The powerful, gripping first-hand account of Brighton's Babes in the Wood murders from long-serving detective Graham Bartlett with bestselling author Peter James.
On 9 October 1986, nine-year-olds Nicola Fellows and Karen Hadaway went out to play on their Brighton estate. They would never return home; their bodies discovered the next day concealed in a local park. This devastating crime rocked the country.
With unique access to the officers charged with catching the killer, former senior detective Graham Bartlett and bestselling author Peter James tell the compelling inside story of the investigation as the net tightens around local man Russell Bishop. The trial that follows is one of the most infamous in the history of Brighton policing - a shock result sees Bishop walk free.
Three years later, Graham is working in Brighton CID when a seven-year-old girl is abducted and left to die. She survives . . . and Bishop's name comes up as a suspect. Is history repeating itself? Can the police put him away this time, and will he ever be made to answer for his past horrendous crimes? Both gripping police procedural and an insight into the motivations of a truly evil man, this is a fascinating account of what became a thirty-two year fight for justice.
Make no mistake, a criminal trial is not about finding the truth, it is only ever about the question of proof.
Babes in the Wood highlights the painstaking and frustrating, slow and, on occasion, ponderous route to achieving the goals of both proof and truth. It is an excellent observation of professionalism and downright persistence, working within the strict framework of relatively new legislation, achieving the successful prosecution of one of Britain's most dangerous, paedophilic psychopaths. A triumph, this book is not just a testament to the police officers, but also to the parents and families of the victims, who had not only to endure so many years of distress and monumental grief, but also the lingering distrust and antipathy from their own community and neighbours, which thankfully was, eventually dismissed. The authenticity of this book, the honesty, professionalism and persistent investigation displayed, the array of characters, frustrations and procedures - all these are a shining example of both the truth and accuracy of an investigation, leading to one of the most dramatic re-trials seen within the United Kingdom to date.
Babes in the Wood should be required reading for all budding detectives.
