Latest news with #Whomes
BBC News
15-02-2025
- BBC News
Essex Boys murder convictions being reviewed again
The convictions of the two so-called Essex Boys murderers are being reviewed again, the BBC can Whomes and Michael Steele were given life sentences in 1998 for shooting dead Craig Rolfe, Tony Tucker and Pat Tate in a Range Rover near Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) said appeal applications had been received and a "thorough review" was under Police said the case had been "exhaustively examined" both prior to the killers' prosecutions and since they were jailed. The Parole Board approved 82-year-old Steele's release from prison on Thursday, four years after Whomes was freed."It would be inappropriate for us to make any further comment while the applications are under review," a CCRC spokesperson gangland executions on a farm track in Rettendon inspired the 2000 film Essex Boys, starring Sean Bean, as well as the Rise of the Footsoldier television other documentaries and books examined its links to the 1990s rave scene. David McKelvey, a retired Met Police detective chief inspector who was involved in the original investigations, said he was "absolutely convinced" the wrong men were was Mr McKelvey who arrested Darren Nicholls in May 1996 for drugs offences, before the suspect turned so-called supergrass and gave evidence against the former detective chief inspector, now a private investigator, said he was contacted with new evidence about the case "almost on a weekly basis"."[Steele] should never have been convicted in the first place," said Mr McKelvey, speaking to BBC Essex on Friday."There is absolutely, categorically, new evidence."More importantly, there was evidence at the time within [Essex Police's] systems that would prove categorically who actually did kill these people."Despite having arrested him, Mr McKelvey said Nicholls's witness account contained "blatant lies". The Court of Appeal rejected both killers' bids for freedom in 1999 and 2006, with further appeals dismissed in 2013 and CCRC has reviewed their convictions before, including as recently as January 2023, when it concluded there was "no real possibility" the Court of Appeal would overturn the CCRC, which is an independent body sponsored by the Ministry of Justice, launches fresh appeals when strong new evidence or new arguments are presented. An Essex Police spokesman said: "This case has been exhaustively examined over the last 27 years."We will of course always work with the CCRC and keep any new information under review." Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
14-02-2025
- BBC News
Essex Boys murders: How the gangland killings became so notorious
The gangland killings of three drug dealers who were found shot in the head in a Range Rover near Chelmsford in 1995 is one of the most notorious and dramatised murders in modern memory. This week, the Parole Board announced the second of the two men responsible would be released from prison, potentially closing the book on this 30-year story. How and why did the so-called Essex Boys murders become such a cult tale? Ambushed The bodies of Craig Rolfe, 26, Tony Tucker, 38, and Pat Tate, 37, were discovered on a snowy morning on isolated farmland in Rettendon on 7 December Peter Theobald and his friend Ken Jiggins found the Range Rover parked on a little-known track and suspected the occupants were the driver and his two passengers were no threat. All three had been ambushed and gunned down with a pump action was the extent of their injuries, they were hardly the men were soon identified by journalists as being three of the most prominent drug dealers in Tucker was also known for providing security for nightclubs across Essex and had been a security guard for former super middleweight boxing champion Nigel Benn. Following the discovery, a major police investigation codenamed Operation Century was produced no arrests or evidence leading to a lines were quickly drawn between their deaths and the 1990s rave scene - connections that provided inspiration for the countless films, documentaries and TV dramas that followed in the years the investigation it was suggested the murders may have been a revenge attack in light of the drugs death of Leah Betts in Basildon a few weeks was believed Mr Tucker ultimately supplied the ecstasy tablet that killed the 18-year-old as she celebrated her birthday in Raquels nightclub. The key witness in convicting the suspects - Jack Whomes and Michael Steele - was police informer and so-called supergrass Darren Nicholls, from Braintree, who gave evidence against his former friends at their Whomes and Steele were subsequently given life sentences at the Old Bailey in January 1998. Essex Boys timeline 7 Dec 1995: Anthony Tucker, Pat Tate and Craig Rolfe found shot dead in a Range Rover in Rettendon, EssexMay 1996: Darren Nicholls arrested in possession of drugs. He turns into a so-called supergrass and gives evidence against Michael Steele and Jack WhomesJan 1998: Steele and Whomes jailed for life at the Old BaileyOctober 2001: Case referred to the Criminal Cases Review Commission for the first time22 February 2006: Court of Appeal rejects appeal against convictions. Further appeals are rejected in 2013 and 201624 May 2018: Whomes has life sentence reducedJanuary 2021: Parole Board approves Whomes for release from prisonFebruary 2025: Parole Board approves Steele's release After their imprisonment, the case was first referred to the Criminal Cases Review Commission over concerns that Mr Nicholls was an unreliable Nicholls maintained Steele was behind a series of drug smuggling runs in 1995, one of which led to a row with the three victims over poor quality was later entered into the witness protection scheme. The murderers' appeal was referred to the Court of Appeal and rejected. Further appeals were dismissed in 2013 and Whomes, of Brockford, Suffolk, had his sentence cut in 2018 and was released from prison three years now aged 82, of Great Bentley, Essex, was given a minimum term of 23 years, which expired in 2019, but the Parole Board had been worried about his risk of appeared before parole panels in May 2023, in May, November and December last year, and also this its report published on Thursday, the parole Board said he offended for "financial gain and out of greed" and there was "an element of thrill-seeking in his actions".But the panel concluded Steele's imprisonment was "no longer necessary for the protection of the public" and approved his release. The triple murders on film The murders gained international attention and prompted several books, TV series and killings were immortalised in the 2000 film Essex Boys, which starred Sean Bean and coined the inspired by the murders was the crime and gangster film franchise Rise of the Footsoldier, which has had six installations since 2007. A Sky Documentaries series in 2023 interviewed detectives involved with the 1995 case who were critical of the police Met Police detective David McKelvey claimed "credible lines of investigation were not followed" and that the assassination was related to an armed robbery, not drug Police previously said the case was "exhaustively examined" and there was no fresh evidence to dispute the original verdicts. Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Sky News
13-02-2025
- Sky News
Man convicted of 'Essex Boys' murders to be released from prison after 27 years
One of the men convicted of the notorious "Essex Boys" murders will be released from prison on licence after 27 years. Michael Steele, who is now in his 80s, was jailed for life in 1998, alongside Jack Whomes, for the murders of Patrick Tate, 37, Tony Tucker, 38, and Craig Rolfe, 26. They were shot dead at point-blank range in a Range Rover on an isolated farm track at Rettendon, Essex, in December 1995 in what prosecutors said was a row over a drug deal. The gangland executions, also known as the Rettendon Murders or the Range Rover Murders, inspired the 2000 film Essex Boys, starring Sean Bean, as well as The Rise Of The Footsoldier franchise. All three of the victims were known to police. Mr Tucker ran security for Raquels, the nightclub where Leah Betts had taken the ecstasy tablet that led to her death less than a month before the murders. Steele and Whomes maintained their innocence following their convictions, which were based in part on the evidence of "supergrass" Darren Nicholls, who said he had been the getaway driver. Their appeals were rejected and in 2006 Lord Justice Kay said there was no "element of unsafety" over the original convictions. The case has also been reviewed by the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) and a decision was made in January 2023 not to refer it back to the Court of Appeal. Whomes was released from jail in 2021 on strict licence conditions. Steele, who was 55 when he was sentenced, has now also been released by the Parole Board. After hearing evidence, it said there had been a "marked improvement" in his behaviour while in prison and keeping him locked up was no longer necessary to protect the public. Steele will have to meet strict conditions such as staying at a designated address, attending probation appointments, giving up his passport and wearing an electronic tag.
Sky News
13-02-2025
- Sky News
Michael Steele: Man convicted of 'Essex Boys' murders to be released from prison after 27 years
One of the men convicted of the notorious "Essex Boys" murders will be released from prison on licence after 27 years, the Parole Board has said. Michael Steele, who is now in his 80s, was jailed for life in 1998 alongside Jack Whomes at the Old Bailey for the murders of Patrick Tate, 37, Tony Tucker, 38, and Craig Rolfe, 26. The men were shot dead at point-blank range in a Range Rover on an isolated farm track at Rettendon, Essex, in December 1995 in what prosecutors said was a row over a drug deal. The gangland executions, also known as the Rettendon Murders or the Range Rover Murders, inspired the 2000 film Essex Boys, starring Sean Bean, as well as The Rise Of The Footsoldier franchise. All three of the victims were known to police. Mr Tucker ran security for Raquels, the nightclub where Leah Betts had taken the ecstasy tablet that led to her death less than a month before the murders. Steele and Whomes maintained their innocence following their convictions, based in part on the evidence of "supergrass" Darren Nicholls, who said he had been the getaway driver. But their appeals were rejected and in 2006 Lord Justice Kay said there was no "element of unsafety" relating to the original convictions of both defendants. The case has also been reviewed by the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) and the decision was made in January 2023 not to refer the case back to the Court of Appeal. Whomes was released from jail in 2021 on strict licence conditions.
