However, from the resources available, the forensic tests had drawn a profile of just one man and therefore the police believed only one man was responsible for the murders. His apparent partner, Gordan, had died previously. Later that evening, a second call was made to the police. All had gone missing after a night out at a dance hall or a pub and all appeared to have died a violent death. Over the next four years he raped and indecently assaulted 11 girls aged between six and 14 in the city. He had suffered numerous strokes and was reported as being “incontinent and bedbound”. Business Enquiries: mollie.westbrook@btinternet.com(Please leave any case requests in t... Hey Guys! Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Angus was then accused of doing the same to Helen and driving her to the road near Haddington. In 2000, police conducted a cold case review of the unsolved murder of Mary Gallagher, which had happened in November 1978. Portugal and Israel on quarantine-free list1, US election officials drop Trump hush money probe3, SNP hopes of majority remain on a knife edge4, South Carolina to allow executions by firing squad5, German call to ban 'Jewish star' at Covid demos6, Big Chinese rocket segment set to fall to Earth7, TripAdvisor sorry for Auschwitz review error8, BBC shocked by fresh Noel Clarke allegations9. ( Log Out /  All the women were found in countryside having been bound and gagged. It is believed that the DNA had been drawn from a stain of blood that was present on Helen’s coat. Like Christine, Helen had been stripped of her clothing, apart from a coat she had taken with her the previous evening. Taking an invention from idea to the marketplace. At some point in the night, two of the friends decided to go to the bathroom together and so Christine and Helen were left alone. They then took their drinks and sat at a table located close to the front door and the jukebox. It was because of this that the police were unable to carry out any forensic tests on the fabrics located within the vehicle. The inquiry was led by the former deputy chief constable of Lothian and Borders Police, Tom Wood, who said there was a "pretty compelling" case that Angus Sinclair had killed many times. In 1982 he was given a life sentence for the sexual offences but Sinclair was not convicted of murder until 2001 when a "cold case" review found DNA evidence linking him to the body of Miss Gallacher. The act made various provisions for circumstances when a person convicted or acquitted of an offence can be prosecuted anew. Due to the lack of development of forensics in the 1970’s, the police took samples of blood, hair, fibre and semen and stored it for the future. The case is so named because both victims were last seen alive leaving The World's End pub in Edinburgh's Old Town.. The Sinclair trial was the first to be held in Scotland following the, In his sentencing statement, Lord Matthews, Find out more background to the case in a BBC Scotland investigations special. Those who knew the two girls would describe them as close friends, who were complete opposites. They then began their investigation. Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. BBC Scotland Investigates: The World's End Murderer will be shown on BBC Two Scotland at 22:30. Jonathan also stated that due to the fact that Gordon was dead, DNA samples had been taken from his brothers and sisters and compared with the semen found in the bodies of the victims. Sentenced to 10 years in prison. It was that same afternoon, when Helen’s parents listened to the radio and heard reports of a body that had been found by dog walkers at Gosford Bay. In The World's End Murders, Tom Wood and David Johnston tell the story of two innocent young women, Helen Scott and Christine Eadie, and of the extraordinary commitment of the police enquiry over three decades that eventually led to the discovery of links to The court trial began on the 13th October 2014 at the High Court of Justiciary in Livingston, West Lothian. It was on the 8th October 2003, when the police decided that reconstruction would be filmed and broadcast on the BBC’s Crimewatch programme. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Would she be married? It is known that none of these witnesses had previously spoken about what they had seen during the investigation. The chilling name is derived from the name of the pubs where two teenagers last seen before they were brutally murdered. "They were all young women who had been out for the night, they had all disappeared off the streets, they had all been transported a distance, they had all been bound in exactly the same way, or very similar ways, they had all been assaulted and murdered in very, very similar ways.". Both girls had been badly beaten, raped and throttled with their own underwear. It was at this news, that Helen’s parents decided to travel to the home of one of the girls that Helen had been with the previous evening. In the late evening, the girls then arrived at the final pub of the evening – The World’s End. On the other hand, Helen was not that into fashion and would frequently be seen in a pair of jeans. Police believe he also killed at least six other women and girls. The DNA profile was then checked against the 500 earlier suspects. It was during this segment, that the police revealed that man had come forward and stated that on the night of the murders, he had been walking close to Gosford Bay and had seen a suspicious vehicle. With a family to provide for, the couple then decided to move to the area of Glasgow. In Edinburgh, by contrast, scientists working with the police had the "presence of mind" to preserve evidence in the hope that advances in science would one day "come to the rescue" and secure justice, said retired Det Supt Allan Jones who investigated the World's End murders. ( Log Out /  He continued to molest, sexually assault, rape, and murder until he was caught in the 1980s. It was during the investigation into this, when the police also uncovered that Angus had been involved in a string of indecent assault and rapes against young boys and girls aged between eight and eleven. They were found dead six miles apart in the East Lothian countryside the next day. Would I have grandchildren? In today's video, I will be covering the World's End Murders. The jury at the High Court in Livingston had taken just over two hours to conclude that Sinclair carried out the murders of Miss Scott and Miss Eadie with his late brother-in-law Gordon Hamilton, who died in 1996 without facing justice. During his time in Edinburgh’s Saughton Prison, Angus used his time to train as a painter and decorator. "The circumstances of their deaths and the methods used to bind, restrain and kill them, have striking similarities, findings not matched in any other group, or indeed in any other individual" their report stated. Although it was believed that Angus was back on the straight and narrow, it was in 1980 when he was sent to prison once more. © 2021 BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. VideoWhat Myanmar’s military does not want world to see, The girl, 5, stuck in India while parents in Australia, Eurovision welcomes back fans despite pandemic. When nursing staff checked on him at 3:50am, he was not breathing. After hearings lasting just two weeks, the judge ruled that there was no case to answer. Thomas Ross Young died in July 2014 at the age of 79 having failed to overturn his conviction on appeal. He said: "I wonder where she would have been today. Helen Scott's parents had reported their daughter missing to the police when she did not come home from her night out with Christine, something that had never happened before. It says the Sinopharm vaccine, which has been given to millions of people, is safe and effective. ( Log Out /  At that point, the evidence had only been circumstantial and nothing had been mentioned of eyewitness statements. ( Log Out /  At the commencement of the trial, Angus then lodged two special defences, one of consent and one of incrimination. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Between June and December 1977 there is evidence that he went on a killing spree, murdering six women in just seven months, including Miss Scott and Miss Eadie. As mentioned, forensics was not as advanced as today but physical evidence showed that the knots used to tie the girls were of two different types. The World's End Murders is the colloquial name given to the murder of two girls, Christine Eadie, 17, and Helen Scott, 17, in Edinburgh, in October 1977. They began to fear the worst when they heard on the radio that the bodies of two girls had been found near Aberlady and Haddington. Helen's father Morain Scott, who is now 84, said he had promised his wife Margaret on her deathbed in 1989 that he would secure justice for his daughter. When her mother returned home, Angus then told her that Catherine had fallen down the stairs and died due to this. With the appeal posters and sketches, the police received thousands of leads and tips, however they all led to a dead end. Frances Barker, 37, Hilda McAuley, 36, Agnes Cooney, 23, and Anna Kenny, 20, all from Glasgow and Christine Eadie and Helen Scott from Edinburgh, 1978 - murdered 17-year-old Mary Gallacher in Glasgow, 1980 - illegal possession of a .22 calibre revolver, 1982 - pleaded guilty to rape and sexual assault of 11 children aged six to 14. :) Welcome to my channel and the next episode of #MurderMysteries! By The Newsroom Thursday, 13th September 2007, 1:00 am The evidence in this case as well as your record, details of which have now been revealed, shows that you are a dangerous predator, who is capable of sinking to the depths of depravity.". The court heard how Angus used the method of waiting in landings and closes before grabbing his victims at knifepoint. Forensic scientists who examined six cases, including the murder of Helen and Christine, concluded that Angus was responsible for the murders of the six women. Of the many people the police spoke too, a high quantity reported seeing the girls sat near the door and how they spoke to two men. Video, What Myanmar’s military does not want world to see, Portugal and Israel on quarantine-free list, US election officials drop Trump hush money probe, SNP hopes of majority remain on a knife edge, South Carolina to allow executions by firing squad, German call to ban 'Jewish star' at Covid demos, Big Chinese rocket segment set to fall to Earth, TripAdvisor sorry for Auschwitz review error, BBC shocked by fresh Noel Clarke allegations, ending of the centuries-old double jeopardy, the families of Helen Scott and Christine Eadie. Elish Angiolini - Wikipedia The second series, comprising three episodes, first broadcast in April 2018 and looks into a number of unsolved disappearances and murders that could be linked to convicted serial killers Peter Tobin and Angus … It was due to this, that Angus required help with his personal hygiene and dressing. Angus Sinclair: Notorious 'World's End' serial killer dies in prison Sinclair was convicted for the murders of women and young girls, and is thought to be responsible for more killings. The injury was led by the former deputy chief constable of Lothian and Borders Police, Tom Wood, who said there was a ‘pretty compelling cases that Angus Sinclair had killed many times”. What were the World's End Murders in Edinburgh? World's End murders by pottedstu Mon Mar 18 2002 at 17:36:21 On Saturday October 15, 1977, Helen Anne Scott (born June 5, 1960) and Christine Eadie (born February 21, 1960) were out drinking in the centre of Edinburgh, Scotland. In 1982, Angus pleaded guilty to eleven charges and was sentenced to life in prison. Catherine Reehill was eight-years-old when Angus sexually assaulted and strangled her at his home. However, during the questioning by police, Angus broken down and confessed to culpable homicide. The court heard that on the 15-16th October 1977, Angus and his brother-in-law Gordan persuaded and forced Christine and Helen into a motor vehicle and held them at their will in St Mary’s Street – close to the pub. During the trial, Angus pleaded not guilty to rape and murder. The results found that the DNA was of one male and that it was found on both of the girls. Helen, however, was viewed as quieter and more reserved compared to Christine. Her family also reported how Christine was into fashion and had a caring personality. She then stated that the evidence that was made available to the court was a sufficient amount to put before the jury and that they should be allowed the opportunity to decide on the case against Angus. It was later reported that none of the locals knew of the two men and had established by their fashion choices that they were not from Edinburgh. Read about our approach to external linking. This time, Angus had been found in the illegal possession of a .22 calibre revolver and ammunition. It was seven months into this probation time, when Angus killed for the first time. Her body was found shortly after the attack on waste ground near Barnhill station. "There was a clear pattern" said Mr Wood. The following day, forensic scientist Martin Fairley, told the court that the semen taken from a vaginal swab of Christine was a man to that taken from Helen’s body. He insistently claimed the death of Catherine to be an accident. However, this also led to a dead-end and no match was found. By James CookScotland Correspondent, BBC News. The girls then told Christine and Helen that they were going to go and asked if they wanted to go with them. The jury heard the evidence against Angus once more and on one occasion, the jury members were taken to the scenes of the murders. After a conversation with the girl, the parents of Helen then decided to go to the police station and report their daughter missing. The investigation into the brutal murders began with police officers attempting to track down and question everyone who had been in The World’s End pub on the previous evening. The World's End Murders saw two 17-year-old women killed, but their killer would evade police for three decades only for a jury to acquit him under controversial circumstances. Video, Inside the Indian rural hospitals unable to cope, What Myanmar’s military does not want world to see. In November 1978 Sinclair struck again, strangling 17-year-old Mary Gallacher in Glasgow. Angus was last seen alive by nursing staff at 1:40am on the 11th March 2019. The cases also included the murder of Frances Barker, Hilda McAuley, Agnes Cooney and Anna Kenny. 31st Oct 2020. World's End murderer Angus Sinclair has died in prison He also served another concurrent life tariff for the murder of Glasgow teenager Mary Gallacher. Two years later, the couple welcomed a son named Gary. Sinclair was charged and went on trial at the High Court in Edinburgh in 2007 but the case collapsed in controversial circumstances. He was later sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of thirty-seven years. They … The World's End Murders book. The Lothian and Borders Police continued to conduct the high-profile criminal investigation and it is reported that over 500 people were suspected after taking statements from 13,000 witnesses and members of the public. On the 28th August 2007, the jury was then brought in to hear the evidence against Angus. What happens to your body in extreme heat? Change ). … The Unsolved Murders of Karen Hales & Janet Murgatroyd, Follow True Crime England on WordPress.com. By a stroke of luck, saving the semen specimen in a freezer for over twenty years, led to the murder of Mary being linked directly to Angus. Evil Sinclair raped and murdered 17-year-old girls Christine Eadie and Helen Scott in 1977 after meeting them at the World's End pub in Edinburgh. "The World's End" murders are named after the pub two of Angus Sinclair's victims were last seen leaving. Burke and Hare, The World’s End Murders, David Hume, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Walter Scott, Irvine Welsh… drinking, thinking, writing it’s all very alive here. Like Christine, Helen was also seen as a caring individual who was fond of animals and children. He then explained that the results obtained are what he would expect, if semen found in the victims had come from a brother of the surviving Hamiliton’s. All of the women had also gone missing after a night out at a dance hall or a pub and had all appeared to have died a violent death. Speaking outside the court, Helen Scott's family said: "We finally have justice for Helen and Christine". "Little were they to know that they had the misfortune to be in the company of two men for whom the words evil and monster seem inadequate.". Mr Scott said he had thought about Helen every day since she died. The man had reported to the police that the vehicle was a works van and that the driver seemed to be driving erratically. The violent judo class that put a boy in a coma. Inside the Indian rural hospitals unable to cope. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. Serial killer and rapist Angus Sinclair has been jailed for a minimum of 37 years for the murders of two teenagers. The judge said of Sinclair's two teenage victims: "Whatever dreams they had, they turned into nightmares shortly after they left the World's End Pub, the name of which has become synonymous with these notorious murders. Due to being in prison for the crimes he had committed, Angus’ DNA sample was present within this system. The teenagers were killed after they got into Sinclair's caravanette outside the city centre pub, where they had been drinking, on Saturday 15 October 1977. It was in 1997, two decades after the murders, when the Lothian and Borders Police cold case unit instructed that further forensic work needed to be undertaken in relation to the case. On the 14th November 2014, Angus was found guilty of murdering Christine and Helen. After the murders had been analysed, it was then concluded that the person who had committed the crimes was probably an ex-convict and therefore earlier DNA databases were checked. Mr Scott described his sister as a "country girl" with "beautiful blue eyes and a beautiful smile, never to forget". The next morning, when the girls still had not returned home, the parents decided to contact their friends and became worried when their parents also stated they had not seen them. World's End killer Angus Sinclair died alone in his cell, incontinent and bedbound, in one of Scotland's toughest jails, a court was told. Today’s video is on the case of the World's End Murders. On the 27th August 2007, the trial of Angus Sinclair began at the High Court of Justiciary in Edinburgh. As mentioned, samples had been taken and stored and by the 1990’s a huge advancement had been made in the world of forensics. Forensic science evidence which might have enabled them to build a case had been lost or destroyed while in the case of Ms Barker, a man was already serving a life sentence for her murder. Christine was known to be a popular young girl, with many friends. Why are vaccines going to waste in Africa? A week later, the police announced that they had enlisted the help of the Forensic Science Service and had used advancements in DNA testing to match the profile to over 200 profiles on the National DNA database. They had vanished after an evening in The World’s End, a tourist pub on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh. Nine days after killer Angus Sinclair was found guilty of World’s End murders, police are urged to investigate his brother-in-law’s links to other missing women. Following the broadcast, over 130 individuals came forward with information. In 1961, at the age of sixteen, Angus was then sentenced to three years’ probation for committing lewd and libidinous practices on an eight-year-old girl. Further evidence showed that all of the women involved in the operation had been found in countryside having been bound and gagged. He was only sixteen-years-old. World’s End Murders October 15, 2009 | by Frederic Lindsay IN OCTOBER 1977, two girls were abducted and murdered. 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