On this day 20 January 1998, Two men, Jack Whomes and Michael Steele, were convicted of the triple murders of Tony Tucker, Patrick Tate and Craig Rolfe after an Old Bailey trial, and sentenced to life imprisonment. The key witness was police informer Darren Nicholls, who gave evidence against his former friends at their trial.
Questions were raised over the reliability of mobile phone records used to corroborate the informant’s testimony.
On 6 December 1995, the 3 men were shot dead in a Range Rover down a small farm track In the village of Rettendon.
They were found the following morning by farmer Peter Theobald and his friend Ken Jiggins.
In 2018, Whomes saw his 25-year sentence reduced by a few years due to his ‘exemplary behaviour’.
He was cleared for release in 2021 following a Parole Board hearing.
He would have been let out earlier had he confessed to the murders. But he, along with Steele still strongly denies any involvement
Steele is also hoping for release as he’s on his path to prison downgrade
Author: Hydroponify
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