The attack on Swedish housewife Mrs Meike Dalal on Thursday, September 7th 1961

[Natalie Severn]

Hi Graham,

I agree with all of this, but would still argue that voluntary confessions to murder, when we had the death penalty, would not generally have been made by the mentally sound and well-adjusted. A false confession could have landed you in very hot water unless you could prove your innocence when push came to shove.
X

Did Alphon make any public confession to the A6 crime, Caz, while the death sentence was still operating ? I don't think so. He definitely explained later that the reason he had not come forward was that he did not want to hang. A schizoid personality is not a 'fragile' minded person .This is a misunderstanding of the term.Many cold blooded killers have shared this personality type ,[and so of course have millions of other schizoid personalities who would never go on to become killers of any kind -in fact they are to be found among conscientious objectors too ].But apart from psychopaths it has often been people who share that personality type who have been able to kill seemingly without emotion,usually for a cause .Alphon is a bit of an enigma certainly.He did not have an alibi for the night of the murder-certainly not his mother -and the hotel entry is something Roger Matthews draws specific attention to as being very 'unreliable' but in the Mail article he unfortunately doesn't explain why .

[Natalie Severn]

Hi Nats,



Do you mean the Old Station Inn, now demolished? If so, this stood well back from the main A4, on the north side, and although I don't know if there were any buildings between it and the A4, there were certainly buildings on the south side of the road which blocked any sight of the country beyond. Even so, I don't think there was any chance of the cornfield being visible from the Inn. Unfortunately my large-scale map of London doesn't extend far enough west, so I can't do any measurements. There's a large garage very close to where the Inn used to be, and having filled my car there on the day I went to Marsh Lane, I can assure you that you can't see the cornfield from there. This is the first time I've heard this theory, though, that's for sure!

Graham

Yes-the Old Station Inn in Taplow. At the moment I am in North Wales Graham without access to the relevant information.I am not referring to Jean Justice or any of his theories here but to information I have had passed on to me about the sighting of two men in the lounge being seen by others ,including the landlady ,who were there that night.When I get back I will search out the source of that information which I believe was given by a journalist in an article written not long after the trial. No mention was made of any woman that I do know. I also have information about background research undertaken by Colin Burdon the Director of The Bootleg Theatre Company who wrote a play in which he himself played Hanratty while his colleague played Alphon. They play has the two men having an imaginary conversation about the A6 Murder and both defend their innocence .In the preparations leading up to the production both director/actor[s] visited the Old Station Inn several times and sat in the corner of the lounge we are discussing -next to the bar-and were able to see, perfectly clearly , the field off Marsh Lane where the car entered and exited-all quite easily seen from the Old Station Inn window.I took detailed notes and they are in London at the moment.Colin Burden still runs the Theatre company and I am sure if somebody dropped him a line he would confirm what he told me. Norma
post script:- I have just checked and it looks like the Bootleg Theatre Company is no longer operating as such but Colin Burdon is still very much involved in the theatre.
-I don't know why the Matthews report has never been published-but neither has a fair bit of information in the police files -some of it unavailable for another twenty or thirty years.

[moste]

It really is too bad that more could not be gleaned from the 'Mathews report, from all of the investigative work carried out, it sounds like Mathews came to the conclusion that the whole thing reeks of a cover up.
I myself have a strong feeling that the official secrets act has been enforced on many occasions with this whole case, possibly even restricting the outcome of the report.
Also on the Old Station Inn, I have to agree with Graham. The existing Shell petrol station was built close to the original pub location . The old pub was in fact part of Taplows original station obviously renovated over the years, I have seen an old photo of it, and to reach the train platforms it was necessary to ascend a flight of stairs, possibly at a height of 25' From this spot looking S.S.E. you could probably see the Dorney Reach corn field in the distance. The pub as was, even if you were standing on the roof, the railway embankment would have been in your way, even without the trees and bushes which are profuse these days.

[Spitfire]

I'm not sure what the Matthews report has to do with the attack on Mrs Dalal but Mr Matthews (he'd retired) was called as a witness by the Defence in the 2002 appeal. if he had unearthed anything which might have broken the prosecution case then here was the opportunity for it to be used. In fact, Mr Matthews' evidence was limited to questions concerning the custody and handling of exhibits and documents in the case.

[Natalie Severn]

I'm not sure what the Matthews report has to do with the attack on Mrs Dalal but Mr Matthews (he'd retired) was called as a witness by the Defence in the 2002 appeal. if he had unearthed anything which might have broken the prosecution case then here was the opportunity for it to be used. In fact, Mr Matthews' evidence was limited to questions concerning the custody and handling of exhibits and documents in the case.

His report was strong enough to be accepted by the CCRB and by implication the Home Office, to recommend a new appeal,42 years after the event Spitfire.I believe it did point to evidence of cover up/fitting up but we won't know that for sure for another long stretch of [ is it 30 ?] years.

[Natalie Severn]

Also on the Old Station Inn, I have to agree with Graham. The existing Shell petrol station was built close to the original pub location . The old pub was in fact part of Taplows original station obviously renovated over the years, I have seen an old photo of it, and to reach the train platforms it was necessary to ascend a flight of stairs, possibly at a height of 25' From this spot looking S.S.E. you could probably see the Dorney Reach corn field in the distance. The pub as was, even if you were standing on the roof, the railway embankment would have been in your way, even without the trees and bushes which are profuse these days.

I do not believe this is necessarily accurate Moste -no offence but I did cross question Colin over this and he was emphatic..However to prove Colin Burdon was right may mean testing the distance ,the angles and geometry of it-.Colin never mentioned using binoculars but that would have significantly enhanced what was visible.

[Natalie Severn]

Okay Nats, I'll just say this and then I'll be glad to let it drop.

I suppose this was the bottom line for me:

In Alphon's case there is no DNA or other forensics (indeed it was someone else's DNA found on the two surviving pieces of important physical evidence, as Graham has pointed out); nothing connecting him with the crime scene or murder weapon; and a failed victim identification to kick things off. Any case made against him post-2002 has to boil down to "acting suspiciously".

In fact it put me in mind of the old Not the Nine O'Clock News sketch in which Constable Savage arrests someone for "looking at me in a funny way". It might have been comical if it hadn't involved such a senseless and horrific crime.

In short, if Hanratty had been put on trial for murder (never mind convicted and hanged) on as little evidence as there is against Alphon, the whole world would rightly have wept at the injustice, not just a few of his die-hard defenders.

My beef begins and ends there.

Love,

Caz
X

OK taking up your point that I omitted the main part of your post Caz, here it is in full and I do actually agree with most of what you say tbh. Alphon acted oddly but there is nothing much he did that in any way points to him being the gunman .However there is one bit of evidence that I have always found tantalising and its where Juliana Galves tells the police in her second interview of 13th September that around 11. 45 on the day of the murder she knocked on Alphon's room at the Vienna Hotel and told him he must leave by noon.He was apparently standing near the sink and looking dishevelled.But his case was lying open on the bed behind him and she noticed, as he moved to close it ,that it was full of dirty clothes on top of which were a pair of black ladies gloves.

[Spitfire]

His report was strong enough to be accepted by the CCRB and by implication the Home Office, to recommend a new appeal,42 years after the event Spitfire.I believe it did point to evidence of cover up/fitting up but we won't know that for sure for another long stretch of [ is it 30 ?] years.

Quite correct, and an appeal was heard and no fewer than 17 grounds of appeal were relied upon. These grounds of appeal would be the fruits of Mr Matthews's labours. There is no more.

[caz]

Did Alphon make any public confession to the A6 crime, Caz, while the death sentence was still operating ? I don't think so. He definitely explained later that the reason he had not come forward was that he did not want to hang. A schizoid personality is not a 'fragile' minded person .This is a misunderstanding of the term.Many cold blooded killers have shared this personality type ,[and so of course have millions of other schizoid personalities who would never go on to become killers of any kind -in fact they are to be found among conscientious objectors too ].But apart from psychopaths it has often been people who share that personality type who have been able to kill seemingly without emotion,usually for a cause .Alphon is a bit of an enigma certainly.He did not have an alibi for the night of the murder-certainly not his mother -and the hotel entry is something Roger Matthews draws specific attention to as being very 'unreliable' but in the Mail article he unfortunately doesn't explain why .

Hi Nats,

Thanks for the additional info.

The question remains why Alphon would have confessed at any time, publicly or privately, if he had been guilty of any sort of involvement in this notorious crime and had got clean away with it because someone else had been convicted and hanged? I can't think of any other criminal who has done something like this. Alphon doesn't come across as a remorseful type at all, though arguably a boastful one with little to boast about. And that is another trait of inadequate people who falsely claim involvement in important - or in this case infamous events.

By the way, if you are arguing that Alphon may have had a schizoid personality, or been a psychopath, either of which can indicate a cold blooded killer, I would still argue that would not have made him as sound as you or I mentally.

Love,

Caz
X

[caz]

OK taking up your point that I omitted the main part of your post Caz, here it is in full and I do actually agree with most of what you say tbh. Alphon acted oddly but there is nothing much he did that in any way points to him being the gunman .However there is one bit of evidence that I have always found tantalising and its where Juliana Galves tells the police in her second interview of 13th September that around 11. 45 on the day of the murder she knocked on Alphon's room at the Vienna Hotel and told him he must leave by noon.He was apparently standing near the sink and looking dishevelled.But his case was lying open on the bed behind him and she noticed, as he moved to close it ,that it was full of dirty clothes on top of which were a pair of black ladies gloves.

Thanks again, Nats.

When you say 'around 11.45 on the day of the murder', do you mean after the murder? If so, and he had to check out by noon, I'd have thought someone would have noticed if he hadn't slept there overnight, but had come in 'dishevelled' at some point after 7 am.

Love,

Caz
X

[caz]

Quite correct, and an appeal was heard and no fewer than 17 grounds of appeal were relied upon. These grounds of appeal would be the fruits of Mr Matthews's labours. There is no more.

Hi Spitfire, All,

I don't understand why the authorities would have needed to cover anything up. If the DNA findings had not further incriminated Hanratty, or had in fact indicated someone else as the rapist, they'd have had to swallow it, and they would have done, having allowed Hanratty's remains to be exhumed for the purpose of testing the original conviction. They certainly couldn't have predicted a positive result due to a very specific and unfortunate contamination event. And they could hardly have 'fixed' the DNA tests to come up with the 'right' result.

Moreover, the jury had no pressure put on them to find Hanratty guilty in the first place. They were clearly advised to acquit if they had any doubts about the strength of the evidence, and it was arguably Hanratty's change of alibi that tipped the balance. We may say that was the jury's fault more than Hanratty's, but the authorities could have said the same thing. It was hardly their fault if Hanratty lied and the jury refused to acquit, so why would a risky cover-up be warranted?

Love,

Caz
X

[Graham]

Mr Moste is perfectly correct - no way can you see the entrance to the cornfield from where the Old Station Inn used to be, even if the modern Shell station wasn't in the way. Plus the cornfield has to be the best part of a mile from the site, and there are houses in between. I think the play producer is using a touch of artistic licence.

And two men in the lounge of a pub? How very unusual.......

Graham

[OneRound]

Quite correct, and an appeal was heard and no fewer than 17 grounds of appeal were relied upon. These grounds of appeal would be the fruits of Mr Matthews's labours. There is no more.

Hi all,

Following on from Spitfire's post above and several claims made by Natalie, I have never seen a direct quotation from or attributed to Matthews in which he asserts Hanratty's ''innocence''.

I would very much like to see one.

In the meantime, I would emphasise that there is a difference between a belief in innocence and concern that guilt was not proved fairly beyond reasonable doubt. I do wonder if the latter relates more to Matthews' viewpoint.

Best regards,

OneRound

[OneRound]

OK taking up your point that I omitted the main part of your post Caz, here it is in full and I do actually agree with most of what you say tbh. Alphon acted oddly but there is nothing much he did that in any way points to him being the gunman .However there is one bit of evidence that I have always found tantalising and its where Juliana Galves tells the police in her second interview of 13th September that around 11. 45 on the day of the murder she knocked on Alphon's room at the Vienna Hotel and told him he must leave by noon.He was apparently standing near the sink and looking dishevelled.But his case was lying open on the bed behind him and she noticed, as he moved to close it ,that it was full of dirty clothes on top of which were a pair of black ladies gloves.

Hi all,

I too wonder whether this statement from Ms Galves could have been shown to be significant.

Not so much if what Ms Galves said was true. That might have raised further speculation about Alphon but it probably wouldn't have achieved anything other than to again demonstrate what we already knew - that he was an odd bod.

However, if the statement was untrue, why did she make it and was it because she was pressured by Acott and crew into doing so? If Hanratty's legal team could have traced Ms Galves and obtained an affidavit to that effect (this could have happened years before the 2002 appeal), this would have gone a long way to blowing the police's credibility for the whole investigation out of the water.

Admittedly some questions of a speculative nature here and ultimately it's possible nothing much may have come of them. However, I do believe this matter should have been pursued by the defence more vigorously than it appears to have been. Even though it does not directly relate to Hanratty, it might just have considerably helped in getting his conviction overturned.

Best regards,

OneRound

[Graham]

I think I'm correct in saying that Mrs Galvez was in this country illegally, so therefore may have been rather pliable when it came to giving the kind of evidence that Acott wanted to hear.

Graham