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FACTFILE
September
1983, Arthur Hutchinson was on the run, after
escaping court while on remand for rape.
23rd
October 1983, Hutchinson was thinking about robbery
at a house that was holding a wedding party. Only a
couple of hours after the party had finished, he entered
the house.
He murdered 59
year old Basil Laitner, his 55 year old wife Avril, and
their 28 year old son Richard. He then raped their 18
year old daughter Nicola at knife-point before fleeing
the scene.
Basil Laitner
was found in his pyjamas lying face down at the top of
the stairs in a pool of blood, his wife, Avril, who had
tried to fend off her killer, lay in a puddle of blood
on her bedroom floor. And son Richard Laitner, also in
pyjamas, was discovered on the bed.
Hutchinson was
again on the run, moving from town to to town he wrote
letters to the police, taunting them, and nicknamed
himself "The Fox".
DNA from a
palm print at the murder scene confirmed his identity,
Saturday
5th November 1983, He was eventually caught when
he called his mother, police had been watching known
people and knew he would call his mother at some point.
The call was traced to a phone box, and police moved in.
14th
September 1984, Hutchinson was found guilty of three
murders and one rape.
He was
sentenced to life imprisonment with a recommended
minimum term of 18 years.
It emerged
during the trial, that as well as having previously been
charged with rape, he had also served 5 years in prison
for attempted murder of his brother-in-law.
December 1994, The Home
Secretary placed Hutchinson on the list of prisoners
whose life sentences should mean life, meaning that he
will never be released.
(See list
of whole life tariff prisoners here
>>)
16th May
2008, Hutchinson appealed against his life sentence
to the High Court in London, the appeal was rejected.
6th October
2008, A second appeal to the High Court was
rejected.
10th November 2008,
Appeal lodged with European Court of Human
Rights.(ECHR).
July 2013, European
Court of Human Rights rule that 'Whole Life Tariffs',
breach human rights.
June 2015, Arthur
Hutchinson’s case will be considered again, after it was
referred to the Grand Chamber of the ECHR.
Tuesday 17th January 2017,
The ECHR is due to deliver the results of the appeal
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