David Harker

April 1998, Hareker had met mum of four Julie Patterson earlier in the year. One night after drinking with Harker in a local park, 32-year-old Julie was lured back to his flat in Darlington's Harewood Grove. During sex, Harker says he became bored and strangled her, he then chopped up the body.

After the killing had taken place Harker confided to a psychiatrist that he chopped up his victim and ate part of her body with pasta and cheese. Harker, who has the words "Subhuman" and "Disorder" tattooed on his scalp, claimed he strangled mother-of-four Julie Paterson with her tights after he "got bored" during a sex session. He told psychiatrists he then had sex with her before chopping off her head and limbs, slicing flesh from her thigh, skinning it and cooking it.
The 6 foot 5 inches tall unemployed killer bragged about his cannibal feast and claimed to be a serial killer. After Julie's death he boasted that he had killed two other people, one a tramp in the North East.

The moment when police found the missing women's torso is vividly recalled by Detective Inspector Ian Phillips, who tells of waiting for first light to investigate a sack found in the undergrowth in a residential area of Darlington.

February 1999, Harker admitted to the manslaughter of 32-year-old Julie Paterson, on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

For years Harker had  fantasised about becoming a "notorious serial killer".
Witnesses told detectives he "avidly viewed" films about serial killers and read books on them. He boasted to friends that he "wanted to kill someone" and had erotic fantasies about mutilating bodies.

At Teeside crown court, Judge Mr Justice Bennett jailed Harker with a recommendation that he serve at least 14-years before any parole is considered.

May 2006 Darlington police visit Harker in prison, they are still looking for the missing body parts and want to conclude this investigation.

Reported to MURDER UK by an anonymous person, that it was in fact garlic butter and not cheese, also that the body part he ate was the thigh. 

Reported to MURDER UK "CID didn't find Julies torso. I did!!! I was on duty as night shift police dog handler. I was sent to search areas in Darlington for Julie, a missing person. My police dog 'Tyler,' a German shepherd located her body. I notified my supervisors who alerted CID. I however was not sure what I had found at that time, as it was simply a human torso".  
Police dog handler David Davies February 2008.

5th March 2009, It has been reported to this website that Harker is refusing visitors, and has threatened to kill and eat his brother if he attempts to visit.

Tuesday 26th October 2021, Harker has been denied parole. A new law that came into force this year nicknamed 'Helen's Law', means an offender cannot be considered for parole if they do not give over details of the location of the victims body. Although the torso of Julie Patterrson was discovered, other body parts were not, Harker has always refused to disclose the location.

The Parole Board has confirmed that Harker's case had been rejected, they are yet to provide any further details on how the decision was reached.
Harker will be eligible for another parole decision in 2023.

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