Latest news with #aMonster
The Irish Sun
2 days ago
- The Irish Sun
My dad Ian Huntley sends me dark letters from jail & haunts every second of my life – I can't bear looking in the mirror
Daughter of Soham killer reveals how she is even terrified of meeting strangers due to their probing questions - and why she has written to him one last time DEVIL'S DAUGHTER My dad Ian Huntley sends me dark letters from jail & haunts every second of my life – I can't bear looking in the mirror LOOKING in the mirror each morning, Samantha Bryan can barely stand it as she sees the eyes of a murderer staring back. As the traumatised daughter of Soham killer Ian Huntley, just getting through each day is a struggle as she discovers dark new details about her dad and receives twisted letters from him in jail. 8 Samantha Bryan is the daughter of killer Ian Huntley Credit: Glen Minikin 8 Evil Huntley has written to Samantha from his cell Credit: Rex Features 8 The sicko murdered 10-year-olds Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman in 2002 Credit: Collect Desperate for answers over what drove the former school caretaker to kill 10-year-old girls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman in 2002, Samantha, 28, sent her father a letter over a year ago asking to meet him. Out of the blue, months later, in neat, black biro he wrote back, heartlessly accusing her of "insincere motives", adding: 'You are still my daughter for whom I have much love. With Love, Ian'. Care worker Samantha, of Cleethorpes, North East Lincs, has now written to her 'monster' dad one last time asking to meet, explaining it would help her to process a lifetime of trauma that has left her struggling with anxiety and depression. Speaking to The Sun for our Meeting a Monster series, she says: 'When I first read Ian's letter I was angry, frustrated and upset. "He told me he loved me as his daughter. 'I felt, 'you have no right to say that'. 'At the time it was so difficult to read. I felt so many emotions. 'All I could think about was how many times over the years he's wished me well but he's still denying that one thing that could really help me move forward. 'How can he say that he loves me when he has not done the one thing that will allow me to move forward with my life? 'Which is to finally reveal the truth. 'I hoped he would agree to meet me. I have written one last time to ask for that. It would really help me to process everything and to try to move forward.' Why I want to meet my monster dad Ian Huntley Samantha was 14 years old when she discovered who her father was after she was asked to research "notorious crimes" at school, and stumbled across a pixilated photograph of herself and her mother on Google. In the aftermath of this revelation, she turned to drink for a year aged 17 and was taken to the brink of a breakdown. More than a decade on, she is still haunted "every day" by the murders, which shocked the nation and remain among the most notorious in British criminal history. Samantha says: 'Being the biological daughter of Ian Huntley has impacted my life in ways not many people would understand. 'I've dealt with severe anxiety, depression. I've been in and out of therapy for years. 'I've struggled a lot to come to terms with who I am and where I come from, who Ian is and what he's done. 'It's something that haunts me daily. I think about it all the time and I don't think it's ever something that will leave me. 'Every time I look in the mirror I see how much I look like him. I have his eyes. 8 Huntley worked as a caretaker in the school both girls attended Credit: Alamy 8 The murderer has written chilling letters to his daughter Credit: Supplied 'Someone put up a photo of me next to his online and that's when I realised the similarities. 'People often say to me: 'I know your face from somewhere'. 'My heart sinks when they do, as I know they are referring to him, but they just can't place it. I just say: 'No we haven't met before' but so often they look puzzled. 'I think I have other traits from that side of the family as I'm also the only one in my family that has asthma. It's so hard to be the child of what everyone says is a monster... I know I'm a good person but at night that haunts me 'I found an article talking about his medical history online as I wanted to see if there was anything I should be worried about and I read that he has asthma too. 'That took me to a dark place. 'I had periods of despair where I have struggled with the fact of who my biological father is and that the only thing I know about him is what I've read - and what my mum has told me and that is that he's a monster.' Mum's suffering Samantha's mother Katie first met Huntley when she was a 15-year-old schoolgirl, running away from home to live with him against her parents' wishes. Their relationship descended into violence and he subjected her to humiliation - including making her eat cat food - and rape, before Samantha was born. Katie left him for good when she was pregnant with Samantha and has always told her daughter that becoming pregnant saved her from his abuse. Samantha admitted her mum does not want her to meet him, but has promised to support her in her decision. 8 Samantha's mother Katie Bryan left Huntley after he abused her Credit: Glen Minikin 8 Huntley was sentenced to life with a minimum of 40 years Credit: PA:Press Association 8 His girlfriend Maxine Carr was convicted of perverting the course of justice Credit: Cambridgeshire Police She said: 'When you look so much like someone you desperately want to know there is something good in them. 'I know I don't have evil in me. There is no way to condone what he has done. All I want from Ian is a conversation. 'Even if he doesn't want to talk about the events of that day, I want to see him for who he is. 'My mum's side of the family are amazing people and I'm so lucky to have been brought up around the people that I have. 'I want to know where that other half of me comes from. I want to know that it's not all bad, it's not all evil and that there is even just a glimmer of something good there. 'It's so hard to be the child of what everyone says is a monster. 'I know I'm a good person but at night that haunts me.' But that seemed to contradict it all...I just couldn't fathom why he could do such a thing Samantha reveals the catalyst that led her to make one last attempt to meet Huntley was the death in jail of a killer called Bradley Murdoch, who murdered British backpacker Peter Falconio in 2001. She said: 'He took his secret to the grave. I couldn't face that if that were to happen here.' Just a few weeks ago Samantha was also shown The Sun's exclusive story that Huntley had been wearing Holly and Jessica's football tops in his cell. She tells us: 'It brought it all up again. I was sickened. 'He previously wrote to me hinting at how bad he felt. But that seemed to contradict it all. "I just couldn't fathom why he could do such a thing. "I just thought of Holly and Jessica's parents because if I felt bad, what on earth would they be thinking? "I was upset for weeks and couldn't sleep as it's just so devastating."I was upset for weeks and couldn't sleep as it's just so devastating. 'This has been a constant shadow in my life.'
The Irish Sun
04-08-2025
- The Irish Sun
I hunted down my dad's ISIS killers & stared evil jihadi brides in the eye – one smirking monster still haunts my dreams
Bethany Haines told The Sun how Brit terrorist Alexander Kotey tried to goad her and why she doesn't feel sorry for the terror group's brides 'ROT IN HELL' I hunted down my dad's ISIS killers & stared evil jihadi brides in the eye – one smirking monster still haunts my dreams WHEN a grizzly video of her father being brutally beheaded by IS terrorists was broadcast to the world, Bethany Haines made it her life's mission to get answers. Brave Bethany, whose aid worker dad David was publicly murdered in 2013, dedicated her life to confronting the monsters who played a part in his torture, captivity and death. 14 Bethany Haines, the daughter of David Haines, outside the Assise Court for the trial of the French terrorist who tortured her dad Credit: Peter Allen 14 David Haines had two daughters, Bethany (pictured) and Athea Credit: SWNS 14 A horrific ISIS video of David being killed was posted online Credit: Duncan Gardham In an exclusive interview she reveals how she has travelled the world to confront ISIS's most evil men and women. Bethany tells how she had a two-and-a-half-hour showdown with one of her dad's evil torturers, gave the middle finger to one of IS's most dangerous men in Paris after he glared at her throughout a six-week trial and even travelled to Syria to meet IS brides who acted as recruiters for the terror group. She became obsessed with getting answers about her dad's final months and gained a unique insight into each evil members' psyche. Speaking to The Sun for our Meeting a Monster series, mum-of-one Bethany, 27, said: 'I have met some of the most evil people imaginable. I've been to France, Syria and the US on numerous occasions to understand why they did what they did to my dad. 'Every meeting takes a piece of me away but I can't stop trying to find out answers as to why they did that to my father. 'After every meeting I have had to rebuild, and it takes me months. 'But I know that if my dad was here he would be doing the same, going to every court case, taking up every opportunity to meet anyone connected to the murder and showing them but they're not going to get away with that evil.' Today Bethany recalls the chilling meetings with two of her father's IS captors. Bethany reveals how Brit terrorist Alexander Kotey tried to goad her as she pressed him for answers in a terrifying one-on-one meeting while fellow IS member El Shafee Elsheikh snarled at her as she called out his abhorrent treatment of her father. But she says one terror attack mastermind "was the worst kind of monster that you can imagine hiding under your bed,' and left her haunted by "the deadest eyes I've ever seen". Hamas vows no peace unless key demand is met as thugs share sick clip of hostage David, 44, from Perth, was abducted while working at a refugee camp in Syria in 2013. He was held hostage by West London-raised quartet Elsheikh, Kotey, Mohammed Emwazi and Aine Davis – nicknamed The Beatles. In 2014, a video of gaunt and pale David, wearing an orange jumpsuit and kneeling next to knife-wielding British-born Emwazi - dubbed Jihadi John - horrified the world. It ended with his beheading - one of 27 the group are believed to have carried out. I was very nervous. I was about to sit opposite and look into the eyes of the man who had done so much harm to my dad Bethany Haines Emwazi died in a drone strike in Syria in 2015 while Davis, 38, was captured in Turkey in 2017 and sentenced to seven and a half years for being a member of a terrorist organisation. In 2022, Elsheikh was found guilty of hostage taking and conspiring to murder after a two-week trial in the US, while Kotey pleaded guilty to terror charges and was sentenced to life in prison. One of the conditions of Kotey's sentence was that he had to meet the loved ones of those he tormented. 'You can't inherit an apology' 14 El Shafee Elsheikh (L) and Alexanda Kotey (R) posing for mugshots Credit: Handout / Syrian Democratic Forces / AFP 14 Alexanda Amon Kotey (L) and El Shafee Elsheikh (R) were two of the brutal Islamic State cell dubbed 'The Beatles' Credit: AP Photo/Hussein Malla, File 14 Mohammed Emwazi - known as 'Jihadi John' - wearing combat gear and wielding an AK-47 Credit: Tim Stewart News/REX/Shutterstock 14 Aine Davis was the fourth 'Beatle' Credit: PA:Press Association Bethany, who is from Perthshire, flew back to the US for the showdown with Kotey, who was being held at a super-max jail and was transported to a high-security Virginia justice building for the meeting. Bethany said: 'I was very nervous. I was about to sit opposite and look into the eyes of the man who had done so much harm to my dad. I needed answers. I needed an apology but what I got was a game from Kotey. "When I got in the room, he was so relaxed, like nothing had happened. It was like chatting with someone in a café not someone who had tormented your dad. He doodled and drew spirals with a pen as I talked to him. 'He acted like it was a game. He told me things I didn't know. He said my dad was abducted after he spotted him outside a kebab house. "He said they took dad to hospital dressed as an IS fighter as he had become very ill and he blamed the other terrorists for driving the violence and torture. I took it all with a pinch of salt. 'He told me that before his beheading my dad accepted his fate and smiled. He wanted a reaction from me. He said my dad said to Mohammed Emwazi, the terrorist who beheaded him, 'make it quick'. "I could see that he was trying to make me uncomfortable and get a rise out of me. I asked him if he felt any remorse. He just came back and said, 'you can't inherit an apology'. 'I asked Kotey four times if he was sorry for abducting and torturing my dad and he just skirted around the answer. It was like getting blood out of a stone. He eventually said, 'ok, I'm sorry for kidnapping and hurting your dad'. 'That was all I needed. I told him to 'rot in hell', slammed my notes and folders down in front of him and walked out the room. I didn't want to give him another second. I wanted those words to be the last he heard from me.' 'Look of a little boy' 14 El Shafee Elsheikh was jailed for torturing and holding hostages including David Credit: Facebook 14 Kurdish security forces escort two blindfolded members of 'The Beatles' Credit: AP Photo/Hussein Malla 14 British aid worker, David, was abducted and held captive in Syria for 18 months Credit: Nicholas Razzell That same year, she flew over to the US to see fellow 'Beatle' – El Shafee Elsheikh - jailed for torturing and holding hostages, including her father, captive. She sat through every day of his trial. She said: 'I made a point of looking at him when speaking to him across the courtroom in my victim impact statement. He had the look of a little boy - someone who had done something naughty rather than being involved in the most evil of beheadings. "When I read my statement, he looked broken to start with, but I told him that there is nothing in the Quran that justifies the violence meted out to my father. I even quoted a passage back to him. I vividly remember that he just looked at me and snarled.' But in February this year, she met the most evil of her father's foes. 'Dark, dead eyes' Bethany had been tormented by the knowledge that other unknown men who had horrifically tortured and enslaved her dad had never been brought to justice. One of them was Mehdi Nemmouche, who had already been convicted of the Brussels Jewish Museum terror attack which killed four in 2014. For six weeks, she sat through every day of his Paris trial in which he was eventually found guilty of kidnapping, acts of torture, and barbarism of seven hostages – including her father - in Syria. 14 Mehdi Nemmouche during the trial for the attack at the Jewish Museum in Brussels Credit: YVES HERMAN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images 14 Nemmouche was found guilty of kidnapping, acts of torture and barbarism towards seven hostages - including David Credit: BENOIT PEYRUCQ/AFP via Getty Images She said: 'He was by far the most evil man I've ever met. His dark, dead eyes glared at me across the courtroom. He wanted to intimidate me. "It was the first time I felt fear. He used the courtroom as a stage. You could tell that if he had a chance he would kill everyone in that courtroom. 'He gave off an awful vibe, let any remorse, and smirked and rolled his eyes after every comment that I made to him. 'I sat through every second of his six-week trial. I read a statement to him and was very forceful. He looked into my eyes with his dark pools of deadness and kept smirking. He kept rolling his eyes and glaring over me. He was by far the most evil man I've ever met. His dark, dead eyes glared at me across the courtroom. He wanted to intimidate me Bethany Haines "It was so intense that I constantly wanted to leave the room but didn't want to give him the satisfaction. When he was sentenced to life, I hugged the person next to me, looked him in the eye and laughed. As he was taken down, I gave him the middle finger. 'I'd met lots of evil people that did terrible things to my dad but he haunted my dreams for months after seeing him. I would dream about being at Disneyland with my son and he would just be there. "I would wake up in cold sweats. Being in his presence, took months to get over. I hated him.' Nemmouche has since appealed his conviction – a decision Bethany says is 'insulting'. Terror group's brides And it wasn't just the men of ISIS that Bethany has met - she also travelled to Syria in the wake of the fall of IS in 2019. She went to a camp where she met some of the terror group's brides – some of whom had come from the UK. 14 Bethany also travelled to Syria to meet a group of IS brides Credit: Andy Barr - The Sun Glasgow 14 A young Bethany with her dad She said: 'It was a real eye-opener. I met a number of IS brides. One was from Tunisia, one was from Belgium and the other British. One felt like she'd been groomed but I later found out that she'd also been a recruiter to try to get other women over there. "She seemed completely indoctrinated, dead behind the eyes. IS had fallen but she was still defending them. It got me so angry. In some ways I felt a tiny bit of sympathy for some but others I really didn't. I'd met lots of evil people that did terrible things to my dad but he haunted my dreams for months after seeing him Bethany Haines "Some stood by IS despite them being eradicated in that area at the time and they couldn't really understand the pain and evil they were bringing to the world.' Bethany added: 'I have really seen close up every facet of the evil that IS has within its groups. It has been truly harrowing.'
Scottish Sun
26-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
I probe the minds of evil killers… infamous cat slayer signed his letters with sick moniker & lives in cloud cuckoo land
True crime expert Teemu Saarenpää admits Magnotta was not the most evil person he became pen pals with BEHIND BARS I probe the minds of evil killers… infamous cat slayer signed his letters with sick moniker & lives in cloud cuckoo land HE'S the psychopathic killer who filmed himself feeding a live kitten to a python and suffocating another in a plastic bag in a chilling bid for internet notoriety. But the sickening videos were a prelude to monstrous Luka Magnotta's final act - stabbing a lover to death, chopping up his body and posting out the severed body parts to schools and politicians. Advertisement 13 Luka Magnotta, a model and porn actor, was dubbed the 'Canadian Psycho' Credit: AFP 13 Jun Lin was violently murdered by Luka Magnotta in 2012 Credit: Rex Features 13 Magnotta used a python and other cruel methods to kill kittens in videos he posted online Credit: Collect Yet the Canadian, now 42, who was jailed for 25 years in 2014 for murdering Chinese university student Jun Lin, 33, remains remorseless according to true crime expert Teemu Saarenpää. After exchanging letters with Magnotta, real name Eric Newman, he believes the 'extremely ego-centric' killer 'lives in la la land' and remains in denial that he committed any wrongdoing. Advertisement Teemu, 41, who runs blog Forenseek, tells The Sun: 'He lives in a totally upside-down, candy land world where he believes he's accused of something he didn't do. 'He's in denial, doesn't take responsibility for what he did and portrays himself as someone misunderstood by an evil society that set him up. 'He was unreflective of his deeds and is clearly a wannabe celebrity who wanted to be famous and a glamorous god. 'Because he wasn't able to obtain that fame through any real talent, he decided to become infamous instead.' Magnotta, who was the subject of hit 2019 Netflix docuseries Don't F*** With Cats, is one of many monsters Teemu has been able to see inside the mind of by writing letters to them in prison. Advertisement Other notable inmates he's probed include Charles Bronson, who made a distasteful quip about hostage-taking, and 'Night Stalker' serial killer Richard Ramirez, who was the 'most evil person' he's spoken to. Speaking to The Sun for our Meeting a Monster series, Teemu admits he was particularly surprised by Magnotta's absolute refusal to acknowledge his callous crimes. In one letter Magnotta, known as 'Canadian Pyscho', refuted claims he was an animal killer - despite being captured on film - and brushed it off as jealous rivals who were 'very good with Photoshop'. Pathetic last days of Rose West revealed as serial killer monster can barely walk, has no friends & has new fake identity 13 Police say Magnotta had up to 80 aliases online Credit: Collect 13 Magnotta had aspirations of being a model Advertisement 13 A dead dog along with other incriminating things were found near to Magnotta's flat Credit: Splash News 13 The Canadian stabbed his lover Jun Lin to death with a screwdriver after tying him to a bed Credit: AP:Associated Press Among the incriminating clips was '1 Boy 2 Kittens', which showed him putting the animals into a plastic bag before using a vacuum to suffocate them. Yet Magnotta told Teemu: 'I never in my life harmed any animals – I actually adore them… I was falsely accused of willingly participating in some bizarre animal videos. I'm completely bewildered.' Chillingly, he also signed off his letter: 'Luka, aka cuddle cat'. Advertisement Magnotta snubbed doctors, who diagnosed him as schizophrenic, claiming they were 'self-serving' and created 'misleading reports'. One medical professional, he alleged, was 'obsessed with making a name for himself' - when in fact, according to Teemu, it was Magnotta who possessed a 'desperate obsession with getting a personality cult on the internet'. Magnotta, who says he has a 132 IQ score, also denied having created multiple online aliases - despite police reporting as many as 80 existed - claiming it to be the work of deranged fans. I never in my life harmed any animals – I actually adore them… I was falsely accused of willingly participating in some bizarre animal videos. I'm completely bewildered Luka Magnotta in a letter to Teemu Saarenpää 'If these idiots copied photos of me and impersonated me online, that's on them, that's their problem… I'm told people posing as me is an epidemic online,' he told Teemu, who's from Finland. 'I find it so pathetic and have always ignored it. I never, I repeat NEVER had any fake accounts, nor did I ever pose as anyone other than myself.' Advertisement When Magnotta was snared for murdering Jun Lin, cops discovered an 11-minute snuff film titled '1 Lunatic 1 Icepick', which showed him repeatedly stabbing his victim with a screwdriver and dismembering him. Sickeningly they revealed the killer used one of Lin's body parts to perform a sex act, then carved up his body with a knife and fork and fed bits of it to a dog. Teemu considered Luka deluded, describing him as 'in his own munchkin world' - unlike his other killer pen pal Richard Ramirez, who 'was aware he was evil and didn't give a s***'. 'The most evil person I've written to' 13 Monster Richard Ramirez murdered at least 14 people in the 80s 13 Ramirez was known as 'The Night Stalker' killer Credit: Netflix Advertisement 13 Ramirez proudly flashed a pentagram he had drawn on his hand in court Credit: Getty - Contributor The monster, dubbed 'the Night Stalker', murdered at least 14 people and raped multiple women at knife-point, often in front of their partners and children. Teemu wrote to Ramirez, who plagued California during the Eighties, in a bid to understand how someone 'so tangibly evil' thought. 'He was definitely the most evil person I've written to,' Teemu says. 'Ramirez embraced being as depraved, as horrible, as deplorable as a human being could be. 'He was a Satanist. He embraced everything evil and spoke about worshipping the Devil, who he believed to be a real entity. Advertisement 'He didn't give a s*** about anything, killing was for fun for him, and even after he received the death penalty, he said, 'Big deal, death always came with the territory, I'll see you in Disneyland'.' But in Ramirez's letter, Teemu claimed he came across 'more like a chilled Californian surfer' or 'Keanu Reeves in the Bill & Ted movies' than a depraved murderer. He says: 'There are some killers who are very verbose and self-reflective, but Ramirez was the exact opposite. "He liked AC/DC, Eighties muscle cars, chicks, beer, that sort of thing.' I wouldn't want to be anywhere near him. If he was in a 10km radius, I'd get on a bus in the opposite direction Teemu Saarenpää Teemu suspects Ramirez was either not very intelligent or masquerading with a 'mundane mask of sanity' to pretend he was normal. Advertisement Teemu found one element of Ramirez's letter particularly chilling - the question: 'So any nieces or nephews in your life?' 'It was such a weird and specific thing to say that I looked it up online and Ramirez has a habit of asking penpals that question before trying to get them to send pictures of them,' Teemu explains. He fears this was a ploy to solicit snaps of underage children - and suspects it shows Ramirez - who died of natural causes in 2013 - was a paedophile. The death row inmate was known to have previously molested two kids in a lift and forced a three-year-old boy, who he tied up, to watch his mother being raped. Shock discovery Teemu's fascination with dark subject matter began after meeting a sweet old lady who he became friends with during his childhood - only to discover she was a murderer. Advertisement 'Sometime later I heard from my parents that she killed her husband and buried him in the garden of her home,' he says. 'You absolutely wouldn't believe it if you met her. It made me realise there is no 'killer gene' or anything categorically different in the brains of killers to the rest of the public, which I found really intriguing.' The revelation set him on a path to try to get inside the minds of famous killers, initially through reading books and watching documentaries, before deciding to write to them. 'I find the dark side of human life, full of stories so different from my lived reality, so fascinating,' Teemu says. 'I'm a normal, middle class dude, a bit like Milhouse from The Simpsons, so finding out about these people is like looking into the inverse mirror. Advertisement 'It makes me think how my life could have been if I was born in a warzone, watched people die, gone through a traumatic childhood or lived in an abusive family.' 'Violent psychopath' 13 Charles Bronson wasn't as intimidating in letters, as Teemu predicted 13 Bronson sent Teemu a painted postcard Credit: Supplied Teemu also exchanged letters with Charles Bronson, who he says came across like a 'jolly British bloke' and acted like 'someone you'd meet in a pub after an Arsenal match'. He wrote to the crook because he found his 'totally relentless one-man war against the authorities' fascinating. Advertisement 'If you told him, 'You can turn right to gold and chocolate and left to hell', he would turn to hell and refuse to obey, even if the decision did not help him,' Teemu says. Bronson sent Teemu a piece of artwork depicting himself topless on a beach musing about no longer being in prison. It featured the Latin phrase 'Candor dat viribus alas', which translates to 'Candour gives wings to strength', and the sketch of a book titled 'Freedom is Wonderful by Charles Bronson'. Additionally he sent a short letter quizzing Teemu about his life, and was 'charismatic, verbose and always making jokes'. 'You can see how he would have a certain magnetism and women would want to be with him,' he says of the lag, who has married twice while behind bars and had several girlfriends. Advertisement You can see how he would have a certain magnetism and women would want to be with him Teemu on Charles Bronson But beneath the surface, Teemu noted a darker side. Bronson made a distasteful joke in response to him disclosing he had worked with refugees from Afghanistan, Iran and Iraq. Bronson wrote: 'You mention that you work with folks from the Middle East. That's funny because you reminded me of a story where I took someone hostage – that person was Middle Eastern.' Teemu adds: 'He didn't elaborate but... he said it like someone would say, 'I went to Italy the other day,' but being Bronson he's like, 'Oh yeah, I took an Iranian guy hostage'.' He adds he would never meet the "violent psychopath" in person, admitting: 'I wouldn't want to be anywhere near him. If he was in a 10km radius, I'd get on a bus in the opposite direction.' Read more about Teemu's interviews with serial killers and murderers at Advertisement 13 Teemu's fascination with dark subject matter began after meeting a sweet old lady who he became friends with during his childhood - only to discover she was a murderer Credit: Supplied
Scottish Sun
29-06-2025
- Scottish Sun
‘Crossbow Cannibal' smirked as I searched his house of horrors… there were things in his bathtub no one should ever see
Traumatised officer reveals how the cocky serial killer changed before his eyes after a chance sighting finally closed the net around him SICKEST MIND 'Crossbow Cannibal' smirked as I searched his house of horrors… there were things in his bathtub no one should ever see Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) HE was a PhD student by day, and a sadistic 'Crossbow Cannibal' by night - a monster hiding in plain sight. But few know the horrors committed by Stephen Griffiths better than the officer who raided his chilling flat, greeted by the stench of death and horrific discoveries that made the "hair at the back of your neck stand up". 16 Stephen Griffiths brutally murdered three women in cold blood 16 His final victim was Suzanne Blamires, whose attack led to his arrest 16 The evil murderer was caught on camera launching an attack on Suzanne Credit: Amazon Prime Between 2009 and 2010, the sick monster - now aged 55 - killed three sex workers operating close to his flat on the edge of Bradford's red light district, cannibalising and dismembering them. But the self-styled 'Crossbow Cannibal' - who fantasised about becoming a serial killer - saw his twisted spree come crashing down when chilling CCTV footage exposed his final, brutal act. In May 2010, Griffiths was caught on film with a crossbow in hand, attacking a woman who had followed him into his flat in Bradford. The grainy footage showed her trying to flee, with Griffiths chasing her down. It was a scene so disturbing that the caretaker who discovered it immediately called his manager and then the police. One of the officers brought in was Damian Sharp, a former firearms tactical advisor, who was urgently called to one of West Yorkshire Police's major planning stations. Speaking exclusively to The Sun, as part of our Meeting a Monster series, Damian recalls: "Whatever that security man's motives were for checking the footage, it's extremely good he did because it probably saved the lives of a lot of women. "In regards to the woman in the footage, when we got the call, we had to make the assumption that she was still alive. "She was dragged back into the flat and is essentially a hostage, and has been rendered unconscious. "It was not a good situation at all, especially with the crossbow. We treated it as a hostage situation, but we were dealing with what we call a collapsing timeframe. "We had to keep the wheels turning because every second counted. A hostage situation can turn fatal very quickly." 'Crossbow Cannibal' who dismembered and ate his victims 'is attacked in prison AGAIN The tactical plan was clear - surround the building, box Griffiths in, and storm the flat before he had a chance to act again. Tasers were drawn, and officers prepared to strike. "The officers barged in and he was in bed", Damian recalls. "He didn't know what was going on. "The preemptive Taser was taken out because the officer thought there was no requirement for that. He was clearly not a threat. "He was cuffed, and then he changed from being compliant to a bit cocky almost and almost abrasive. "And obviously, there was an immediate search of the apartment. Unfortunately, no female was found." 16 Griffiths' first known victim was Susan Rushworth, who he killed in June 2009 16 Shelley Armitage went missing in April 2010 - parts of her body were later discovered dumped in a river 16 Griffiths used his crossbow to carry out some of his twisted crimes In that moment, the team's worst fears were confirmed. The woman in the footage was gone. Griffiths had already killed her and disposed of her remains. Damian says during the search of the blood-smeared apartment, his team came across 'unsettling' items in places like the oven, which gave credence to Griffiths' cannibal nickname. He says: "There were things in the bathtub and they were not nice. There was an awful smell in the apartment. "The environment was unsettling. Enough to make the hair at the back of your neck stand up." In their investigation, police discovered that Griffiths tried unsuccessfully to get a second female into the apartment that same night, indicating that the incident caught on CCTV was not just an isolated case. 81 different body pieces Investigators quickly pieced together that the woman in the film was Suzanne Blamires, 36, a sex worker who had a "promising life" but fell in with the wrong crowd. A court later heard how 81 different pieces of Suzanne's body were eventually found in or by the River Aire in Shipley. She was Griffiths' final victim, having already murdered 31-year-old Shelley Armitage in April 2010 and Susan Rushworth, 43, in June the previous year. Damian, who has dealt with some of the UK's most evil criminals, says: "As far as what he did to those girls, the Crossbow Cannibal is right up there. I don't think it gets much worse than what he did. "He showed no remorse for what he'd done. He bragged about it. He was quite pleased with himself." Sister's horror Now, a new Amazon Prime documentary, The Crossbow Cannibal, examines Griffiths' heinous crimes and the vile way he gained his moniker. In the film, his estranged sister Caroline breaks her silence for the first time to talk about her brother's actions, suggesting she had long sensed he was hiding a darkness. Describing the gut feeling she had when a news report talked about a killer, she says: "I was enjoying my fish and chips and the BBC news was on. "It came on that a 40-year-old man from Bradford. Arrested. Body parts [were] found in a river. As far as what he did to those girls, the Crossbow Cannibal is right up there. I don't think it gets much worse than what he did. He showed no remorse for what he'd done. Damian Sharp "I made this funny noise - kind of sucked air through my teeth. And I just said, 'My brother. I bet you that's my brother'." She adds: 'I watch true crime and I think that's terrible. But then I also think my brother did worse than that. "You hear about people chopping people up, and you think it's awful, and then the words 81 pieces come into your head. "And you never really come to terms with it. But it's real. It happened." Sickest crimes 16 During his police interrogation, Griffiths said he had 'killed loads' 16 His home near the red light district was described as a slaughterhouse Credit: NB PRESS LTD 16 Police discovered the crossbow he used in the attacks during a search of his home After Griffiths' arrest, he was quickly linked to Susan and Shelley's disappearance, as cops feared another case of the Yorkshire Ripper, who killed more than 22 women. His first kill came in June 2009 when he targeted Susan. In the film, Christa Ackyord, a Yorkshire-based journalist, says: "I know mutual friends. I've talked to her brother. She literally went down the wrong track. It was all going so well for Susan. "She was married, she had children, she was also a grandma." But Susan's life fell apart when her marriage failed, and she turned to drugs and prostitution. She tried to get things back on track, but fell back into addiction. She was last seen walking near the red light district in Bradford, where she'd sometimes sold sex to fund her habit. That morning, Susan told a friend she was "just going to see a punter" - unaware she was about to walk into the hands of a cold-blooded killer. Her client was Stephen Griffiths. He had spotted her before and lured her in under the guise of paying for sex. Once inside his flat, Susan was never seen alive again. Sickening spree There were multiple police appeals and efforts to locate Susan. Exactly what happened inside remains unknown - her body was never found. Susan's family were left devastated. Her daughter described her as a "kind, caring woman" who had struggled with addiction but was "trying to turn her life around". Her death marked the start of Griffiths' sick killing spree - and for police, the nightmare was just beginning. Shelley Armitage was just 31, and described as bright, ambitious, and dreaming of modelling and a life beyond Bradford's streets. Friends say she "could have been a beautiful model" and had a bubbly personality. But a spiral of heroin and alcohol addiction drew her into sex work. On April 26, 2010, she was last seen on CCTV walking along Rebecca Street in Bradford's red light district . She disappeared after leaving her flat in Allerton with a friend and never returned home . Her boyfriend, Robert Preston, filed a missing persons report two days later. Again, several police appeals were launched with investigators pleading with the public for help to locate Shelley. Griffiths had lured Shelley to his flat under the pretence of sex, then tied her up in his bathtub while filming the ordeal on his phone, police later revealed. Mobile phones retrieved from his home showed images of Shelley's naked, dead body with the words: "My sex slave" written on her. Another video showed a nude body that had been bound. Griffith provided vile commentary describing himself as a "bloodbath artist". The murderer showed no remorse when detectives sat him down in the interview room. He was calm, collected and even smug as he detailed his horrific crimes. He confessed that Susan was killed with a hammer. He then dismembered her body with machine tools, he said. 16 Police divers in the River Aire made several gruesome discoveries Credit: Amazon Prime 16 Human remains belonging to Suzanne and Shelley were found in the water Credit: Amazon Prime Griffiths also claimed he cooked and ate part of her flesh. In one shocking moment, he described eating the flesh of his victims as "part of the magic". He admitted to killing Shelley with a crossbow and dismembering her in the bath. He informed detectives that they would find traces of her body on the cooker in his home. He recalled butchering Suzanne Blamires with a crossbow. After divulging the information, he stopped talking to the cops, letting them know that to become a serial killer, he only needed to kill three people. Investigators quickly started piecing together a sinister motive - Griffith was after notoriety and infamy. He wanted to surpass his idol, serial killer Peter Sutcliffe, the Yorkshire Ripper. In the documentary, his sister says: "He once told me as well that if he couldn't be famous, he would be infamous. And that if I was famous and was more famous than him, he would find me and kill me." Crossbow Cannibal 16 When asked his name in court, Griffiths chillingly said he was the 'Crossbow Cannibal' Credit: Amazon Prime 16 Griffiths was given a whole life order in December 2010 Credit: Amazon Prime When Griffiths first appeared in Bradford Crown Court on June 25, 2010, the room fell into stunned silence. He stood in the dock, unshaven, wearing a grey prison sweatshirt. When asked to confirm his name, he chillingly replied: "I am the Crossbow Cannibal." It was the first time the public heard the nickname, a vile moniker he had clearly chosen for himself, designed to terrify. Griffiths showed no remorse throughout the proceedings. The evidence against him was overwhelming, with CCTV footage and forensic evidence from his flat playing a crucial role. Cops also had the phone video he filmed of himself tormenting Shelley Armitage in the bath, and remains recovered from the River Aire. He once told me as well that if he couldn't be famous, he would be infamous. And that if I was famous and was more famous than him, he would find me and kill me Caroline Griffiths In addition, blood samples from all three women were retrieved from his apartment, which was called a slaughterhouse in the media. He was charged with three counts of murder and pleaded guilty to each one. At his trial, the court heard how he had targeted vulnerable women working in Bradford's red light district, luring them into his home before murdering and dismembering them. In December 2010, Mr Justice Openshaw, sentencing Griffiths to a whole life order, told him: "You are a very dangerous man and in my judgment you should never be released from prison." Griffiths showed no reaction. He stood still and silent, not even looking at the victims' families who sat weeping just metres away. He was sent to Wakefield Prison, among some of Britain's most notorious killers. In November last year, Griffiths was attacked in prison by one of Suzanne Blamires' friends who was also incarcerated. 'Worst fears' 16 Suzanne was from a good family, but turned to drugs and prostitution after falling on hard times Credit: 16 Shelley's family says she was on the verge of turning her life around before the murder Credit: Today, Griffiths' sister only has one question - why. She says: "I just want to ask him why, probably. Why did he do this, and who are you? I'd probably tell him that I loved him as well. People might be shocked to hear that, but he's my brother. My big brother." Christa Ackyord says the attention must always be brought back to Griffiths' victims and their families. She explains: "For their families, they were people that they loved. People that they tried to help. People that they were desperately worried about. And their worst fears came true. "And they ended up meeting a psychopath. A cold-hearted killer who wanted to be famous."
The Irish Sun
29-06-2025
- The Irish Sun
‘Crossbow Cannibal' smirked as I searched his house of horrors… there were things in his bathtub no one should ever see
HE was a PhD student by day, and a sadistic 'Crossbow Cannibal' by night - a monster hiding in plain sight. But few know the horrors committed by Advertisement 16 Stephen Griffiths brutally murdered three women in cold blood 16 His final victim was Suzanne Blamires, whose attack led to his arrest 16 The evil murderer was caught on camera launching an attack on Suzanne Credit: Amazon Prime Between 2009 and 2010, the sick monster - now aged 55 - killed three sex workers operating close to his flat on the edge of Bradford's red light district, cannibalising and dismembering them. But the self-styled 'Crossbow Cannibal' - who fantasised about becoming a serial killer - saw his twisted spree come crashing down when chilling Advertisement In May 2010, Griffiths was caught on film with a crossbow in hand, attacking a woman who had followed him into his flat in Bradford. The grainy footage showed her trying to flee, with Griffiths chasing her down. It was a scene so disturbing that the caretaker who discovered it immediately called his manager and then the police. One of the officers brought in was Damian Sharp, a former firearms tactical advisor, who was urgently called to one of West Yorkshire Police's major planning stations. Speaking exclusively to The Sun, as part of our Meeting a Monster series, Damian recalls: "Whatever that security man's motives were for checking the footage, it's extremely good he did because it probably saved the lives of a lot of women. "In regards to the woman in the footage, when we got the call, we had to make the assumption that she was still alive. Advertisement "She was dragged back into the flat and is essentially a hostage, and has been rendered unconscious. "It was not a good situation at all, especially with the crossbow. We treated it as a hostage situation, but we were dealing with what we call a collapsing timeframe. "We had to keep the wheels turning because every second counted. A hostage situation can turn fatal very quickly." 'Crossbow Cannibal' who dismembered and ate his victims 'is attacked in prison AGAIN The tactical plan was clear - surround the building, box Griffiths in, and storm the flat before he had a chance to act again. Tasers were drawn, and officers prepared to strike. Advertisement "The officers barged in and he was in bed", Damian recalls. "He didn't know what was going on. "The preemptive Taser was taken out because the officer thought there was no requirement for that. He was clearly not a threat. "He was cuffed, and then he changed from being compliant to a bit cocky almost and almost abrasive. "And obviously, there was an immediate search of the apartment. Unfortunately, no female was found." 16 Griffiths' first known victim was Susan Rushworth, who he killed in June 2009 Advertisement 16 Shelley Armitage went missing in April 2010 - parts of her body were later discovered dumped in a river 16 Griffiths used his crossbow to carry out some of his twisted crimes In that moment, the team's worst fears were confirmed. The woman in the footage was gone. Griffiths had Damian says during the search of the blood-smeared apartment, his team came across 'unsettling' items in places like the oven, which gave credence to Griffiths' cannibal nickname. Advertisement He says: "There were things in the bathtub and they were not nice. There was an awful smell in the apartment. "The environment was unsettling. Enough to make the hair at the back of your neck stand up." In their investigation, police discovered that Griffiths tried unsuccessfully to get a second female into the apartment that same night, indicating that the incident caught on CCTV was not just an isolated case. 81 different body pieces Investigators quickly pieced together that the woman in the film was Suzanne Blamires, 36, a sex worker who had a "promising life" but fell in with the wrong crowd. A court later heard how 81 different pieces of Suzanne's body were eventually found in or by the River Aire in Shipley. Advertisement She was Griffiths' final victim, having already murdered 31-year-old Shelley Armitage in April 2010 and Susan Rushworth, 43, in June the previous year. Damian, who has dealt with some of the UK's most evil criminals, says: "As far as what he did to those girls, the Crossbow Cannibal is right up there. I don't think it gets much worse than what he did. "He showed no remorse for what he'd done. He bragged about it. He was quite pleased with himself." Sister's horror Now, a new Amazon Prime documentary, The Crossbow Cannibal, examines Griffiths' heinous crimes and the vile way he gained his moniker. In the film, his estranged sister Caroline breaks her silence for the first time to talk about her brother's actions, suggesting she had long sensed he was hiding a darkness. Advertisement Describing the gut feeling she had when a news report talked about a killer, she says: "I was enjoying my fish and chips and the BBC news was on. "It came on that a 40-year-old man from Bradford. Arrested. Body parts [were] found in a river. As far as what he did to those girls, the Crossbow Cannibal is right up there. I don't think it gets much worse than what he did. He showed no remorse for what he'd done. Damian Sharp "I made this funny noise - kind of sucked air through my teeth. And I just said, 'My brother. I bet you that's my brother'." She adds: 'I watch true crime and I think that's terrible. But then I also think my brother did worse than that. "You hear about people chopping people up, and you think it's awful, and then the words 81 pieces come into your head. Advertisement "And you never really come to terms with it. But it's real. It happened." Sickest crimes 16 During his police interrogation, Griffiths said he had 'killed loads' 16 His home near the red light district was described as a slaughterhouse Credit: NB PRESS LTD 16 Police discovered the crossbow he used in the attacks during a search of his home After Griffiths' arrest, he was quickly linked to Susan and Shelley's disappearance, as cops feared another case of the Yorkshire Ripper, who Advertisement His first kill came in June 2009 when he targeted Susan. In the film, Christa Ackyord, a Yorkshire-based journalist, says: "I know mutual friends. I've talked to her brother. She literally went down the wrong track. It was all going so well for Susan. "She was married, she had children, she was also a grandma." But Susan's life fell apart when her marriage failed, and she turned to drugs and prostitution. She tried to get things back on track, but fell back into addiction. She was last seen walking near the red light district in Bradford, where she'd sometimes sold sex to fund her habit. Advertisement That morning, Susan told a friend she was "just going to see a punter" - unaware she was about to walk into the hands of a cold-blooded killer. Her client was Stephen Griffiths. He had spotted her before and lured her in under the guise of paying for sex. Once inside his flat, Susan was never seen alive again. Sickening spree There were multiple police appeals and efforts to locate Susan. Exactly what happened inside remains unknown - her body was never found. Susan's family were left devastated. Her daughter described her as a "kind, caring woman" who had struggled with addiction but was "trying to turn her life around". Her death marked the start of Griffiths' sick killing spree - and for police, the nightmare was just beginning. Advertisement Shelley Armitage was just 31, and described as bright, ambitious, and dreaming of modelling and a life beyond Bradford's streets. Friends say she "could have been a beautiful model" and had a bubbly personality. But a spiral of heroin and alcohol addiction drew her into sex work. On April 26, 2010, she was last seen on CCTV walking along Rebecca Street in Bradford's red light district . She disappeared after leaving her flat in Allerton with a friend and never returned home . Her boyfriend, Robert Preston, filed a missing persons report two days later. Advertisement Again, several police appeals were launched with investigators pleading with the public for help to locate Shelley. Griffiths had lured Shelley to his flat under the pretence of sex, then tied her up in his bathtub while filming the ordeal on his phone, police later revealed. Mobile phones retrieved from his home showed images of Shelley's naked, dead body with the words: "My sex slave" written on her. Another video showed a nude body that had been bound. Griffith provided vile commentary describing himself as a "bloodbath artist". The murderer showed no remorse when detectives sat him down in the interview room. Advertisement He was calm, collected and even smug as he detailed his horrific crimes. He confessed that Susan was killed with a hammer. He then dismembered her body with machine tools, he said. 16 Police divers in the River Aire made several gruesome discoveries Credit: Amazon Prime 16 Human remains belonging to Suzanne and Shelley were found in the water Credit: Amazon Prime Griffiths also claimed he cooked and ate part of her flesh. In one shocking moment, he described eating the flesh of his victims as "part of the magic". He admitted to killing Shelley with a crossbow and dismembering her in the bath. He informed detectives that they would find traces of her body on the cooker in his home. Advertisement He recalled butchering Suzanne Blamires with a crossbow. After divulging the information, he stopped talking to the cops, letting them know that to become a serial killer, he only needed to kill three people. Investigators quickly started piecing together a sinister motive - Griffith was after notoriety and infamy. He wanted to surpass his idol, serial killer Peter Sutcliffe, the Yorkshire Ripper. In the documentary, his sister says: "He once told me as well that if he couldn't be famous, he would be infamous. And that if I was famous and was more famous than him, he would find me and kill me." Crossbow Cannibal 16 When asked his name in court, Griffiths chillingly said he was the 'Crossbow Cannibal' Credit: Amazon Prime 16 Griffiths was given a whole life order in December 2010 Credit: Amazon Prime Advertisement When Griffiths first appeared in Bradford Crown Court on June 25, 2010, the room fell into stunned silence. He stood in the dock, unshaven, wearing a grey prison sweatshirt. When asked to confirm his name, he chillingly replied: "I am the Crossbow Cannibal." It was the first time the public heard the nickname, a vile moniker he had clearly chosen for himself, designed to terrify. Griffiths showed no remorse throughout the proceedings. The evidence against him was overwhelming, with CCTV footage and forensic evidence from his flat playing a crucial role. Cops also had the phone video he filmed of himself tormenting Shelley Armitage in the bath, and remains recovered from the River Aire. Advertisement He once told me as well that if he couldn't be famous, he would be infamous. And that if I was famous and was more famous than him, he would find me and kill me Caroline Griffiths In addition, blood samples from all three women were retrieved from his apartment, which was called a slaughterhouse in the media. He was charged with three counts of murder and pleaded guilty to each one. At his trial, the court heard how he had targeted vulnerable women working in Bradford's red light district, luring them into his home before murdering and dismembering them. In December 2010, Mr Justice Openshaw, sentencing Griffiths to a whole life order, told him: "You are a very dangerous man and in my judgment you should never be released from prison." Griffiths showed no reaction. He stood still and silent, not even looking at the victims' families who sat weeping just metres away. Advertisement He was sent to In November last year, Griffiths 'Worst fears' 16 Suzanne was from a good family, but turned to drugs and prostitution after falling on hard times Credit: 16 Shelley's family says she was on the verge of turning her life around before the murder Credit: Today, Griffiths' sister only has one question - why. Advertisement She says: "I just want to ask him why, probably. Why did he do this, and who are you? I'd probably tell him that I loved him as well. People might be shocked to hear that, but he's my brother. My big brother." Christa Ackyord says the attention must always be brought back to Griffiths' victims and their families. She explains: "For their families, they were people that they loved. People that they tried to help. People that they were desperately worried about. And their worst fears came true. "And they ended up meeting a psychopath. A cold-hearted killer who wanted to be famous." 16 Stephen Griffiths killed his victims in an attempt to be as infamous as the serial killers he idolised Credit: Amazon Prime Advertisement
