To try and insert Mr Alphon Sr into an imagined conspiracy is ludicrous IMHO.

It might well be ludicrous, but no more ludicrous than the embargo placed on Ewer's dealings with the Sunday Times.

Mr. Alphon may well have been a minor clerk, but then Mr, Ewer was apparently an umbrella salesman.

My initial point still stands: that Peter Alphon was allowed an astonishing latitude by the authorities which is difficult to understand. His performance in Paris is of a man who is confident that he is above the law.

[Graham]

It might well be ludicrous, but no more ludicrous than the embargo placed on Ewer's dealings with the Sunday Times

What embargo?

Mr. Alphon may well have been a minor clerk, but then Mr, Ewer was apparently an umbrella salesman.

Ewer's shop was often referred to as an umbrella repair shop, but he had an interest in art and antiques. In fact, when Janet Gregsten was in his shop and saw the man with blue staring eyes, she and Ewer were hanging a painting, a Wilson Steer I believe. And I'm sure they weren't just using it for decoration. Also, Ewer acted as proxy-bidder at art auctions on behalf of wealthy buyers, for which he would have received a nice commission. A decade later he had a stall in an antiques market somewhere off Oxford Street.

His performance in Paris is of a man who is confident that he is above the law.

Nobody is 'above the law', but Alphon knew that as far as the A6 was concerned the law couldn't touch him, as he'd been cleared. I think the police certainly did keep tabs on him and his whereabouts, as they knew where to find him so he could provide DNA for the 2002 appeal.

Graham

[moste]

Hi Caz,
All I’m meaning is , had two bodies been discovered side by side both with bullet holes through and through their heads , then it would be very likely that the police would consider that they would need to be looking at some sort of contract killing here.
The fact that the attack on Storie was such a mess, and the car had been removed from the site, draws one away from the concept of a hit man,
The shooting of Gregsten I don’t believe had anything to do with a knee jerk reaction.
I have spent quite a while looking into the firing action of a double action Enfield .38 revolver ,(the model in question being a Second World War issue to officers,)
and I am convinced that Gregstens death was pre determined, and professionally executed. That’s all.

[cobalt]

I was referring to the embargo placed on the details of the libel action brought by William Ewer against Times Newspapers. The one that expires in 2063. That is one very important umbrella salesman.

Also, Ewer acted as proxy-bidder at art auctions on behalf of wealthy buyers, for which he would have received a nice commission.

How do we know that Ewer was not the wealthy buyer himself? And if he was a proxy-buyer, was he buying for some VIP?

Nobody is 'above the law', but Alphon knew that as far as the A6 was concerned the law couldn't touch him, as he'd been cleared.

I don't think that is quite correct, for since Alphon had never stood trial the double jeapordy ruling would not apply. He was never legally charged, therefore never cleared of anything.
His provocative claims made in Paris would surely have been grounds for him being required, at the very least, to return the money he was awarded for wrongful arrest. Alphon's confidence more likely sprang from his realisation that the A6 Case could never be re-opened without the admission that an innocent man had possibly been executed; that was his trump card.

[caz]

Hi Caz,
All I’m meaning is , had two bodies been discovered side by side both with bullet holes through and through their heads , then it would be very likely that the police would consider that they would need to be looking at some sort of contract killing here.
The fact that the attack on Storie was such a mess, and the car had been removed from the site, draws one away from the concept of a hit man,
The shooting of Gregsten I don’t believe had anything to do with a knee jerk reaction.
I have spent quite a while looking into the firing action of a double action Enfield .38 revolver ,(the model in question being a Second World War issue to officers,)
and I am convinced that Gregstens death was pre determined, and professionally executed. That’s all.

Hi moste,

Thanks for the clarification.

So are you saying this professional hit man deliberately made a mess of shooting Storie, leaving her alive, but permanently maimed, so nobody but you would consider this to be a pre determined, professional job?

Did he also predict that Storie would go on to identify another man, but one with the same blood group, who was ripe for setting up because he was his own worst enemy and a hopeless liar, who was likely to fuc* up his alibi?

Why did this professional hit man go to the trouble of taking and using a hankie belonging to Hanratty, when transporting the murder weapon to the bus? What advantage did he get in 1961 from doing so?

Love,

Caz
X

[caz]

I was referring to the embargo placed on the details of the libel action brought by William Ewer against Times Newspapers. The one that expires in 2063. That is one very important umbrella salesman.

I'm not sure that's necessarily true, cobalt. Doesn't there have to be a very good reason before files are opened early to every curious Tom, Dick or Harry sniffing around for some kind of conspiracy, because they simply refuse to accept the outcome of a case, where even the defence team admitted defeat after a second appeal?

Love,

Caz
X

[NickB]

They have only admitted defeat in the sense that no new appeal has been launched. They did not accept the findings of the second appeal.

Throughout the campaign for Hanratty's innocence the cry was: "All we are asking for is a public enquiry". What they meant was: "We will only accept a public enquiry that tells us we are right."

[Graham]

How do we know that Ewer was not the wealthy buyer himself? And if he was a proxy-buyer, was he buying for some VIP?

Of course, we don't know for sure, but a long time ago a poster to these boards found a website dedicated to antique sales in which an article - probably a painting, but I can't remember - was sold at auction to Mr William Ewer, a proxy for the actual buyer. So he did this at least once - not uncommon in the top end of the antiques and fine-art market.

Nobody is 'above the law', but Alphon knew that as far as the A6 was concerned the law couldn't touch him, as he'd been cleared

.

OK, I should have said cleared of suspicion, which he was once Valerie Storie had failed to identify him. I'm sure you understood what I meant.

Graham

[cobalt]

I'm not sure that's necessarily true, cobalt. Doesn't there have to be a very good reason before files are opened early to every curious Tom, Dick or Harry sniffing around for some kind of conspiracy, because they simply refuse to accept the outcome of a case, where even the defence team admitted defeat after a second appeal?

Well, selected government papers are released after 30 years and they have been known to justify a few conspiracies when they are. Many of the members of the government from 30 years ago are still alive, albeit mostly in The House of Lords these days.

In that light, an embargo of 90 years on a libel case is inexplicable especially since Mr. Ewer, like most of the main players, is no longer alive. Something or somebody is clearly being protected from scrutiny by what you call 'Tom, Dick or Harry,' but which I would prefer to call the British public.

In fact the decision to withold matters relating to the A6 case appears rather like a conspiracy in itself, which has repercussions on the amount of trust that can be placed on the DNA evidence.

[moste]

Hi moste,

Thanks for the clarification.

So are you saying this professional hit man deliberately made a mess of shooting Storie, leaving her alive, but permanently maimed, so nobody but you would consider this to be a pre determined, professional job?

Did he also predict that Storie would go on to identify another man, but one with the same blood group, who was ripe for setting up because he was his own worst enemy and a hopeless liar, who was likely to fuc* up his alibi?

Why did this professional hit man go to the trouble of taking and using a hankie belonging to Hanratty, when transporting the murder weapon to the bus? What advantage did he get in 1961 from doing so?

Love,

Caz
X

None of the above!

Sorry for the lack of clarification.

[Limehouse]

Hi Caz,
All I’m meaning is , had two bodies been discovered side by side both with bullet holes through and through their heads , then it would be very likely that the police would consider that they would need to be looking at some sort of contract killing here.
The fact that the attack on Storie was such a mess, and the car had been removed from the site, draws one away from the concept of a hit man,
The shooting of Gregsten I don’t believe had anything to do with a knee jerk reaction.
I have spent quite a while looking into the firing action of a double action Enfield .38 revolver ,(the model in question being a Second World War issue to officers,)
and I am convinced that Gregstens death was pre determined, and professionally executed. That’s all.

Although I do not believe Hanratty was the A6 killer, neither do I believe the crime was anything like a professional execution.

A professional killer would have had transport of their own somewhere nearby, they would not have been relying on the victim's car to exit the crime scene.

Additionally, a professional killer would not have entered the couple's car and risk leaving fibres, fingerprints or other forensic evidence behind. Neither would a professional killer shot someone inside the car and drive off in the car, thus risking being caught in a car with blood and brains all over the passenger seat.

The motive for this crime is made all the more intriguing by the possible connection between Hanratty's friendship with Ms Anderson and Gregtern's brother-in-law, Ewer. That, I think, is where the idea that Gregstern was killed or attacked for a reason, comes from.

I think the key to Hanratty's involvement in this case dates from his release from prison in the spring of 1961, and his encounter with Dixie France soon after. I would like to say more about this in future posts as I think this encounter is crucial to the whole story.

[Spitfire]

Hi moste,

Thanks for the clarification.

So are you saying this professional hit man deliberately made a mess of shooting Storie, leaving her alive, but permanently maimed, so nobody but you would consider this to be a pre determined, professional job?

Did he also predict that Storie would go on to identify another man, but one with the same blood group, who was ripe for setting up because he was his own worst enemy and a hopeless liar, who was likely to fuc* up his alibi?

Why did this professional hit man go to the trouble of taking and using a hankie belonging to Hanratty, when transporting the murder weapon to the bus? What advantage did he get in 1961 from doing so?

Love,

Caz
X

Moste's theory, which he has expounded on this forum, is that Gregsten and Storie drove voluntarily to Deadman's Hill for the purposes of skulduggery, the precise form of which he does not particularise. There was no hold up at Dorney Reach and the gunman was not in the car during the journey from there to where the murder took place in Bedfordshire.

After the murder(and presumably after the rape), the gunman donned a plastic boiler suit with rubber buttons, so as to avoid leaving incriminating forensic evidence in the car.

This is clearly the work of a professional hitman disguising the murder as the work of an amateur.