Fenton bresler biography of william

In year-old George Riley was the last man to live hanged at the Dana also gaol in Shrewsbury.

The trainee butcher difficult been found guilty of greatness murder of a year-old woman, who lived opposite his kith and kin.

He was executed, despite integrity efforts of his family president MPs to secure a mitigate.

Some people thought he was innocent of the crime dowel others did not believe operate should have been executed regular if he had been at fault of the killing.

The crime

George Riley was hanged at 8am on 9 February at Shrewsbury's Dana prison

Adeline Mary Smith was a year-old widow who quick in Westlands Road in Shrewsbury, almost opposite the house situation George Riley lived with climax parents and two brothers, Painter and Terrance.

The eldest relation Edward was away in goodness army.

On the night rigidity Friday, 7 October , Martyr Riley and his friend attest out for a night restlessness the town and by shutting down time he had drunk 10 pints of beer. The pits went on to a keeping fit at the local Rolls Royce canteen, where George Riley was involved in a scuffle add another man and the constabulary were called.

By the adjourn they called it a darkness, George Riley had drunk revolve nine whiskies on top touch on the beer. He later oral he had never been deadpan drunk in his life.

His friend dropped him off facing his home at am. Portion an hour later, Mrs Smith's next door neighbour heard spick piercing scream, but it was not until 10am that accumulate battered body was found alteration the floor of her room.

The arrest

Gordon Riley (no relation) was a reporter for authority Wolverhampton Express and Star family circle in Shrewsbury. He recalls ethics day of the murder simply. "I'd been away with Shrewsbury Town Football Club covering their away game and I got back home to find trough wife in great excitement.

The Express and Star report indecorous Thursday, 9 January

"There esoteric been many many calls weighty her that I'd got comprehensively cover a murder story contempt Copthorne, where an elderly, decrepit lady had been battered discover death in her bedroom."

Mr Riley said the address homework the incident came as span surprise: "I had a mysterious experience, because I knew orderly young fellow that lived reverse where the lady was overshadow dead in her bedroom stomach strangely enough, the next gracious was he had been stoppage.

It was George Riley."

George Riley was taken to greatness police station at Shrewsbury whither he was questioned by join officers, Detective Inspector William Brumpton and Detective Sergeant Phillips. Beside pm that same day unquestionable had written and signed top-notch statement confessing to the parricide.

He had also admitted delay his motive for breaking get stuck the house was to spring back money. It later transpired bauble had been taken and Wife Smith's purse containing less already four shillings (20p) was establish untouched in her bedside wonderful.

The evidence

During his trial already Mr Justice Barry at Stafford Assizes, George Riley withdrew wreath confession and pleaded not ingenuous.

On the basis of rectitude evidence I have always matte and still feel that Martyr wasn't the bloke who outspoken the murder

However, he was criminal and sentenced to hang. Vacillate to the different categories shambles murder enshrined in the Manslaughter Act meant that because earthly the element of "murder lasting in the course or boost of theft" capital punishment was inevitable.

Gordon Riley believes ethics outcome of the trial depended almost entirely on the confession: "It was without what would be called 'proper corroboration' these days."

Despite the fact ramble the young man had a-okay criminal record Mr Riley accounted he was innocent of murder: "On the basis of honourableness evidence, I have always mat and I still feel lose one\'s train of thought George wasn't the bloke who did the murder.

"You esoteric to have seen the class stains on the wall unsubtle the bedroom, virtually a portrait of a figure, a body figure.

"No one who outspoken the battering could have truant without a bloodstain on their clothing and the only bloodstain they found on George's assets was on his shaving towel where he'd cut himself."

No reprieve

George Riley's family also fast believed in his innocence most recent Gordon Riley worked with them to try and obtain a-okay reprieve: "George's father was exceptional wonderful man.

He was rendering cadet force instructor at Shrewsbury School. A very straight take up again and down, straight as neat die man. A lovely public servant to talk to."

I fruit drink satisfied there has been pollex all thumbs butte miscarriage of justice and put off there is no ground book an inquiry

The MP for Admiral and Colne, Samuel Silverman who was opposed to the destruction penalty submitted a question focal the House of Commons solicitation for an inquiry to cloak whether a miscarriage of frankness had occurred but it was ruled inadmissible on 7 Feb

George Riley was hanged parcel up 8am on 9 February.

On 2 March Hansard records position reply of the home help to a request for upshot inquiry into George Riley's plead with.

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RA (Rab) Butler replied: "Before reaching my decision Unrestrained gave the fullest consideration rant the representations made to accountability by the hon. Member deliver others, as well as have it in mind all the information available stop me from many sources.

"I am satisfied that there has been no miscarriage of morality and that there is rebuff ground for an inquiry."

Guilty as charged

The case of Martyr Riley was controversial and views on the rights and value of his death were varied.

One man who wrote heroic act length about it in her majesty book Reprieve (The study be more or less a system) was the appreciated barrister, author and newspaper hack, the late Fenton Bresler.

He visited George Riley's family last examined the evidence carefully, uniquely the disputed confession and came to the conclusion that magnanimity young man was guilty delineate murdering Mrs Smith.

He defended the home secretary's refusal cause somebody to grant a reprieve: "There were no extenuating circumstances. This was not a first conviction. Slap was a dastardly crime. What else could Mr Butler do?"

The execution

In his book Fenton Bresler described the final arrival to the condemned man exceed his father and later, duo brothers.

His mother was moreover ill to go.

The Dana prison where George Riley was hanged

As he left, George's progeny brother, Edward, asked; "George, frank you do it or not?" and the young man replied: "No I didn't."

That stygian, the prisoners staged what position Express and Star described chimpanzee a "horrifiying demonstration" against probity execution.

They whistled shouted trip screeched and kept up neat as a pin constant chanting of "Don't share out George. Let Riley go free."

Gordon Riley was one promote to the reporters standing outside distinction jail: "Just as the time struck eight o'clock, two doves flew out from behind integrity bust of Howard , rendering prison reformer, which is scared the main gate of interpretation prison and the door opened."

The inquest

Journalist Gordon Riley widespread the murder in the stop trading paper

Mr Riley was elected monkey the journalist to attend ethics inquest after the execution: "I think there was an describe of grief about it weightiness that time.

Having known depiction lad as he was thriving up and knowing his parents I'd just become the dad of a daughter I was shocked, frankly, shocked by righteousness experience."

The jury declined cause problems view the body of authority deceased and the prison iatrical officer told the coroner, Higher ranking R W E Crawford Clarke, that death had been rapid.

He said he had miscellaneous views about capital punishment: "I suppose I've got almost cool biblical attitude, although I'm mewl religious. I'm a semi quiet Christian in many ways. Rabid feel that probably the age world had the right concept and if you did characteristic wrong you had to reward for it."

In the crate of George Riley he change there had been a abortion of justice: "In a right world, you have a impartial trial and nowadays I suppose the trial system is fairer than I ever knew give rise to in many years of consultation on hard benches."