Steven Grieveson
| AKA | Sunderland Strangler |
| DOB | 14 Dec 1970 (Sagittarius) |
| Occupation | Fairground Worker |
| Kill Total | 4 + ? |
| Kill Place | Sunderland |
| Kill Date | 1990 - 1994 |
| M.O. | Strangulation |
| Victim | Simon Martin - 14 Thomas Kelly - 18 David Hanson - 15 David Grieff - 15 |
Two of the bodies were found suffocated and partially-burned in allotment sheds near their homes in Sunderland. The third, David Grieff - was discovered in a disused guest house less than two miles away. Cans of lighter fuel and glue were found beside the bodies.
May 1990, 14-year-old Simon Martin, was murdered. Grieveson told police that after performing a sex act with Simon he killed him on a mattress in a room at Gillside House in Roker, Sunderland. Grieveson said: ‘After it was finished I got scared and I started shouting at him not to tell anyone. I just flipped, I flipped, just flipped for a minute then I started strangling him then, I don’t know, I didn’t let go. The next thing he was on the bed and I got scared and I think there was a rock or something and I smashed his head in.’
Simon’s body was found on 26 May by two boys who were playing in the derelict house.
26 November 1993, 18-year-old Thomas Kelly was strangled with his own scarf in an allotment hut, in Fulwell, Sunderland. His body was then set alight.Thomas Kelly’s body was found burning.
4 February 1994, 15 year old David Hanson charred remains were found in a derelict house in Roker
25 February 1994, David Grief was strangled in an abandoned Fulwell allotment just 50 yards from where he had killed Thomas Kelly three months earlier.
11th March 1994, Grieveson was arrested for, and charged with attempted burglary at the house where the body of David Hanson had been found, after a footprint was found on boarding which was torn down to gain entry and his fingerprint was found on a basement window.
Witnesses came forward to say that Grieveson had been seen with David Grieff on the night of his death.
A DNA profile taken from semen found in David Grieff's mouth and stomach further matched Grieveson's DNA.
November 1995, Grieveson is charged with the three murders.
January 1996, Grieveson stands trial. Grieveson did not give evidence during his trial, but the court heard that Grieveson claimed all three deaths were accidents. He had said he killed them unintentionally while he was threatening his victims to ensure they did not tell anybody that he was bisexual.
28 February 1996, Grieveson is found guilty of the three murders. He is given three life sentences, and ordered to serve a minimum of 35 years.
November 2000, Detectives arrested Grieveson at Full Sutton Prison, near York, where he was serving life. He was questioned for several hours at Sunderland's Gill Bridge Police Station, about the murder of Simon Martin. Simon, aged 14, was found battered to death in Gillside House, Roker, Sunderland, in May 1990.
Grieveson denied being involved in the murder of Simon Martin.
June 2004, Grieveson has admitted his guilt to the three murders, but still claims he is innocent of the murder of Simon Martin.
22 November 2012, Grieveson confessed to the murder of 14 year-old Simon Martin, which he claims was an accident, as the death had haunted him.
24 October 2013, Grieveson was convicted and given another life term for the the murder of 14-year-old Simon Martin who had been found half naked in a derelict house in Sunderland in 1990.
Grieveson is currently incarcerated at HMP Full Sutton maximum security prison in Yorkshire.
May 1990, 14-year-old Simon Martin, was murdered. Grieveson told police that after performing a sex act with Simon he killed him on a mattress in a room at Gillside House in Roker, Sunderland. Grieveson said: ‘After it was finished I got scared and I started shouting at him not to tell anyone. I just flipped, I flipped, just flipped for a minute then I started strangling him then, I don’t know, I didn’t let go. The next thing he was on the bed and I got scared and I think there was a rock or something and I smashed his head in.’
Simon’s body was found on 26 May by two boys who were playing in the derelict house.
26 November 1993, 18-year-old Thomas Kelly was strangled with his own scarf in an allotment hut, in Fulwell, Sunderland. His body was then set alight.Thomas Kelly’s body was found burning.
4 February 1994, 15 year old David Hanson charred remains were found in a derelict house in Roker
25 February 1994, David Grief was strangled in an abandoned Fulwell allotment just 50 yards from where he had killed Thomas Kelly three months earlier.
11th March 1994, Grieveson was arrested for, and charged with attempted burglary at the house where the body of David Hanson had been found, after a footprint was found on boarding which was torn down to gain entry and his fingerprint was found on a basement window.
Witnesses came forward to say that Grieveson had been seen with David Grieff on the night of his death.
A DNA profile taken from semen found in David Grieff's mouth and stomach further matched Grieveson's DNA.
November 1995, Grieveson is charged with the three murders.
January 1996, Grieveson stands trial. Grieveson did not give evidence during his trial, but the court heard that Grieveson claimed all three deaths were accidents. He had said he killed them unintentionally while he was threatening his victims to ensure they did not tell anybody that he was bisexual.
28 February 1996, Grieveson is found guilty of the three murders. He is given three life sentences, and ordered to serve a minimum of 35 years.
November 2000, Detectives arrested Grieveson at Full Sutton Prison, near York, where he was serving life. He was questioned for several hours at Sunderland's Gill Bridge Police Station, about the murder of Simon Martin. Simon, aged 14, was found battered to death in Gillside House, Roker, Sunderland, in May 1990.
Grieveson denied being involved in the murder of Simon Martin.
June 2004, Grieveson has admitted his guilt to the three murders, but still claims he is innocent of the murder of Simon Martin.
22 November 2012, Grieveson confessed to the murder of 14 year-old Simon Martin, which he claims was an accident, as the death had haunted him.
24 October 2013, Grieveson was convicted and given another life term for the the murder of 14-year-old Simon Martin who had been found half naked in a derelict house in Sunderland in 1990.
Grieveson is currently incarcerated at HMP Full Sutton maximum security prison in Yorkshire.