David Groves,
better known by his birth name Patrick David Mackay (born 25 September 1952), is a British
serial killer
A serial killer is typically a person who murders three or more persons,A
*
*
*
* with the murders taking place over more than a month and including a significant period of time between them. While most authorities set a threshold of three ...
who is believed to be one of the United Kingdom's most prolific serial murderers.
He confessed to murdering thirteen people across
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
,
Essex
Essex () is a county in the East of England. One of the home counties, it borders Suffolk and Cambridgeshire to the north, the North Sea to the east, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent across the estuary of the River Thames to the south, and G ...
and
Kent
Kent is a county in South East England and one of the home counties. It borders Greater London to the north-west, Surrey to the west and East Sussex to the south-west, and Essex to the north across the estuary of the River Thames; it faces ...
in England between 1973 and 1975.
After retracting his confessions to nine of the killings, he was convicted of three counts of manslaughter; two additional cases were left to
lie on file
In English law, applicable to England and Wales, a criminal charge is allowed to lie on file when the presiding judge agrees that there is enough evidence for a case to be made, but that it is not in the public interest for prosecution to proceed, ...
and police later found proof that he had killed one of these two victims. All of his confessions were found to match existing unsolved murders in and around London, and no one else has ever been arrested, charged or convicted for these officially still-unsolved crimes. He also attempted to kill a boy as a child.
Officially diagnosed as a psychopath at the age of fifteen, Mackay has been repeatedly denied
parole
Parole (also known as provisional release or supervised release) is a form of early release of a prison inmate where the prisoner agrees to abide by certain behavioral conditions, including checking-in with their designated parole officers, or ...
since 1995 on the basis that he is considered too dangerous for release, although in recent years has been incarcerated in
open prison
An open prison (open jail) is any jail in which the prisoners are trusted to complete sentences with minimal supervision and perimeter security and are often not locked up in their prison cells. Prisoners may be permitted to take up employment w ...
conditions with day release provisions.
In 2020, authorities launched fresh inquiries into his suspected murders, but they were unable to find sufficient evidence.
Dartford
Dartford is the principal town in the Borough of Dartford, Kent, England. It is located south-east of Central London and
is situated adjacent to the London Borough of Bexley to its west. To its north, across the Thames estuary, is Thurrock in ...
MP Gareth Johnson has repeatedly voiced his concerns over Mackay's potential release.
In July 2022, it was revealed that Mackay's case had been referred to the Parole Board again.
He is believed to be currently imprisoned at
HM Prison Leyhill
HM Prison Leyhill is a Category D men's prison, located in the parish of Tortworth in Gloucestershire, England. Leyhill Prison is operated by His Majesty's Prison Service.
History
Leyhill Prison was originally a United States military hospital ...
near
Bristol
Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in ...
in preparation for a possible release.
Early life
Mackay was born at Park Royal Hospital, now known as
Central Middlesex Hospital
Central Middlesex Hospital is in the centre of the Park Royal business estate, on the border of two London boroughs, Brent and Ealing. It is managed by the London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust.
History
The hospital was establish ...
in
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
. He grew up with his parents and sisters in
Dartford
Dartford is the principal town in the Borough of Dartford, Kent, England. It is located south-east of Central London and
is situated adjacent to the London Borough of Bexley to its west. To its north, across the Thames estuary, is Thurrock in ...
,
Kent
Kent is a county in South East England and one of the home counties. It borders Greater London to the north-west, Surrey to the west and East Sussex to the south-west, and Essex to the north across the estuary of the River Thames; it faces ...
.
His parents were Harold Mackay, a Scottish accountant, and Marion Mackay, a woman of
creole descent from Guyana. His two sisters were born later in 1954 and 1957.
As a child, Mackay was a frequent victim of
physical abuse
Physical abuse is any intentional act causing injury or trauma to another person or animal by way of bodily contact. In most cases, children are the victims of physical abuse, but adults can also be victims, as in cases of domestic violence or wo ...
at the hands of his father.
Mackay would perform poorly on his academic grades, bully his younger classmates and frequently have tantrums. A classmate would later describe Mackay as "like a little
terrorist
Terrorism, in its broadest sense, is the use of criminal violence to provoke a state of terror or fear, mostly with the intention to achieve political or religious aims. The term is used in this regard primarily to refer to intentional violen ...
" who physically attacked other pupils.
He also engaged in cruelty to animals and often tore the wings off birds.
When Mackay was ten years old, Harold died from a
heart attack
A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which may tr ...
on his way to work – the result of complications of
alcoholism
Alcoholism is, broadly, any drinking of alcohol (drug), alcohol that results in significant Mental health, mental or physical health problems. Because there is disagreement on the definition of the word ''alcoholism'', it is not a recognize ...
and a weak heart. His last words to his son were, "Remember to be good".
Mackay was supposedly unable to come to terms with the loss of his father, telling people Harold was still alive and keeping a photograph of him on his person. He did not go to the funeral in Scotland based on his mother's recommendation.
Later, he assumed the role of '
father figure
A father figure is usually an older man, normally one with power, authority, or strength, with whom one can identify on a deeply psychological level and who generates emotions generally felt towards one's father. Despite the literal term "father ...
' within the family, beating his mother and sisters.
Mackay's mother eventually moved the family to
Gravesend
Gravesend is a town in northwest Kent, England, situated 21 miles (35 km) east-southeast of Charing Cross (central London) on the Bank (geography), south bank of the River Thames and opposite Tilbury in Essex. Located in the diocese of Ro ...
from
Dartford
Dartford is the principal town in the Borough of Dartford, Kent, England. It is located south-east of Central London and
is situated adjacent to the London Borough of Bexley to its west. To its north, across the Thames estuary, is Thurrock in ...
, but family life did not improve and the police were called to the home as frequently as four times a week.
He was prone to extreme
tantrum
A tantrum, temper tantrum, lash out, meltdown, fit or hissy fit is an emotional outburst, usually associated with those in emotional distress, that is typically characterized by stubbornness, crying, screaming, violence, defiance, angry rant ...
s and fits of anger, beating his mother and sister.
He also attempted to kill a boy younger than himself, and later said he would have succeeded had he not been restrained.
[Patrick Mackay, psychopathic repeat killer](_blank)
– Crime Library article part 4 At 15, Mackay was diagnosed as a
psychopath
Psychopathy, sometimes considered synonymous with sociopathy, is characterized by persistent Anti-social behaviour, antisocial behavior, impaired empathy and remorse, and Boldness, bold, Disinhibition, disinhibited, and Egotism, egotistical B ...
by a
psychiatrist
A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in psychiatry, the branch of medicine devoted to the diagnosis, prevention, study, and treatment of mental disorders. Psychiatrists are physicians and evaluate patients to determine whether their sy ...
, Dr Leonard Carr, who predicted he would grow up to become a "cold, psychopathic killer."
He was removed from his family home on eighteen occasions between the ages of 12 and 22 and put into various specialist schools, institutions and prisons.
One of his teachers at a specialist school described him as "a potential murderer of women".
In October 1968, Mackay was committed to
Moss Side Hospital,
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a popul ...
, as a diagnosed psychopath.
He was released in 1972.
Crimes in adulthood
As he entered adulthood, Mackay developed a fascination with
Nazism
Nazism ( ; german: Nazismus), the common name in English for National Socialism (german: Nationalsozialismus, ), is the far-right totalitarian political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in Na ...
, calling himself "Franklin Bollvolt the First" and filling his flat with Nazi memorabilia.
He lived in London and frequently abused drugs and alcohol.
London theft and murder spree
Following Mackay's release in 1972, the affluent London areas of
Chelsea
Chelsea or Chelsey may refer to:
Places Australia
* Chelsea, Victoria
Canada
* Chelsea, Nova Scotia
* Chelsea, Quebec
United Kingdom
* Chelsea, London, an area of London, bounded to the south by the River Thames
** Chelsea (UK Parliament consti ...
and
Knightsbridge
Knightsbridge is a residential and retail district in central London, south of Hyde Park, London, Hyde Park. It is identified in the London Plan as one of two international retail centres in London, alongside the West End of London, West End.
...
were engulfed by a wave of petty crimes.
Known for being home to the wealthiest London residents and full of luxury shops and high-end restaurants, the areas suddenly saw a massive, unexplained rise in
muggings, robberies and handbag snatchings.
The attacks specifically targeted elderly ladies, and the unidentified attacker would befriend these women and gain access to their homes before committing their crimes.
It would later be found that Mackay was behind these crimes.
On 14 February 1974, 84-year-old Isabella Griffith was physically assaulted, strangled and stabbed in her home in Chelsea by Mackay.
Police were unable to identify him as the perpetrator and the muggings and petty thefts continued in the area.
Thirteen months later, on 10 March 1975, elderly Adele Price was also killed in her Chelsea home by Mackay who had entered her property asking for a glass of water.
Her granddaughter was coming home at the time and, without knowing, passed the killer as he left the premises after attacking the woman.
Police were concerned the crime spree and the killings of the two women were linked.
Killing of Father Crean
Some miles away on 21 March 1975, priest Father Anthony Crean was brutally killed in his home in
Shorne
Shorne is a village and civil parish in the borough of Gravesham in Kent, England. The parish lies east of Gravesend. Most of the land is well-drained but its marshes, the Shorne Marshes reach down to the Thames Estuary and are an SSSI amid th ...
,
Kent
Kent is a county in South East England and one of the home counties. It borders Greater London to the north-west, Surrey to the west and East Sussex to the south-west, and Essex to the north across the estuary of the River Thames; it faces ...
, near to the home of Mackay's mother.
Crean had been attacked with an
axe
An axe ( sometimes ax in American English; see spelling differences) is an implement that has been used for millennia to shape, split and cut wood, to harvest timber, as a weapon, and as a ceremonial or heraldic symbol. The axe has ma ...
in a frenzied attack, with the weapon being found at the scene.
Mackay had been seen in the area by multiple witnesses.
An investigating police officer remembered an incident that had occurred some months earlier involving the young Mackay, who had befriended the priest only to break into his home and steal a cheque for £30.
Although Crean tried to persuade the police not to do so, Mackay was arrested and
prosecuted
A prosecutor is a legal representative of the prosecution in states with either the common law adversarial system or the civil law inquisitorial system. The prosecution is the legal party responsible for presenting the case in a criminal trial ...
at the time. He was subsequently ordered to pay compensation but never did.
The incident caused a rift between Mackay and Crean, and the former had returned to London. After the incident was recalled by the officer, police arrested Mackay, who quickly admitted to killing Crean.
Links to previous crimes discovered
After his arrest for the murder of Father Crean, Mackay's fingerprints were taken, which were found to match those found at the scene of Adele Price's death.
Jewellery and silver fountain pens were found in Mackay's home which had come from robberies he had committed in the Chelsea and
Belgravia
Belgravia () is a Districts of London, district in Central London, covering parts of the areas of both the City of Westminster and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.
Belgravia was known as the 'Five Fields' Tudor Period, during the ...
areas.
Mackay took detectives to an area of
Clapham
Clapham () is a suburb in south west London, England, lying mostly within the London Borough of Lambeth, but with some areas (most notably Clapham Common) extending into the neighbouring London Borough of Wandsworth.
History
Early history
T ...
where he said he had thrown a knife he used in his killings.
The
Metropolitan Police
The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), formerly and still commonly known as the Metropolitan Police (and informally as the Met Police, the Met, Scotland Yard, or the Yard), is the territorial police force responsible for law enforcement and ...
began to investigate Mackay and he was found to have committed many other of the unsolved murders and crimes in the London area.
Confessions
Having willingly confessed to Crean's murder, Mackay then unexpectedly confessed to a series of unsolved murders, 13 in total.
Most of these murders were unknown to the interviewing officers, but investigators checked his descriptions of the killings and found they indeed matched details of unsolved murders that had occurred in and around London.
Mackay stated in interviews that his first murder had been of 17-year-old German
au pair
An au pair (; plural: au pairs) is a helper from a foreign country working for, and living as part of, a host family. Typically, au pairs take on a share of the family's responsibility for childcare as well as some housework, and receive a monet ...
Heidi Mnilk, who was murdered on 9 July 1973.
Mackay had stabbed her on a train before opening the door and throwing her out near
Catford
Catford is a district in south east London, England, and the administrative centre of the London Borough of Lewisham. It is southwest of Lewisham itself, mostly in the Rushey Green (ward), Rushey Green and Catford South Ward (electoral subdiv ...
.
He further stated that he had killed a drunken homeless man by throwing him off a bridge into the Thames in January 1974.
Mackay also confessed to the murders of 57-year-old Stephanie Britton and her 4-year-old grandson Christopher Martin on 12 January 1974, saying he had only killed the child as he had been a witness.
He confessed also to the murder of Frank Goodman on 13 June 1974, who had been kicked to death over a pack of cigarettes.
He went on to confess to the murder of 92-year-old Sarah Rodmell in her flat in
Hackney on 23 December 1974, saying that he had nailed the back door shut and put her stockings in her mouth, and that "killing her was as easy as washing my socks".
He also confessed to the murder of 48-year old Café owner Ivy Davies in
Southend
Southend-on-Sea (), commonly referred to as Southend (), is a coastal city and unitary authority area with borough status in southeastern Essex, England. It lies on the north side of the Thames Estuary, east of central London. It is bordered ...
in February 1975, saying he killed her by beating her with a tent peg.
This was accurate as she had been found to have been beaten to death with some sort of metal bar, and Mackay admitted that he knew of Davies and considered robbing her.
He was also then heard bragging about Davies's murder while on remand in
Brixton Prison
HM Prison Brixton is a local men's prison, located in Brixton area of the London Borough of Lambeth, in inner-South London. The prison is operated by His Majesty's Prison Service.
History
The prison was originally built in 1820 and opened a ...
.
The three other murders he confessed to were the 1973 murder of Mary Hynes in
Kentish Town
Kentish Town is an area of northwest London, England in the London Borough of Camden, immediately north of Camden Town. Less than four miles north of central London, Kentish Town has good transport connections and is situated close to the ope ...
and the murders of Isabella Griffith and Adele Price in 1974 and 1975 respectively.
Investigators concluded that Mackay had been the perpetrator of the mugging and theft spree in Chelsea and Kensington, crimes which were previously unsolved.
Mackay later retracted his confessions to all but four of the murders (Griffith, Price, Crean and the homeless man he said he had thrown from a bridge in January 1974).
This meant that there was insufficient evidence to charge him for more than five murders.
Police were unable to identify the homeless victim Mackay said he had killed in January 1974.
Trial
At his trial in November 1975, Mackay was convicted of the manslaughter of Adele Price, Isabella Griffith and Father Anthony Crean after pleading guilty on the grounds of
diminished responsibility
In criminal law, diminished responsibility (or diminished capacity) is a potential defense by excuse by which defendants argue that although they broke the law, they should not be held fully criminally liable for doing so, as their mental f ...
.
Due to insufficient evidence he was not convicted of the murders of Goodman or Hynes, but the cases were left to
lie on file
In English law, applicable to England and Wales, a criminal charge is allowed to lie on file when the presiding judge agrees that there is enough evidence for a case to be made, but that it is not in the public interest for prosecution to proceed, ...
.
Police later found evidence which proved he had killed Frank Goodman.
He was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 20 years.
Mackay's defence team had pleaded insanity, but medical experts instead concluded that he was a
psychopath
Psychopathy, sometimes considered synonymous with sociopathy, is characterized by persistent Anti-social behaviour, antisocial behavior, impaired empathy and remorse, and Boldness, bold, Disinhibition, disinhibited, and Egotism, egotistical B ...
(a personality disorder and not a mental disorder).
Subsequent developments
In 1989, he appeared briefly in a BBC documentary ''Forty Minutes'' episode titled "Danger Men" aired in February 1990. Mackay spent time in Hull Prison, where a special unit was set up to deal with one of the "most dangerous and difficult prisoners" in the country. As Mackay is asked if he considers himself a psychopath, he replies: "There is never any suggestion in my mind that I was ever a psychopath".
Mackay's minimum tariff was 20 years, meaning that he became eligible for release in 1995.
He has been repeatedly denied full release by the parole board.
In 2017 he was permitted to move to an
open prison
An open prison (open jail) is any jail in which the prisoners are trusted to complete sentences with minimal supervision and perimeter security and are often not locked up in their prison cells. Prisoners may be permitted to take up employment w ...
with day release provisions.
In 2019
Dartford
Dartford is the principal town in the Borough of Dartford, Kent, England. It is located south-east of Central London and
is situated adjacent to the London Borough of Bexley to its west. To its north, across the Thames estuary, is Thurrock in ...
MP Gareth Johnson voiced concern at the potential release of Mackay, raising the issue in
parliament
In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...
and writing to the
Secretary of State for Justice
The secretary of state for justice, also referred to as the justice secretary, is a secretary of state in the Government of the United Kingdom, with responsibility for the Ministry of Justice. The incumbent is a member of the Cabinet of the Un ...
.
In June 2020 Mackay was again considered for release.
The hearing of the Parole Board was postponed amidst a fresh investigation into Mackay's involvement in the murders to which he had previously confessed, and which he was still suspected of having committed (no one else has ever been arrested or charged for these murders).
In May 2021 the Parole Board announced he would not be eligible for release but could remain in open prison conditions.
In July 2022, it was revealed that Mackay's case had once again been referred to the Parole Board.
The son of Ivy Davies said that he was outraged by the announcement but was unable to give an account to the Parole Board of the impact of Mackay's crimes as Mackay was not convicted of her murder.
Commenting, he stated: "Everyone knows he did more. He hasn’t shown any remorse. But there's not a lot I can do about it."
According to John Lucas, the author who wrote the 2019 book on Mackay ''Britain's Forgotten Serial Killer: The Terror of the Axeman'', Mackay is being held at
HM Prison Leyhill
HM Prison Leyhill is a Category D men's prison, located in the parish of Tortworth in Gloucestershire, England. Leyhill Prison is operated by His Majesty's Prison Service.
History
Leyhill Prison was originally a United States military hospital ...
open prison near
Bristol
Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in ...
.
Mackay has been imprisoned for 47 years as of 2022.
In popular culture
Documentaries
Mackay's crimes have featured in a number of documentaries:
*In 2002, an
ITV
ITV or iTV may refer to:
ITV
*Independent Television (ITV), a British television network, consisting of:
** ITV (TV network), a free-to-air national commercial television network covering the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islan ...
documentary titled ''London's Scariest Mysteries: Patrick Mackay'' documented his crimes.
*On 7 October 2012, a series 2 episode of
Fred Dineage's ''Murder Casebook'' series (alternatively titled ''Murders that Shook the Nation'') covered Mackay's crimes. The episode was titled: ''Patrick Mackay: The Psychopath''.
*On 20 August 2013, a series 5 episode of ''
Born to Kill?
''Born to Kill?'' is a British true crime television series, made by Twofour Productions. Each episode is an in-depth look at the childhood, and formative years of serial killers in an attempt to find out whether the individuals were born kille ...
'' documented Mackay's crimes. The episode was titled ''Patrick Mackay: The Devil's Disciple''.
*On 1 January 2015, a series 1 episode of high-profile
criminologist
Criminology (from Latin , "accusation", and Ancient Greek , ''-logia'', from λόγος ''logos'' meaning: "word, reason") is the study of crime and deviant behaviour. Criminology is an interdisciplinary field in both the behavioural and so ...
David Wilson's series ''First Kill/Last Kill'' focused on Mackay's crimes.
Books
*In 1976 authors Tim Clark and John Penycate published a book on Mackay titled ''Psychopath: The Case of Patrick Mackay''. It was published by
Routledge
Routledge () is a British multinational publisher. It was founded in 1836 by George Routledge, and specialises in providing academic books, journals and online resources in the fields of the humanities, behavioural science, education, law, and ...
.
*In 2019 a book on Mackay's murders and alleged murders was released by author John Lucas, titled ''Britain's Forgotten Serial Killer: The Terror of the Axeman''.
The book contributed to the rising concerns of Mackay's possible release.
See also
*
List of serial killers by country
This is a list of notable serial killers, by the country where most of the killings occurred.
Convicted serial killers by country Afghanistan
*Abdullah Shah: killed at least 20 travelers on the road from Kabul to Jalalabad while serving under ...
*
List of serial killers by number of victims
A serial killer is typically a person who murders three or more people, in two or more separate events over a period of time, for primarily psychological reasons.A serial killer is most commonly defined as a person who kills three or more peop ...
*
List of open prisons in the United Kingdom – MacKay has since 2017 been held in one of England's 12 open prisons
*
John Cannan
John David Guise Cannan (born 20 February 1954) is a British murderer, serial rapist, serial abductor and suspected serial killer. A former car salesman, Cannan was convicted in July 1988 of murder and multiple sexual offences, abductions and ...
– murderer and suspected killer of
Suzy Lamplugh
Suzy may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Suzy'' (film), a 1936 film starring Jean Harlow, Franchot Tone and Cary Grant
* "Suzy" (Fool's Garden song), a song by German pop band Fool's Garden
* "Suzy", a song by French electro swing band Ca ...
, also eligible for parole in 2022
*
Allan Grimson
Allan Michael Grimson (born 1958) is a convicted British murderer and suspected serial killer who is responsible for murdering at least two Royal Navy sailors and who is suspected of killing many others, possibly up to another 20 undiscovered vic ...
– another British killer suspected of killing dozens of victims who is now eligible for release
*
Jordan Worth
Alexander Gerald Skeel (born 17 August 1994) is an English football coach and domestic violence survivor whose near-fatal abuse at the hands of his girlfriend, Jordan Worth (born 1995), attracted widespread media coverage owing to the extreme natu ...
– high-profile UK female criminal released from prison in 2022 (abuser of
Alex Skeel)
References
Bibliography
*
*
External links
2013 ''Born to Kill?'' documentary on Mackay 2015 ''First Kill/Last Kill'' documentary on Mackay
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mackay, Patrick
1952 births
20th-century English criminals
British burglars
English people of Scottish descent
English people of Guyanese descent
Criminals from Kent
English people convicted of manslaughter
English prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment
English serial killers
People from Dartford
People with antisocial personality disorder
Prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment by England and Wales
Living people
Male serial killers