James Inglis
Encyclopedia
James Inglis was a British
man executed for murder at the age of 29.
Having confessed to strangling Alice Morgan, a 50-year-old prostitute in Kingston upon Hull
on 1 February 1951 after a quarrel over payment, Inglis opted to plead insanity at his trial. The jury did not believe his version of events, and on 20 April he was sentenced by Justice Ormerod to be hanged
. He was jailed at Strangeways Prison
to await execution. Because Inglis did not appeal against his sentence, execution was scheduled to take place only three weeks after the trial ended (according to law, after the passage of three Sundays).
On the morning of 8 May 1951, the executioner, Albert Pierrepoint
and his assistant, Syd Dernley
, escorted Inglis from his cell to the gallows immediately adjacent, and hanged him without delay. This was the fastest British hanging on record, taking just seven seconds from the time that Inglis was removed from his cell to the moment that the trapdoor opened. Dernley later related that Inglis practically ran to his execution, following the prison guard's advice to go quickly and "without fuss".
Inglis' execution is featured in the 2006 film Pierrepoint
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
man executed for murder at the age of 29.
Having confessed to strangling Alice Morgan, a 50-year-old prostitute in Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull , usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of...
on 1 February 1951 after a quarrel over payment, Inglis opted to plead insanity at his trial. The jury did not believe his version of events, and on 20 April he was sentenced by Justice Ormerod to be hanged
Hanging
Hanging is the lethal suspension of a person by a ligature. The Oxford English Dictionary states that hanging in this sense is "specifically to put to death by suspension by the neck", though it formerly also referred to crucifixion and death by impalement in which the body would remain...
. He was jailed at Strangeways Prison
Manchester (HM Prison)
HM Prison Manchester is a high-security male prison situated in Manchester, England operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service. It is a local Prison, holding prisoners remanded into custody from the courts in the Manchester area as well as a number of Category A prisoners.HM Prison Manchester was...
to await execution. Because Inglis did not appeal against his sentence, execution was scheduled to take place only three weeks after the trial ended (according to law, after the passage of three Sundays).
On the morning of 8 May 1951, the executioner, Albert Pierrepoint
Albert Pierrepoint
Albert Pierrepoint is the most famous member of the family which provided three of the United Kingdom's official hangmen in the first half of the 20th century...
and his assistant, Syd Dernley
Syd Dernley
Syd Dernley was dubbed, as also has been Albert Pierrepoint, "the last British hangman", although in fact he was not . More accurately, he was the last surviving hangman, following the deaths of both Pierrepoint and Allen in 1992...
, escorted Inglis from his cell to the gallows immediately adjacent, and hanged him without delay. This was the fastest British hanging on record, taking just seven seconds from the time that Inglis was removed from his cell to the moment that the trapdoor opened. Dernley later related that Inglis practically ran to his execution, following the prison guard's advice to go quickly and "without fuss".
Inglis' execution is featured in the 2006 film Pierrepoint
Pierrepoint (film)
Pierrepoint , is a 2005 British film directed by Adrian Shergold about the life of British executioner Albert Pierrepoint....
.
Further reading
- Dernley & Newman, The Hangman's Tale: Memoirs of a Public Executioner, Trans-Atlantic Publications, 1990 ISBN 0-330-31633-8