Chronicle & Echo has delved into the history books to pick out a few of the most shocking crimes that ended with perpetrators hanged or jailed… or, in one case, transported to Australia where he went on to become a bit of a celebrity, by all accounts.
1. PHILLIP AUSTIN
Evil killer Philip Austin murdered his wife, Claire, their children Keiran, eight, and seven-year-old Jade at their family home in Standens Barn in 2000. Their bodies and those of two dogs he also slaughtered were found a week later by Claire’s mum and stepdad. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced in 2001 to three life sentences. Photo: Northamptonshire Police
2. ANXIAN DU
Du murdered former business partner Jifeng ‘Jeff’ Ding, his wife Helen and their two daughters Xing — also known as Nancy — aged 18 and 12-year-old Alice during a horrific attack at their home on Royal Wedding day in 2011. He stabbed university lecturer Jeff 23 times, Helen 13 times, Xing 11 times and Alice four and was finally tracked down in Morocco after a seven-month manhunt. Photo: Northampton Chronicle & Echo
3. ALFRED ROUSE
Rouse, known as the Blazing Car Murderer, was hanged at Bedford Gaol for the murder. Reports say Rouse attempted to to avoid huge child maintenance bills by faking his own death by bludgeoning to death an unknown hitchhiker — who has never been identified — then bundling the body into his Morris Minor and torching the vehicle in November 1930. Photo: Northampton Chronicle & Echo
4. RAPHAEL KENNEDY
Drug dealer Kennedy murdered his two-year-old son in a "savage and sustained attack" then waited more than an hour to dial 999 after inflicting 39 injuries on Dylan Tiffin-Brown. He beat the toddler, who had five different drugs in his system when he died, in a fit of temper in his flat in Arthur Street on December 15, 2017. Photo: Northamptonshire Police