His sister, Iris, claimed her brother had learning difficulties and had a mental age of an 11-year-old and was also an epileptic, unable to read or write.įor years she kept his case in the public eye, writing letters to politicians, giving interviews and talks and writing a book. Three officers told the court they had heard him encourage Craig to shoot by shouting "Let him have it".īentley's defence claimed he was already under arrest at the time the shots were fired and was simply urging Craig to give up his gun.ĭerek Bentley's family began a campaign to clear his name.
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The crowd eventually dispersed in the early hours of this morning after handing in a petition at Deputy Prime Minister Anthony Eden's home.īentley's execution comes just three months after the warehouse break-in in Croydon in which Pc Miles died.īentley was convicted on the basis of police evidence. Earlier, he had written to Bentley's parents saying the same thing.Ī crowd of up to 300 gathered outside the Houses of Parliament last night, chanting "Bentley must not die!" The demonstrators marched to the Home Office and later to Downing Street. They also claimed big public support for a reprieve.īut the home secretary said he could see no grounds for modifying the sentence. They pointed out Craig was the ringleader of the two and that Bentley's mental age was probably younger than his partner - a fact that had not been disclosed to the jury. They urged him to ask the Queen to exercise her royal prerogative of mercy. Others began booing when a prison warder came out carrying a glass-covered board containing the execution notice.īentley's sentence was sealed last night when the Home Secretary, Sir David Maxwell Fyfe, said he could not see any reason for intervening in the case.Ī deputation of MPs had earlier gone to see the home secretary with a petition, said to have been signed by about 200 members. Some sang the hymn Abide With Me and the 23rd Psalm. The court was told his co-defendant, Christopher Craig, fired the fatal shot but because he was still a juvenile in the eyes of the law he escaped the death sentence and was ordered to be detained at Her Majesty's pleasure.Ī large crowd began gathering outside Wandsworth jail from early this morning. The 19-year-old was hanged at 0900 hours after last-minute appeals for clemency were rejected.īentley was sentenced to death on 11 December for killing Pc Miles during a bungled break-in at a warehouse in Croydon, Surrey. Teenager Derek Bentley has been executed at Wandsworth Prison in London for his part in the murder of Pc Sidney Miles.
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