Above: The Manchester Evening News announces the verdict: Life for the three of the convicted murderers. The ring-leader, Murray, was sentenced at a later date.
Above & below: click on either image to view a pdf of each page.
Like many other lovers of the Goyt Valley, I was horrified to hear about the murders that occurred here in October 1983. And surprised that I’d not heard about them before.
It all came to light when Michael got in touch to ask if I’d be interested in some papers he’d recently been sent (see previous post). As well as a collection of fading aerial photos, they included some yellowing press cuttings from the 28th January 1985 edition of the Manchester Evening News.
The front page headline announced the judge’s sentences: ‘Life for 3 killers’. And on an inside page, the paper contrasted the twisted and gruseome behaviour of the accused with the gentle nature of their victims.
Four men had stood accused of the murder of two young men – 17-year-old Mitchell Elgar and 19-year-old Martin Pollitt – and the attempted murder of a third, John Redfern, who narrowly escaped a similar fate.
The ringleader of the gang, 35-year-old Peter Murray, was said to have been friendly with the well-known Kray twins during a time in jail for an earlier offence, although the paper reported that “even the twins were sickened by Peter”, adding;
Murray, who openly bragged about being a right-hand man for the awesome duo, was nothing more than a skivvy. His tasks included “slopping out” their chamber pots in the sluice room at first light, and being their “errand boy”.
The other accused were John Bannister (21), Michael Howe (20) and Michael Bailey (20). Bailey was the only one to plead guilty, but all were sentenced to life imprisonment.
It’s difficult to discover the full story, but it seems Bailey confessed to the police after he and Murray had been arrested for purse snatching; asking them to drop the robbery charge in return for information about the murders.
But that doesn’t sound very plausible – hardly the best of deals to exchange a minor robbery charge for a double murder conviction – so I think it’s more likely that he knew it would only be a matter of time before the police discovered the facts for themselves and came knocking on his door.
The attacks occurred over three consecutive days, all centred around the toilets at Goytsclough quarry. These were a popular spot for gay men to meet – at a time when homosexual acts were still illegal under the age of 21. It seems the victims were lured there on the promise of work as drivers.
Elgar was the first to be murdered; strangled in a headlock by Bailey after being sexually abused and tortured. On the following day Porritt was lured to the same spot and strangled with a bootlace by Howe and Bannister. Redfern narrowly escaped the same fate the following day, escaping on his motorbike as he felt the gang were plotting something.
The newspaper report also included a touching description of Mitchell Elgar by his mother;
“One day he said he wanted to be a writer. But he eventually set his sights on becoming a social worker. He was a sensitive boy. He had chosen to go to Leeds University. But I think he hoped to take up writing again.”
The news cuttings contain far more detail than I can (or want to) include here. To read them in full, simply click on either image to view a pdf.
Postscript: There’s quite a few similarities between this case and the murder of William Wood on the road between Disley and Whaley Bridge in 1823, in that the accused said he’d been forced to take part by an older accomplice. (Click to view the start of the 10-part series.)
Page updates:
My thanks to Lee for sending this photo of three of the accused leaving Manchester Crown Court; Howe (far right), Bailey (centre) and Murray (partially obscured at far left).
Mike also managed to track down some more detailed information about the murders. Click here to view.
This page gives further details about the case, as well as the ring-leader, Murray, revealing that he died in prison in October 2006.
Please note these victims were not homosexuals; they were lured to their deaths on the promise of part time work as drivers. I think everyone has suffered enough now with this story and victims’ siblings are alive and no longer want to be reminded of what passed almost 37 years ago. For the sake of Mitchell’s brother please remove this post. Thank you.
Emma is right – the victims were not gay men. Pete Murray told his friends that “Elgar was a grass and needed to be punished”. But neither the victims nor the murderers were reported as gay. The murderers were sadistic thugs (see working for the Krays) and as is outlined in a later report, bullies. The mention of the toilets as a popular place for gay men to meet has nothing to do with this story. It seems to be there for titillation.
You said ‘neither the victims nor the murderers’ were gay. Murray the ringleader was, though. It was reported at the time.
It appears the ringleader in this crime, Peter Murray, died in Peterhead Prison in 2006, aged 58. (Click for details.). Aged 36 at the time of his trial, he was the acknowledged ring-leader in the double-murder. He was being held in Scotland and press stories reported him as Scottish. Finally, the middle name in the linked report (Reid) is that of the man involved in the case, as the link below show, which reports the charging of him and his co-defendents, giving full names for each. (Click for details.)
Further to this case; two of the killers, John Bannister and Michael Howe, appealed on the basis they feared for their lives from Murray if they did not partake in the murders. The appeals failed and the resulting judgement confirmed that duress (fear of harm from another source than the victim) could not be a defence to murder. (Click for details.)
I am the sister of Martin Pollitt, whose life was taken by these monsters. I believe they have finished their sentences and have a new life with new identities. Except for Murray of course – he’s rotting in hell!
Is this the tragic story of Martin Geoffrey Pollitt from Stockport?
Yes it is. I knew Martin Pollitt well as I went to school with him.
Is there any way of telling whether the others are still in prison? Kell says she thinks they are free but the Black Kalendar site doesn’t list an end of their sentences.
I went to Mitchell’s 5th Birthday party in Brooklands. May he have found Peace.
My name is Christopher Dean. I was also taken by Murray and offered employment as a driver. Luckily I refused the offer. I was in court giving evidence for the prosecution.
I want to remain anonymous. I also gave evidence in court. I was 16 at the time. I was stupidly hitchhiking a lift back from Stockport College to save my bus money. I got in the car with the murderers and was going to get dropped off in Buxton. On one of the bends a Land Rover and trailer had tipped over and blocked the road. We turned around and I got out of the car in a nearby town. Little did I know until the CID came knocking on our door, how close to death I had come.
Thanks to the police they managed to keep my name out of the newspapers at the time. It certainly left me with trust issues throughout my life. Even to this day. My thoughts have always been with the victims families. I have often wondered if the person who had the accident and blocked the road a few corners before Goyt Valley would have felt if they knew they had saved my life.
One of the most shocking aspects of this case was that one of the killers, Michael Bailey, had been a friend of the second victim, Martin Pollitt, and used the trust that came from that to lure him to his death.
This is true. I was much younger but me and a few school friends used to hang round Stephen and Martin Pollitts house on summer evenings. The older guy who was friends with Stephen Bailey had a bright yellow Japanese sports car. He ignored us but Martin and Stephen Pollitt, and another kid who dressed like a Teddy boy and was into rock and roll, all went for rides with him. I still remember with fear when I heard about how they tortured Polly.
I fully understand those saying the family have suffered enough. However my heart is with those victims who I place no blame upon. I will always remember their names, their lives and pay respect every time I pass. I did not know them or the family but the location has always been special to me because of such different reasons. They will be remembered and thought about on every visit.