How innocent people could be jailed because of sinister AI bot ChatGPT… and leave dangerous criminals walking free
JURORS could secretly be using ChatGPT to decide crunch verdicts, top US lawyers fear.
Dean Strang and Jerry Buting, who starred in Netflix documentary Making a Murderer, warned it could see innocent people convicted - or let criminals off the hook.
4
Top lawyers have warned how ChatGPT could be being used to decide verdicts
Credit: Reuters
4
Jerry Buting and Dean Strang, who were Steven Avery's defence lawyers
The lawyers, who defended Steven Avery on the hit show, insisted it is vital jurors are stopped from accessing the AI tool during trials.
Strang said jurors could be tempted to use ChatGPT as a 'sounding board' if they are uncertain about a defendant.
But he stressed it could have "disastrous" consequences as jurors could get skewed answers that force a mistrial or bring them to the wrong decision.
Strang, who has worked in criminal defence for more than 30 years, told The Sun: 'Jurors should be banned from using ChatGPT.
More on AI
'I can't prove this and I'm not a computer engineer, but my sense is that AI, in part, is assessing what it thinks we want to hear and tailoring answers to its perception of what our human wishes and purposes are.
'That would be disastrous in a jury room, to the extent that AI decides the juror is inclined to a conviction.
'You're going to get a skewed answer. To the extent AI perceives the jurors are inclined to acquittal or if AI develops its own will, which I read is at least possible, kind of developing a consciousness.
'Either way, you're getting a skew and neither skew is good, and you're substituting out what you hope is human judgment, a human assessment of what's happening in the courtroom, credibility determinations.'
Most read in Tech
Asked if he fears jurors are already using the tool, or soon will, Strang answered: 'Yes.
'Some never would, and I fear that some would be tempted to or use it as a sounding board, use it as an advisor.
China's new cheap AI DeepSeek sparks ALARM as it outperforms West's models like ChatGPT amid race to superintelligence
'Even if the juror says I'm going to make the decision, but I'm getting advice from AI, that's going to be advice that's probably hard to ignore.'
Strang and Buting defended Avery in the 2015 documentary, which claimed Avery had been framed for the murder of Teresa Halbach.
Avery has been behind bars for the crime since 2007.
Before that, he spent 18 years in jail for a rape and attempted murder he was later found innocent of.
Strang and Buting continue to maintain his innocence, as does Avery himself.
Now, Buting fears even more alleged miscarriages of justice through the use of ChatGPT.
Buting, author of Illusion of Justice, told The Sun: 'I've seen people online take situations like the Steven Avery case or the Karen Reed case, a second trial going on right now because the jury was hung, try and use GPT by putting in the facts as they know them.
'Then they ask ChatGPT whether the person is guilty or innocent and they come up with an answer.
'It's bulls*** basically, because it depends on what you put in as the facts.
What are the arguments against AI?
Artificial intelligence is a highly contested issue, and it seems everyone has a stance on it. Here are some common arguments against it:
Loss of jobs - Some industry experts argue that AI will create new niches in the job market, and as some roles are eliminated, others will appear. However, many artists and writers insist the argument is ethical, as generative AI tools are being trained on their work and wouldn't function otherwise.
Ethics - When AI is trained on a dataset, much of the content is taken from the internet. This is almost always, if not exclusively, done without notifying the people whose work is being taken.
Privacy - Content from personal social media accounts may be fed to language models to train them. Concerns have cropped up as Meta unveils its AI assistants across platforms like Facebook and Instagram. There have been legal challenges to this: in 2016, legislation was created to protect personal data in the EU, and similar laws are in the works in the United States.
Misinformation - As AI tools pull information from the internet, they may take things out of context or suffer hallucinations that produce nonsensical answers. Tools like Copilot on Bing and Google's generative AI in search are always at risk of getting things wrong. Some critics argue this could have lethal effects - such as AI prescribing the wrong health information.
'This would be the problem with jurors doing it because jurors listen to the evidence.
"If they go back in there and they can't really resolve something themselves, well then that's probably reasonable doubt in most cases.
'But if they say, well, we can't resolve this, you think this and I think that and there's a dispute, let's put it into ChatGPT and see what it says, and then it comes up with an answer, then somebody may be swayed by that.
'AI, at least in its current iteration, has built in biases because of the algorithms.'
Buting previously told The Sun he
ChatGPT exploded onto the scene in 2022 and has since become an essential tool for individuals and businesses worldwide.
Buting said: 'We don't know at this point exactly how it's filtering, how it's learning.
'The idea is that it learns from more fact situations presented over and over, but what fact situations, what trials, for instance, is it looking at?
4
Steven Avery listens to testimony in the courtroom at the Calumet County Courthouse in 2007
Credit: AP:Associated Press
4
Jerry Buting argued to jurors that Steven Avery had been framed in Making a Murderer
Credit: NETFLIX
'Are there already ones where there has been a built-in bias? Because there is a lot of bias in America's legal system. Bias against minorities in particular.
'So are they kind of underrepresented in the algorithm, machine learning that is happening with AI? A lot of people wonder about that.
'I just know I've seen people use ChatGPT. I can use it and put in facts, and leave out facts that I want to, and it'll come up with an answer probably that I want.
'So I think there's a real problem.'
When The Sun asked ChatGPT if Avery was guilty, the response was: "Legally: Steven Avery is guilty, he was convicted and remains in prison.
What does the law say?
UNDER UK law, judges are allowed to use ChatGPT to assist them when making rulings.
AI assistance was given the green light by a landmark ruling in 2023.
Guidelines from the Judicial Office sent to thousands of judges across England and Wales said that the tech can be useful for summarising large volumes of text or carrying out administrative tasks.
However, it cautions that chatbots should relied upon for researching legal frameworks, because there is a risk it will fabricate cases or legal documents.
The guidelines also warn that generative AI technology could be used to create false evidence - such as deepfake pictures or videos.
The US is currently grappling with the integration of AI in its legal proceedings.
Spearheading progress is the Illinois Supreme Court, which issued guidance on the use of AI by judges and lawyers in December 2024.
The document encouraged the responsible and supervised use of AI, and suggested that the use of chatbots in drafting pleadings need not be declared.
Its tone is generally pro-AI, and emphasises that existing legal and ethical guidance can be applied.
In early May 2025, a federal judicial panel advanced a proposal to seek the public's feedback on a draft rule designed to ensure AI-produced evidence meets the same standards as human evidence.
'Public opinion and expert debate: Divided. Many believe he may have been wrongfully convicted again, especially given the suspicious handling of evidence.
'No definitive proof of innocence or of a frame-up has yet convinced the courts.'
It comes as fears continue to be raised about its threat to jobs, and the dangers of the software outsmarting humans.
Many experts have also warned of the security dangers of advanced AI – and how cyber-crooks could abuse them to
The Sun has approached ChatGPT for a response.
Who is Steven Avery?
STEVEN Avery is serving a life sentence at Wisconsin's Waupun Correctional Institution.
He and his nephew
He has been fighting for his freedom ever since he was found guilty of murder in 2007.
Avery argued that his conviction was based on planted evidence and false testimony.
In 1985,
It took 18 years for his conviction to be overturned and he was given a $36million (£28.2million) payout in compensation.
But days later, he was re-arrested for the murder of
The 62-year-old is continuing serving life in prison without the possibility of parole.
In the 2015 Netflix original series Making a Murderer, Avery documented his struggle for "justice."
In the last episode of the series, viewers were told that Avery had exhausted his appeals and was no longer entitled to state-appointed legal representation.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Irish Sun
an hour ago
- The Irish Sun
Nigel Farage casts doubts over Lucy Letby's murder convictions as he becomes latest MP to wade into debate
NIGEL Farage has revealed he has "doubts" over the Lucy Letby case as he becomes the latest MP to join the debate. Letby, 35, from Hereford, is Advertisement 6 Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said he was beginning to have 'doubts' about the case Credit: Peter Powell 6 Killer nurse Lucy Letby was convicted of ruthlessly murdering seven babies in her care Credit: SWNS 6 Some insist Letby has been made a scapegoat for hospital failings Credit: Getty Letby lost two attempts to last year. The Reform UK leader spoke about the case off the back of Jeremy Hunt's comment piece in the The former health secretary called for an "urgent re-examination" of Letby after "serious and credible" questions were raised by experts. The MP urged Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), which investigates potential miscarriages of justice, to "speed up their normally painfully slow process". Advertisement Read More Speaking on GB News, Mr Farage agreed that he was also beginning to have 'doubts' about the case. He said: 'I have a feeling, actually, Jeremy Hunt might be right about the Lucy Letby case. "I'm just beginning to get more and more doubts about that issue." Cheshire Constabulary is still conducting a review of deaths and non-fatal collapses of babies at the neonatal units of the Countess of Chester and Liverpool Women's Hospital during Letby's time as a nurse from 2012 to 2016. Advertisement Most read in The Sun The force have also launched another probe into allegations of corporate manslaughter and gross negligence manslaughter at the Countess of Chester Hospital. Meanwhile Lady Justice Thirlwall is due to publish in November the findings from the public inquiry into how the former nurse was able to commit her crimes. Argentina's Lucy Letby' in court after murdering 5 newborns & trying to kill 8 more in chillingly similar case to UK's baby killer The Sun revealed earlier this year what Letby's own parents, Jonathan, 79, and Susan Letby, 65, said about the case. In one correspondence, seen by The Sun, Letby's parents reveal they "firmly believe" their daughter's convictions will be "the biggest miscarriage of justice in British history". Advertisement They also said they're pleased "public opinion is beginning to sway" in her favour "at last". 'FRESH' EVIDENCE This all comes after Letby's lawyers say they have Mark McDonald told reporters the convicted child serial killer has "a new hope" as he visited the Birmingham offices of the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC). He said the new evidence "blows the case out the water". Advertisement He was there to Also passed to the CCRC, which investigates potential miscarriages of justice, was a separate report from seven medics which claims the results of insulin tests on two infants, which a jury concluded Mr McDonald said in April: "Today I've put in 23 expert reports from 24 experts from across the realm covering eight separate countries," he said. "Those expert reports completely demolish the prosecution's case that was put before the jury. Advertisement "It is now hoped that the CCRC will not take long to look at this evidence and refer it back to the Court of Appeal. "These reports show that no crime was committed... This blows the case out the water. The charges Letby was convicted on in full Child A, allegation of murder. The Crown said Letby injected air intravenously into the bloodstream of the baby boy. COUNT 1 GUILTY . Child B, allegation of attempted murder. The Crown said Letby attempted to murder the baby girl, the twin sister of Child A, by injecting air into her bloodstream. COUNT 2 GUILTY . Child C, allegation of murder. Prosecutors said Letby forced air down a feeding tube and into the stomach of the baby boy. COUNT 3 GUILTY . Child D, allegation of murder. The Crown said air was injected intravenously into the baby girl. COUNT 4 GUILTY . Child E, allegation of murder. The Crown said Letby murdered the twin baby boy with an injection of air into the bloodstream and also deliberately caused bleeding to the infant. COUNT 5 GUILTY . Child F, allegation of attempted murder. Letby was said by prosecutors to have poisoned the twin brother of Child E with insulin. COUNT 6 GUILTY . Child G, three allegations of attempted murder. The Crown said Letby targeted the baby girl by overfeeding her with milk and pushing air down her feeding tube. COUNT 7 GUILTY, COUNT 8 GUILTY, COUNT 9 NOT GUILTY. Child H, two allegations of attempted murder. Prosecutors said Letby sabotaged the care of the baby girl in some way which led to two profound oxygen desaturations. COUNT 10 NOT GUILTY, COUNT 11 JURY COULD NOT REACH VERDICT. Child I, allegation of murder. The prosecution said Letby killed the baby girl at the fourth attempt and had given her air and overfed her with milk. COUNT 12 GUILTY. Child J, allegation of attempted murder. No specific form of harm was identified by the prosecution but they said Letby did something to cause the collapse of the baby girl. COUNT 13 JURY COULD NOT REACH VERDICT. Child K, allegation of attempted murder. The prosecution said Letby compromised the baby girl as she deliberately dislodged a breathing tube. COUNT 14 JURY COULD NOT REACH VERDICT. Child L, allegation of attempted murder. The Crown said the nurse poisoned the twin baby boy with insulin. COUNT 15 GUILTY. Child M, allegation of attempted murder. Prosecutors said Letby injected air into the bloodstream of Child L's twin brother. COUNT 16 GUILTY. Child N, three allegations of attempted murder. The Crown said Letby inflicted trauma in the baby boy's throat and also injected him with air in the bloodstream. COUNT 17 GUILTY, COUNT 18 JURY COULD NOT REACH VERDICT, COUNT 19 JURY COULD NOT REACH VERDICT. Child O, allegation of murder. Prosecutors say Letby attacked the triplet boy by injecting him with air, overfeeding him with milk and inflicting trauma to his liver with "severe force". COUNT 20 GUILTY. Child P, allegation of murder. Prosecutors said the nurse targeted the triplet brother of Child O by overfeeding him with milk, injecting air and dislodging his breathing tube. COUNT 21 GUILTY. Child Q, allegation of attempted murder. The Crown said Letby injected the baby boy with liquid, and possibly air, down his feeding tube. COUNT 22 JURY COULD NOT REACH VERDICT. "I'm absolutely confident that the expert evidence that has appeared post-conviction totally undermines the safety of the conviction. "I'm very confident that we're going to get back to the Court of Appeal." Advertisement Asked how Letby "is doing", he said: "I don't talk about Lucy herself as a person but to say this: She's read all the reports, she's seen the reports, we have a new hope now. "A new hope that, in fact, the truth will come out. So yes, she has a new hope." Last month, lawyers for the families of Letby's victims rubbished the international panel's findings as "full of analytical holes" and "a rehash" of the defence case heard at trial. Mr McDonald also gave the CCRC a separate report on the insulin cases of Child F and Child L from seven experts including two consultant neonatalogists, a retired professor in forensic toxicology and a paediatric endocrinologist. Advertisement Their report summary concluded the jury was misled in a number of "important areas" including medical and evidential facts, and that key information on the insulin testing procedure was not submitted. It added that the biomechanical test used in both cases "can give rise to falsely high insulin results" due to the presence of antibodies which can interfere with the outcome. On Thursday, Mr McDonald released the independent panel's case summaries of all 17 babies that were said by trial prosecutors to have been deliberately harmed on the Countess of Chester Hospital's neonatal unit. The 14-strong panel concluded that no criminal offences had been committed at the Countess of Chester Hospital in 2015 and 2016 and instead provided alternative causes of deterioration. Advertisement Among the findings of the panel, working pro bono for Letby's defence team, was that baby boy Child C died following ineffective resuscitation from a collapse after an "acute small bowel obstruction" that went unrecognised, rather than from a deliberate administration of air. Child P, a triplet boy, was also found by the jury to have been fatally injected with air but the panel ruled he died from a collapsed lung that was "suboptimally managed". Letby's experts said there was no evidence of air embolism - in which bubbles form and block the blood supply - in Child E, a twin boy, and that bleeding was not caused by inflicted trauma but from either a lack of oxygen pre-birth or a congenital blood vessel condition. The panel said insulin-related levels for Child E's brother, Child F, insulin were within the norm for preterm infants and it did not prove that synthetic insulin was administered. Advertisement The same conclusion was reached for Child L, another twin boy that Letby was convicted of attempting to murder by insulin poisoning, and both cases were said to have involved sub-standard medical management of hypoglycaemia. BOMBSHELL EMAIL Meanwhile, an explosive email has also been found which appears to cast more doubt on the prosecution claims that Letby was caught "red-handed". A new email - sent on May 4 2017 to colleagues at the Countess of Chester Hospital - suggests there could be discrepancies over the chronology of events. The memo, revealed in April, is a significant boost to Letby's legal fight to overturn her convictions. Advertisement Dr Ravi Jayaram is the only hospital staff member to have claimed to see Letby act suspiciously and link her behaviour directly to babies' deaths. Medical experts provided case summaries on all 17 babies from the Letby trial An international panel of medical experts has provided case summaries on all 17 babies who featured in the 10-month trial of Lucy Letby. The 14-strong panel concluded that no criminal offences had been committed at the Countess of Chester Hospital in 2015 and 2016 and instead provided alternative causes of deterioration: - Baby 1 (known as Child A in the trial): The prosecution said the boy was murdered by an injection of air into the bloodstream which caused an air embolism where bubbles form and block the blood supply. The panel found no evidence of air embolism and said the child had died from thrombosis, where a blood clot forms in a vessel. - Baby 2 (Child B): The prosecution said Letby attempted to murder Child A's twin sister by also injecting air into her bloodstream. The panel found no evidence of air embolism and said the child had collapsed from thrombosis. - Baby 3 (Child C): The prosecution said the boy was murdered with air forced down his feeding tube and into his stomach. The panel said the child died following ineffective resuscitation from a collapse after an "acute small bowel obstruction" that went unrecognised. - Baby 4 (Child D): The prosecution said the girl was murdered by an injection of air into the bloodstream. The panel found no evidence of air embolism and ruled the child died of systemic sepsis, pneumonia and disseminated intravascular coagulation (blood clotting). Issues with failures to give relevant antibiotics were also identified. - Baby 5 (Child E): The Crown said Letby murdered the twin boy with an injection of air into the bloodstream and she also deliberately caused bleeding to the infant. The panel said there was no evidence of air embolism and bleeding was caused either by a lack of oxygen pre-birth or a congenital blood vessel condition. - Baby 6 (Child F): The prosecution said Letby attempted to murder Child E's twin brother by administering insulin. The panel ruled that the child's insulin levels and insulin/C-peptide ratio did not prove that exogenous insulin was used and were within the norm for pre-term infants. It added that there was poor medical management of the child's prolonged hypoglycaemia. - Baby 7 (Child G): The prosecution said Letby attempted to murder the girl by overfeeding her with milk and forcing air down her feeding tube. The panel said there was no evidence to support air injection into the stomach or overfeeding. The infant's vomiting and clinical deterioration was due to infection, it found. - Baby 8 (Child H): Jurors cleared Letby of one count of attempted murder and failed to reach a verdict on a second count. Prosecutors said the nurse sabotaged the girl's care in some way which led to two profound oxygen desaturations. The panel said the deteriorations were due to medical mismanagement of a tension pneumothorax where air is trapped between the lung and chest wall. - Baby 9 (Child I): The prosecution said Letby murdered the infant by injecting air into her bloodstream and stomach. The panel said it found no evidence of air injections and that the baby died of breathing complications caused by respiratory distress syndrome and chronic lung disease. - Baby 10 (Child J): Jurors could not reach a verdict on an allegation of attempted murder. No specific form of harm was identified by the prosecution but they said Letby did something to cause the collapse of the girl. The panel said the deterioration was caused by sepsis and there was no evidence to support malicious airway obstruction. - Baby 11 (Child K): The prosecution said Letby attempted to murder the girl by deliberately dislodging her breathing tube. Among its findings the panel said there was no evidence to support a dislodged endotracheal tube (ETT) and the clinical deterioration was caused by use of an undersized ETT. - Baby 12 (Child L): The Crown said the nurse poisoned the boy with insulin. The panel said the infant's insulin-related levels were within the norm for pre-term infants and there was no evidence of deliberate administration. - Baby 13 (Child M): Prosecutors said Letby attempted to murder Child L's twin brother by injecting air into his bloodstream. The panel said there was no evidence of air embolism and his collapse was caused by sepsis or a heart problem. - Baby 14 (Child N): The Crown said the boy was the victim of attempted murder by inflicted trauma in his throat and an air injection into his bloodstream. The panel said there was no air embolism and it was likely his blood oxygen levels dropped due to his haemophilia condition or routine cares, which was "exacerbated" by repeated attempts to insert a breathing tube. - Baby 15 (Child O): The prosecution said Letby murdered the triplet boy by injecting air into his bloodstream and inflicting trauma to his liver. The panel said he died from liver damage caused by traumatic delivery, resulting in bleeding in the abdomen and profound shock. - Baby 16 (Child P): Prosecutors said Letby murdered Child O's brother by injecting him with air. The panel said there was no evidence to support that mechanism and that he died from a collapsed lung that was "suboptimally managed". - Baby 17 (Child Q): Jurors could not reach a verdict on an allegation of attempted murder. The Crown said Letby attempted to murder the boy by injecting liquid, and possibly air, down his feeding tube. The panel said there was no evidence to support air injection into the stomach and the child deteriorated because he had early symptoms of a serious gastrointestinal problem, or sepsis. He testified that the nurse was seen standing over Baby K's cot as the infant's condition deteriorated. Taking the stand, the doctor said Letby failed to call for help as the newborn's condition declined, insisting the nurse had virtually been caught "red handed". But prior to the start of the police investigation, Dr Jayaram wrote in an email to colleagues: "At time of deterioration ... Staff nurse Letby at incubator and called Dr Jayaram to inform of low saturations." Advertisement The revelatory memo appears to contradict previous testimony, with the evidence not making it into documents handed to cops before the start of the investigation. In the newly released email, Dr Jayaram also suggested Baby K's fragile premature condition was instead the cause of death, saying: "Baby subsequently deteriorated and eventually died, but events around this would fit with explainable events associated with extreme prematurity." The note sees him suggest that the baby's death was explained by issues associated with extreme prematurity. Appearing at the 2024 trial, the doctor framed her behaviour as suspicious, telling the court: "Lucy Letby was stood next to the incubator. Advertisement "She wasn't looking at me. She didn't have her hands in the incubator." Asked by prosecutor Nick Johnson KC whether he had "any call for help from Lucy Letby?", he replied: "No, not at all. "I was surprised that the alarm was not going off, although my priority was (Baby K) and I didn't question it at the time.'In retrospect, I was surprised that help was not called, given (Baby K) was a 25-week gestation baby and her saturations were dropping." However, at the recent Thirlwall Inquiry, the doctor expressed regret at not raising the alarm over the nurse's behaviour sooner Advertisement He explained: "I lie awake thinking about this ... I should have been braver." 6 Human rights barrister Mark McDonald Credit: PA 6 Dr Ravi Jayaram was the only medical witness at Letby's two trials who was able to point to behaviour directly linking her to babies' deaths Credit: Rex 6 Letby, 35, from Hereford, is serving 15 whole-life orders Credit: AFP Advertisement
The Irish Sun
5 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Our proud city is scarred by grooming gang scandal – monster paedo still lives on OUR street… kids play outside his home
IT was a scandal that shocked and appalled the nation and has left what residents call a 'permanent stain' on a once proud northern town. From as early as the late 90s, a child sex abuse ring preyed on vulnerable girls as young as 12 in Rochdale, with victims claiming they felt 'betrayed' by police and social workers who 'turned a blind eye'. 12 Grooming gang leader Qari Abdul Rauf is living a comfortable life in Rochdale Credit: NB PRESS LTD 12 The former taxi driver and mosque teacher now works as a food delivery driver Credit: nb press ltd 12 Rauf (top left) was part of a nine-strong gang of Asian men who abused up to 47 vulnerable girls in Rochdale Credit: PA:Press Association 12 The street in Rochdale where Abdul Rauf lives Credit: Zenpix Now, as Prime Minister What makes it worse is the fact a prominent grooming gang leader is still resident on one of its tree-lined streets - much to the disgust of his neighbours. He was part of a nine-strong gang of Asian men convicted of sex trafficking and other offences including rape, trafficking girls for sex and conspiracy to engage in sexual activity with a child in May 2012. Up to 47 girls as young as 12 were plied with booze and drugs and gang-raped across Rochdale during the gang's two-year reign of terror. Child sex fiend Rauf trafficked a 15-year-old girl, using his taxi to drive her to secluded areas to sexually abuse her and ferry her to a flat where he and others abused her. The 55-year-old was caged for six years but released in November 2014, after serving just two years and six months of his sentence. Then-Home Secretary Theresa May ordered him and fellow gang member Adil Khan, who got a 13-year-old girl pregnant, to be sent back to Pakistan in 2014, as it would be "conducive to the public good". Most read in The Sun But Rauf used human rights law to evade deportation, and successive governments failed to deport him. Pakistan has also refused to take him back. Over a decade later Rauf and Khan remain in Rochdale, where their victims are forced to live alongside them. Ethnicity of child sex abuse suspects will be logged after truth about Asian grooming gangs was 'dodged for YEARS' Sickened neighbours have dubbed Rauf the "monster paedo" and wish he would be deported - while even he has admitted he cannot believe he is still living in the former mill town. David Carter, 69, who lives a few doors away from Rauf, told The Sun: "I'm horrified he's living near us. "He's a monster - he should never be in this country, never mind living in the same town where he caused so much misery. "It's appalling he's not been sent back to Pakistan. My grandchildren come to visit, so we always keep a close eye on him. "You see kids play in the street near his home. It's disgusting he's still here - he makes my skin crawl. 12 Abuser Abdul Rauf is noow living in an ordinary house in Rochdale Credit: Zenpix 12 David Carter lives a few doors down from Rauf says the paedo "makes his skin crawl" Credit: Zenpix "You only see him jump in the car - I think he knows everyone hates him. "An Asian man who lives in the street has said that he would be stoned to death if he ever made it back to Pakistan." Retired train driver David added: "The whole grooming scandal is a stain on our town. It's scandalous what happened." Mum-of-two Sharon Hughes, 32, added: "I can't believe this monster paedo is still here. "I tell my kids not to cycle near his house. It's terrifying this man still lives in our street." One mum told The Sun that grooming by Asian gangs was "rife" in the Greater Manchester town, admitting she was one of its victims, plied with booze, cannabis and ecstasy and driven to darkened flats. They would give us booze, weed and ecstasy. They would take us to flats and we would be in scary situations... They preyed on poor white girls Melissa Walking near a tram stop in the town centre, 37-year-old Melissa recalled: "It nearly happened to me when I was 13. "Two Asian men, who were in their 30s or 40s, would pick us up and drive us around. "They would give us booze, weed and ecstasy. They would take us to flats and we would be in scary situations. "They would try and kiss you. I knew it was wrong and that I had to get out of there. "Thankfully I was never abused or raped, but they gave us drugs all the time. "I didn't go to the police. It feels like we were abandoned to these men. They preyed on poor white girls." Scathing review 12 Baroness Casey's bombshell report found that councils and police deliberately covered up the abuse Credit: PA 12 The national inquiry was prompted by the recent convictions of another grooming gang in Rochdale during a five-year reign of terror between 2001 and 2006 (pictured) Credit: GMP The subject of grooming gangs has been thrust back into the spotlight this week following the bombshell report by Baroness Casey. The scathing review found councils, police and the Home Office repeatedly "shied away" from dealing with uncomfortable questions on the ethnicity of rapists who targeted young white girls. It revealed police and council leaders deliberately covered up the abuse - predominantly by men of Pakistani origin - because they feared being called racist. Baroness Casey's review also found that asylum seekers and foreign nationals are involved in a "significant proportion" of live investigations into grooming gangs across the UK. The national inquiry was prompted by the recent convictions of The seven men "passed" victims around for sex and preyed on them in squalid flats and car parks in the town between 2001 and 2006. They groomed the girls from the age of 13, and made them their "sex slaves" by plying them with gifts, including alcohol and drugs. Last week Mohammed Zahid, 64, Kasir Bashir, 50, Mushtaq Ahmed, 66, Roheez Khan, 39, Mohammed Shahzad, 43, Nisar Hussain, 43, and Naheem Akram, 48, were convicted. Three of the abusers - Zahid, Ahmed and Bashir - were born in Pakistan and worked as stallholders on Rochdale's indoor market. Father-of-three Zahid - known as Boss Man - gave free underwear from his lingerie stall to victims. 'Betrayed a generation' One Rochdale victim previously stressed her belief that police and social workers ignored the horrifying crimes because of political correctness. Girl A, as she was known in court, was raped multiple times by sick grooming gang leader Shabir Ahmed, known as 'The Daddy' to his victims. He plied her with alcohol above a dingy takeaway. Ahmed, 72, who was in the same gang as Rauf, was caged for 22 years. Now 24, she told the BBC: "The police and social workers betrayed a generation of girls by turning a blind eye. "They knew exactly what was going on — they just didn't want to stop it. "They knew the girls were under-age, they knew the men abusing them were Asian. They were just too politically correct to admit it. "They thought they'd be called racist if they told the truth." The police and social workers betrayed a generation of girls by turning a blind eye. They knew exactly what was going on — they just didn't want to stop it... They thought they'd be called racist if they told the truth Girl A A government report in August 2014 found that 1,400 girls were groomed and abused between 1997 and 2013. Other estimates have put the figure as high as 2,000. In 2017, BBC1 drama The Girls, starring Shameless actress It prompted major criticism of the authorities as police, prosecutors and Rochdale Council were forced to apologise for their failings. 'We should all hang our heads in shame' 12 Taxi driver Karamat Hussain thinks it will take a long time for the town's reputation to recover Credit: Zenpix When The Sun visited Rochdale this week, residents told of their shame that the abuse went unchecked under their noses. Grandmother Beryl Jones, 64, said: "It's sickening what went on. "The town has been shamed by it and the fact that no-one believed these girls. We should all hang our heads in shame." Taxi driver Karamat Hussain, 59, told The Sun: "What happened was disgusting. "It was shocking that it was ignored for so long. I didn't know anything about it and was stunned when I read about it. "I think it is going to take a long time for the town's reputation to recover. Read more on the Irish Sun "When people talk about Rochdale they now think about grooming gangs which is so sad. "Much more should have been done to help these girls and stop all the abuse." 12 BBC1 drama The Girls, which starred Maxine Peake, covered the grooming gang abuse that happened in Rochdale Credit: BBC Handout 12 Rochdale residents fear the town's reputation is forever stained Credit: Zenpix 12 Local residents are disgusted that the paedophile was never deported Credit: Zenpix Grooming gang crackdown unveiled BARONESS Casey's report sets out a series of recommendations, which the government has accepted in full. 1. Strengthen the law : Tighten the law so that any adult who has sex with a child under the age of 16 is automatically charged with rape, removing current legal grey areas that allow abusers to avoid proper punishment. 2. Address Historical Failings : Through a national inquiry pursue justice for past cases and hold accountable those who failed to act. 3. Enhance Intelligence Gathering : Improve the collection and analysis of information to combat exploitation more effectively. 4. Improve Inter-Agency Collaboration : Foster stronger cooperation and information-sharing among agencies. 5. Mandatory Reporting : Require all services to share information when a child is at risk. 6. Introduce Unique Child Identifiers : Implement a system to ensure children are consistently and accurately identified across services. 7. Modernise Police Systems : Upgrade technology to enable seamless communication and prevent missed opportunities. 8. Treat Grooming Gangs as Serious Organised Crime : Employ the same robust strategies used to combat other forms of organised criminal activity. 9. Investigate Declining Reports : The Department for Education must examine why reports of child abuse are decreasing and take corrective action. 10. Understand the Underlying Drivers : Conduct in-depth research into the factors underpinning grooming gangs, including cultural and online influences. 11. Regulate the Taxi Industry : Prevent exploitation by restricting the use of 'out-of-area' taxi drivers. 12. Commit Government Resources : Ministers must allocate funding and ensure measurable progress is achieved.
The Irish Sun
6 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
I worked at Broadmoor for 20yrs & hosted Ronnie Kray's wedding…one killer with eyes ‘black like death' still haunts me
THE imposing Victorian walls have held some of Britain's worst murderers, rapists, and criminals - including Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe and Ronnie Kray. But tales about what life is really like inside Broadmoor are almost as rare as successful escapes. Advertisement 15 The Kray brothers were reunited in Broadmoor for Ronnie's wedding in 1989 Credit: Getty 15 Serial killer Peter Sutcliffe held dinner parties in his ward Credit: Rex 15 The notorious institution is home to some of Britain's most dangerous criminals Credit: Rex But now, one man who worked inside the heart of the hospital for over two decades has revealed to The Sun just what it was like to come face to face with those who committed unspeakable crimes, day in, day out. Neil Wheatcroft, now aged 73, worked at Broadmoor between 1987 and 2009, first as the hospital's head chef, and then as a nursing assistant. Advertisement 'You became cold to the things that happen. Gratuitous violence was nothing,' told Neil. 'The things we've seen and witnessed, the patients that arrive, you read their notes and about what they've done. 'You had, for example, a patient that cut off a policeman's arm, took his head off, put it in a Tesco's bag, and cooked the arm just to see what it would taste like. 'One minute you read about it - the next minute you're standing opposite them.' First opened in 1863 as Broadmoor Criminal Lunatic Asylum, to this day it remains the most well-known high security psychiatric hospital in England. Advertisement Other notable patients include serial killer Paedophile entertainer Jimmy Savile was a regular visitor, and bosses even gave him his own set of keys - yet we now know he abused dozens of patients. But to Neil, crossing paths with evil was just another day on the job. A series of phone conversations with Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe made during his time in prison 'My family could never understand how I could work there and come home like nothing had happened,' he said. 'There was another one - I can't remember his name - who ate somebody. They used to call him Peckish. He would have eaten anybody. Advertisement 'Others would have slit their throats with anything they could find.' Ripper's 'dinner parties' But, as Neil recounts, his life in Broadmoor wasn't as stark as many might imagine - despite face the occasional attack from other inmates. Sutcliffe would often hold 'after hours' evening dinner specials on his ward, along with others in his crew. It made a welcome change from the usual food they were given, with treats like barbecued smoked chicken, steak ribs, and chips on offer - paid for out of their own pocket. Advertisement 15 Yorkshire ripper Peter Sutcliffe held 'dinner parties' in his cell Credit: Rex 15 Jimmy Savile frequently abused patients at Broadmoor Credit: Rex Features 15 Neil Wheatcroft worked in Broadmoor from 1987 and 2009 Credit: Oliver Dixon Even here, at the dinner table, he was able to strike fear into the heart of seasoned staff at Broadmoor. 'From the very first meal I did with my colleague, you would look across the room and see him sitting round the dinner table - and he's looking back at you,' recounted Neil. Advertisement 'There's absolutely nothing behind his eyes. They were black like death, and not one bit of emotion. 'There are a lot of prisoners in there who have done bad things - but he stood out. 'The others at that table were more affable and appreciative." Bizarrely, despite his horrendous crimes, the serial killer had a And sometimes, they'd even come to Broadmoor to meet him in the flesh. Advertisement We always used to liken it to the scene in the Italian Job, when Mr Bridger comes down the stairs - that was the aura he had Neal Wheatcroft 'He had visits, and used to get women truck drivers coming onto the ward,' recalled Neil. 'He just sat and talked. It was strange - why would an ordinary woman want to go out with a murderer?" Wedding feast Sutcliffe is far from the only long term resident of Broadmoor to have entertained romance while living behind bars. A decade later, Ronnie was diagnosed with schizophrenia and transferred to Broadmoor where he lived until his death in 1995 from a heart attack, aged 61. Advertisement Being who he was, he had 'We always used to liken it to the scene in the 'That was the aura he had. 'The others would slob about in tracksuit bottoms, but he was always dressed in pristine suits and really smart.' 15 London gangster Ronnie Kray was sent to Broadmoor after being diagnosed with schizophrenia Credit: Getty Advertisement 15 Ronnie Kray's 'aura' was compared to that of Mr Bridger in the classic film, The Italian Job Credit: Rex Features 15 The former head chef and nursing assistant has opened up about his time working in the institution Credit: Oliver Dixon But Ronnie's mind wasn't always as put together as his outfits. 'He would be lucid one day, and then black in the next. 'He had a very, very quick fuse, but it would be equally quick going.' Advertisement Despite these outbursts, Ronnie ended up marrying twice while locked up. His first, in 1985, was to Elaine Mildener, though the couple divorced in 1989. The second was to He sent me a list - on it was quail's eggs, dressed ham, and jellied eels They wed the same year as his divorce from his first wife, tying the knot in a romantic ceremony in the hospital's chapel. But it was down to Neil to look after the celebrations that followed. Advertisement 'He said, what can you give me? And I just said, well, it's your day - what do you want?,' said Neil as he recalled organising his wedding feat. 'He sent me a list - on it was quails' eggs, dressed ham and jellied eels. We also did a whole salmon dressed on a blue aspic base.' Broadmoor boyfriends He added: 'There were about 14 or 15 people there, and a lot of staff. His brothers came in from various establishments. 'They came under escort, would be escorted onto the chapel, and then the reception was up in one of the rooms. 'The wedding was paid upfront - he wasn't short of money.' Advertisement 15 Kate and Ronnie were married in the presence of the other family members, including the twin's older brother Charlie, pictured here with her Credit: Shutterstock 15 East End staple jellied eels were ordered for the wedding feast Credit: Alamy 15 The typical Broadmoor room is stark and functional Credit: Rex Broadmoor staff even discovered a business card in 1985 which revealed that the twins, from separate institutions, were operating a 'bodyguard and protection' business for Hollywood stars while locked up. Ronnie's second marriage also ended in divorce five years later, and he passed away in 1995. Being such a character and having lived in Broadmoor for so long, his death hit hard for a lot of the other patients. Advertisement They were losing a friend - and in some cases, a boyfriend, remembered Neil. Ronnie Kray, who was bisexual, enjoyed same-sex relationships with others in Broadmoor even while married, though all visits were supervised by staff. 'There was only one that was sort of special, though,' said Neil. 'And I'm almost sure his bride knew as well.' Daring escape While Ronnie became accustomed to life on the inside, others had their mind focussed on escape. Advertisement Broadmoor, famously, was surrounded by air-raid sirens that were installed to warn locals if someone had made it out Their frightening howl became a weekly staple for residents living in towns nearby, as the klaxons would be tested every Monday morning. He was actually planning his escape - right down to the finest details Neil Wheatcroft But when the sirens sounded one day in 1991, it wasn't a routine test - a child rapist was on the loose. But he was clever - and devised a complicated plan to ensure others were distracted while he made his way to the outside. Advertisement 'The one that went over the wall wanted to organise a pizza making event in the central hall, on Saturday night,' said Neil. 15 James Saunders was sent to Broadmoor in 1985 Credit: Alamy 15 The child rapist created a distraction to launch his daring escape - before he was found by police in Dorset and escorted back to Broadmoor Credit: Alamy 15 The 'Wolfman' managed to get over two 20ft walls to get to the outside Credit: Alamy 'All the time this was happening, he was actually planning his escape - right down to the finest details. Advertisement 'So, on the Saturday night when we'd put staff members in the hall to dish out the dough so they could have this competition, he was on his way getting ready to go over the wall. 'He'd arranged it purely for the fact that it would mean most people were in the central hall.' Saunders - who was given the nickname 'Wolfman' after living in the wild for three weeks after his escape - then managed to run across the courtyard and over two 20ft high walls to make his getaway. 'When the alarms go off at four o'clock in the morning, and then you realise it's not Monday morning, you just think - oh bugger,' said Neil. 'Everybody had to go up to Broadmoor to sign in and be told where you had to go. Advertisement 'I was on shift from half past four until half past two the next morning.' Notorious inmates past and present BROADMOOR is has housed hundreds of dangerous criminals over the years. Here are some of the other notorious inmates who've spent time inside its walls. Ian Ball tried to kidnap Princess Anne in 1974 while her car was on route to Buckingham Palace. He wanted to hold her for ransom and planned to donate the £3million to the NHS, apparently, he felt mental health services were not good enough. Robert Napper was convicted of murdering young mum Rachel Nickel on Wimbledon Common in July 1992 in front of her young son Alex. He was also previously convicted of the double murder of Samantha Bisset and her daughter Jazmine in 1993. Napper is thought to be the Green Chain Rapist who carried out at least 70 attacks over a four year period. Charles Bronson, also known as Charles Salvador, is often dubbed as Britain's "most violent prisoner". Infamously, while at Broadmoor he staged a three day protest on the roof, causing £250,000 worth of damage. Neo-nazi David Copeland, known as the "London nail bomber", killed three and injured 79 in a series of attacks with homemade nail bombs in the capital across three successive weekends in April 1999. On his diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia, he was committed to Broadmoor, although his plea of manslaughter by diminished responsibility was not accepted by the jury. Daniel Gonzalez, then 25, murdered four people and injured two across two days in London and Sussex in September 2004. While at Broadmoor awaiting trial, he tried to bite himself to death and was so violent that he was accompanied by officers in riot gear everywhere. He was jailed for life in 2006 and then killed himself in Broadmoor Hospital the year after. Peter Bryan from London killed three people while on release from various mental hospitals. Once detained at Broadmoor, Bryan killed fellow patient Richard Loudwell, 59, and planned to eat him. Bryan is still at Broadmoor and is unlikely to ever be released. Hundreds of cops descended on the area, with some even coming from as far as Aylesbury. But as it turned out, Saunders had in fact made it all the way to Dorset. He was eventually spotted by a policeman walking along a road, with a fishing rod and blanket in hand. Held in Broadmoor ever since, in 2010 a nurse was alleged to have had sexual relations with him in the laundry room. Advertisement
