Murder of Daniel Handley
Encyclopedia
Daniel Handley was murdered in west London
in 1994. Timothy Morss (born 11 March 1963) and partner Brett Tyler (born 1965) were sentenced to life sentences in 1996 for abducting
, sexually assaulting and murdering the nine-year-old boy. When the pair, along with two others, received 50-year tariffs
imposed by Home Secretary
David Blunkett
in 2002, this was overturned within 24 hours by the European Court of Human Rights
.
on his bicycle in Beckton
, London
, on October 7, 1994, when he was approached by two men in a Peugeot 405
. The men had been cruising the area looking for a young, pre-teen, fair haired boy to make real their fantasy of abducting such a boy, sexually abusing
him and then killing him. The driver of the car claimed to be lost, and asked Daniel to show him directions on a map. The map was placed across the back seat of the car and, when Daniel leaned inside to look at it, one of the men pushed him into the car and the other drove them off. They drove Daniel to a flat, where each man sexually abused him in turn while the other videoed the activity with a camcorder
. Afterwards, they took Daniel to a layby near Hungerford
in Berkshire
, where he was again sexually abused before being strangled to death with a rope. His killers dumped his body in a shallow grave near Bristol
, where it was found in March 1995 - five months after he was last seen alive.
on 17 May 1996. They were sentenced to life imprisonment
by the trial judge, who condemned them as "vulture
s" and recommended that they should never be set free
. After their trial, it was revealed that the pair were serial child sex offenders who had also abused children in the Philippines
.
It was further revealed that they had met in Wormwood Scrubs Prison during the early 1990s, while they were serving prison sentences for child sex offences. One of the men already owned a house near Bristol, a minicab firm and a florist's shop, assets which had been obtained with his former partner.
They fled to the Philippines
after Daniel's death, but by the time they returned to Britain
, Daniel's body had been found, and they were quickly arrested on suspicion of murder.
One of the killers later recalled "the feeling of sexual excitement when I grabbed his body and pushed him into the car, the fear of being caught and the excitement that we might get away with it. It was like a fantasy."
and Roy Whiting) who received 50-year tariffs imposed by Home Secretary
David Blunkett
, effectively meaning that they will remain in prison until at least 2045 and the ages of 82 and 80 respectively. However, this system was declared illegal within 24 hours by the European Court of Human Rights
as well as the High Court
for England and Wales
, following a legal challenge by convicted double murderer Anthony Anderson
.
The final decision on a life sentence prisoner's minimum term now rests with the High Court
following a recommendation by the trial judge.
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1994. Timothy Morss (born 11 March 1963) and partner Brett Tyler (born 1965) were sentenced to life sentences in 1996 for abducting
Kidnapping
In criminal law, kidnapping is the taking away or transportation of a person against that person's will, usually to hold the person in false imprisonment, a confinement without legal authority...
, sexually assaulting and murdering the nine-year-old boy. When the pair, along with two others, received 50-year tariffs
Whole life tariff
This is a list of prisoners who have received a whole life tariff through some mechanism in jurisdictions of the United Kingdom.Eight of these prisoners have since died in prison, while three of them have had their sentences reduced on appeal, meaning that there are currently at least 48 prisoners...
imposed by Home Secretary
Home Secretary
The Secretary of State for the Home Department, commonly known as the Home Secretary, is the minister in charge of the Home Office of the United Kingdom, and one of the country's four Great Offices of State...
David Blunkett
David Blunkett
David Blunkett is a British Labour Party politician and the Member of Parliament for Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough, having represented Sheffield Brightside from 1987 to 2010...
in 2002, this was overturned within 24 hours by the European Court of Human Rights
European Court of Human Rights
The European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg is a supra-national court established by the European Convention on Human Rights and hears complaints that a contracting state has violated the human rights enshrined in the Convention and its protocols. Complaints can be brought by individuals or...
.
The crime
Daniel was fixing a chainBicycle chain
A bicycle chain is a roller chain that transfers power from the pedals to the drive-wheel of a bicycle, thus propelling it. Most bicycle chains are made from plain carbon or alloy steel, but some are nickel-plated to prevent rust, or simply for aesthetics. Nickel also confers a measure of...
on his bicycle in Beckton
Beckton
Beckton is part of the London Borough of Newham, England, located east of Charing Cross.Its boundaries are the A13 trunk road to the north, Barking Creek to the east, the Royal Docks to the south, and Prince Regent Lane to the west. The area around Prince Regent Lane is also known as Custom House...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, on October 7, 1994, when he was approached by two men in a Peugeot 405
Peugeot 405
The Peugeot 405 is a large family car released by the French automaker Peugeot in July 1987 and which continues to be manufactured under licence outside France. It used TU/XU petrol and XUD diesel engines....
. The men had been cruising the area looking for a young, pre-teen, fair haired boy to make real their fantasy of abducting such a boy, sexually abusing
Sexual abuse
Sexual abuse, also referred to as molestation, is the forcing of undesired sexual behavior by one person upon another. When that force is immediate, of short duration, or infrequent, it is called sexual assault. The offender is referred to as a sexual abuser or molester...
him and then killing him. The driver of the car claimed to be lost, and asked Daniel to show him directions on a map. The map was placed across the back seat of the car and, when Daniel leaned inside to look at it, one of the men pushed him into the car and the other drove them off. They drove Daniel to a flat, where each man sexually abused him in turn while the other videoed the activity with a camcorder
Camcorder
A camcorder is an electronic device that combines a video camera and a video recorder into one unit. Equipment manufacturers do not seem to have strict guidelines for the term usage...
. Afterwards, they took Daniel to a layby near Hungerford
Hungerford
Hungerford is a market town and civil parish in Berkshire, England, 9 miles west of Newbury. It covers an area of and, according to the 2001 census, has a population of 5,559 .- Geography :...
in Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
, where he was again sexually abused before being strangled to death with a rope. His killers dumped his body in a shallow grave near Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
, where it was found in March 1995 - five months after he was last seen alive.
Trial
The pair were found guilty of Daniel's murder at the Old BaileyOld Bailey
The Central Criminal Court in England and Wales, commonly known as the Old Bailey from the street in which it stands, is a court building in central London, one of a number of buildings housing the Crown Court...
on 17 May 1996. They were sentenced to life imprisonment
Life imprisonment
Life imprisonment is a sentence of imprisonment for a serious crime under which the convicted person is to remain in jail for the rest of his or her life...
by the trial judge, who condemned them as "vulture
Vulture
Vulture is the name given to two groups of convergently evolved scavenging birds, the New World Vultures including the well-known Californian and Andean Condors, and the Old World Vultures including the birds which are seen scavenging on carcasses of dead animals on African plains...
s" and recommended that they should never be set free
Whole life tariff
This is a list of prisoners who have received a whole life tariff through some mechanism in jurisdictions of the United Kingdom.Eight of these prisoners have since died in prison, while three of them have had their sentences reduced on appeal, meaning that there are currently at least 48 prisoners...
. After their trial, it was revealed that the pair were serial child sex offenders who had also abused children in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
.
It was further revealed that they had met in Wormwood Scrubs Prison during the early 1990s, while they were serving prison sentences for child sex offences. One of the men already owned a house near Bristol, a minicab firm and a florist's shop, assets which had been obtained with his former partner.
They fled to the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
after Daniel's death, but by the time they returned to Britain
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...
, Daniel's body had been found, and they were quickly arrested on suspicion of murder.
One of the killers later recalled "the feeling of sexual excitement when I grabbed his body and pushed him into the car, the fear of being caught and the excitement that we might get away with it. It was like a fantasy."
50-year tariffs overturned
On 24 November 2002, the pair were two of four child murderers (the others being Howard HughesHoward Hughes (murderer)
Howard Hughes is a convicted child murderer.-Early life:Howard Hughes was born in Llandudno, North Wales, in 1965, the youngest of four children born to Gerald and Renee Hughes. He had three older sisters, and his father was a wealthy businessman who ran a construction firm...
and Roy Whiting) who received 50-year tariffs imposed by Home Secretary
Home Secretary
The Secretary of State for the Home Department, commonly known as the Home Secretary, is the minister in charge of the Home Office of the United Kingdom, and one of the country's four Great Offices of State...
David Blunkett
David Blunkett
David Blunkett is a British Labour Party politician and the Member of Parliament for Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough, having represented Sheffield Brightside from 1987 to 2010...
, effectively meaning that they will remain in prison until at least 2045 and the ages of 82 and 80 respectively. However, this system was declared illegal within 24 hours by the European Court of Human Rights
European Court of Human Rights
The European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg is a supra-national court established by the European Convention on Human Rights and hears complaints that a contracting state has violated the human rights enshrined in the Convention and its protocols. Complaints can be brought by individuals or...
as well as the High Court
High Court of Justice
The High Court of Justice is, together with the Court of Appeal and the Crown Court, one of the Senior Courts of England and Wales...
for England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales is a jurisdiction within the United Kingdom. It consists of England and Wales, two of the four countries of the United Kingdom...
, following a legal challenge by convicted double murderer Anthony Anderson
Anthony Anderson (murderer)
Anthony Anderson is a convicted British murderer.He is most notable for successfully challenging the Home Secretary's powers to set minimum terms for life sentence prisoners...
.
The final decision on a life sentence prisoner's minimum term now rests with the High Court
High Court of Justice
The High Court of Justice is, together with the Court of Appeal and the Crown Court, one of the Senior Courts of England and Wales...
following a recommendation by the trial judge.