Murder of Kelly Anne Bates
Encyclopedia
Kelly Anne Bates was an English
teenager who was murder
ed in Manchester
on 16 April 1996 when aged 17. Bates (born c. 1979) was torture
d over a period of four weeks, including having her eyes gouged from their sockets up to three weeks before her death, by her partner James Patterson Smith (born c. 1948) before being drowned in a bathtub.
The murder inquiry was headed by Detective Sergeant Joseph Monaghan of Greater Manchester Police
, who said: "I have been in the police force for 15 years and have never seen a case as horrific as this." William Lawler, the pathologist
who examined Bates's body, stated that her injuries were "the worst he had seen on a murder victim". Smith, a misogynist
with a history of violence and torture against former lovers, denied murdering her but was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment
on 19 November 1997.
, was an unemployed divorcee
living in Gorton
, Manchester. Described by acquaintances as "house-proud and well-groomed", he was a teetotaller
and non-smoker. His marriage had ended after ten years in 1980 due to his violence towards his wife. He had then commenced an affair between 1980–1982 with 20-year-old Tina Watson, whom he "used as a punch-bag", even subjecting her to severe beatings while she was pregnant with his child. Watson managed to escape from the relationship, during which Smith had also attempted to drown her while she was bathing. In 1982 Smith then began a statutory rape
relationship with 15-year old Wendy Mottershead, who was also a victim of his violence. In one attack he held her head under water in the kitchen sink in an attempt to drown her.
In 1993, Smith began another statutory rape relationship with Kelly Bates while she was only 14 years old. Approximately two years later, when she left school, Bates moved in with Smith at his home in Furnival Road, Gorton. She had concealed the relationship from her parents. Bates's mother said of her first meeting with Smith after the two began living together: "As soon as I saw Smith the hairs on the back of my neck went up. I tried everything I could to get Kelly Anne away from him."
Although she had left Smith briefly because of arguments, in November 1995 she was once more living with him in Furnival Road. Her parents had noticed bruising which she explained away as the results of accidents. She became increasingly withdrawn and in December 1995 resigned from her part-time job. In March 1996 her parents received cards purportedly from her for their anniversary and a birthday, although only Smith had written in them. When Bates's brother tried to see her at the house, Smith said she was not at home. When a concerned neighbour asked after her, she was briefly shown at an upstairs window.
revealed 150 separate injuries on her body. During the last month of her life she had been kept bound in the house, sometimes tied by her hair to radiators
or chairs, and at other times with a ligature around her neck. William Lawler, the Home Office
pathologist
who examined her body, said: "In my career, I have examined almost 600 victims of homicide but I have never come across injuries so extensive." The injuries included:
The pathologist determined that her eyes had been removed "not less than five days and not more than three weeks before her death". She had been starved, losing around 20 kg in weight, and had not received water for several days before her death. Peter Openshaw, QC
for the prosecution in Smith's trial, said: "It was as if he deliberately disfigured her, causing her the utmost pain, distress and degradation ... The injuries were not the result of one sudden eruption of violence, they must have been caused over a long period [and] were so extensive and so terrible that the defendant must have deliberately and systematically tortured the girl." The cause of death was drowning
, immediately prior to which she had been beaten about the head with a shower head. Openshaw said: "Her death must have been a merciful end to her torment".
The jury at Manchester Crown Court
took one hour to find 49-year-old Smith guilty of murder
. Sentencing him to life imprisonment the judge, Mr Justice Sachs, recommended that Smith should serve a minimum of twenty years. He stated: "This has been a terrible case; a catalogue of depravity by one human being upon another. You are a highly dangerous person. You are an abuser of women and I intend, so far as it is in my power, that you will abuse no more."
The jury was provided with professional counselling to help them deal with the distress of seeing the photographs of Bates's injuries and the "sickening violence" of the case.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
teenager who was murder
Child murder
The murder of children is considered an abhorrent crime in much of the world; they are perceived within their communities and the state at large as being vulnerable, and therefore especially susceptible to abduction and murder. The protection of children from abuse and possible death often involves...
ed in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
on 16 April 1996 when aged 17. Bates (born c. 1979) was torture
Torture
Torture is the act of inflicting severe pain as a means of punishment, revenge, forcing information or a confession, or simply as an act of cruelty. Throughout history, torture has often been used as a method of political re-education, interrogation, punishment, and coercion...
d over a period of four weeks, including having her eyes gouged from their sockets up to three weeks before her death, by her partner James Patterson Smith (born c. 1948) before being drowned in a bathtub.
The murder inquiry was headed by Detective Sergeant Joseph Monaghan of Greater Manchester Police
Greater Manchester Police
Greater Manchester Police is the police force responsible for law enforcement within the metropolitan county of Greater Manchester in North West England...
, who said: "I have been in the police force for 15 years and have never seen a case as horrific as this." William Lawler, the pathologist
Pathology
Pathology is the precise study and diagnosis of disease. The word pathology is from Ancient Greek , pathos, "feeling, suffering"; and , -logia, "the study of". Pathologization, to pathologize, refers to the process of defining a condition or behavior as pathological, e.g. pathological gambling....
who examined Bates's body, stated that her injuries were "the worst he had seen on a murder victim". Smith, a misogynist
Misogyny
Misogyny is the hatred or dislike of women or girls. Philogyny, meaning fondness, love or admiration towards women, is the antonym of misogyny. The term misandry is the term for men that is parallel to misogyny...
with a history of violence and torture against former lovers, denied murdering her but was convicted and 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...
on 19 November 1997.
Background
James Smith, a Jehovah's WitnessJehovah's Witnesses
Jehovah's Witnesses is a millenarian restorationist Christian denomination with nontrinitarian beliefs distinct from mainstream Christianity. The religion reports worldwide membership of over 7 million adherents involved in evangelism, convention attendance of over 12 million, and annual...
, was an unemployed divorcee
Divorcee
Divorcee, refers to a person whose marriage has ended in divorce, a legal dissolution of marriage before death by either spouse. The feminine form is "divorcée", and the masculine "divorcé". At one time the term had negative cultural and religious associations...
living in Gorton
Gorton
Gorton is an area of the city of Manchester, in North West England. It is located to the southeast of Manchester city centre. Neighbouring areas include Longsight and Levenshulme....
, Manchester. Described by acquaintances as "house-proud and well-groomed", he was a teetotaller
Teetotalism
Teetotalism refers to either the practice of or the promotion of complete abstinence from alcoholic beverages. A person who practices teetotalism is called a teetotaler or is simply said to be teetotal...
and non-smoker. His marriage had ended after ten years in 1980 due to his violence towards his wife. He had then commenced an affair between 1980–1982 with 20-year-old Tina Watson, whom he "used as a punch-bag", even subjecting her to severe beatings while she was pregnant with his child. Watson managed to escape from the relationship, during which Smith had also attempted to drown her while she was bathing. In 1982 Smith then began a statutory rape
Statutory rape
The phrase statutory rape is a term used in some legal jurisdictions to describe sexual activities where one participant is below the age required to legally consent to the behavior...
relationship with 15-year old Wendy Mottershead, who was also a victim of his violence. In one attack he held her head under water in the kitchen sink in an attempt to drown her.
In 1993, Smith began another statutory rape relationship with Kelly Bates while she was only 14 years old. Approximately two years later, when she left school, Bates moved in with Smith at his home in Furnival Road, Gorton. She had concealed the relationship from her parents. Bates's mother said of her first meeting with Smith after the two began living together: "As soon as I saw Smith the hairs on the back of my neck went up. I tried everything I could to get Kelly Anne away from him."
Although she had left Smith briefly because of arguments, in November 1995 she was once more living with him in Furnival Road. Her parents had noticed bruising which she explained away as the results of accidents. She became increasingly withdrawn and in December 1995 resigned from her part-time job. In March 1996 her parents received cards purportedly from her for their anniversary and a birthday, although only Smith had written in them. When Bates's brother tried to see her at the house, Smith said she was not at home. When a concerned neighbour asked after her, she was briefly shown at an upstairs window.
Murder
On 17 April 1996 Smith presented at a police station and said that he had accidentally killed his girlfriend during an argument in the bath, claiming that she had inhaled bathwater and died although he had tried to resuscitate her. Police attended Smith's address and found Bates's naked body in a bedroom. Bates's blood was found in every room of the house, and a post-mortem examinationAutopsy
An autopsy—also known as a post-mortem examination, necropsy , autopsia cadaverum, or obduction—is a highly specialized surgical procedure that consists of a thorough examination of a corpse to determine the cause and manner of death and to evaluate any disease or injury that may be present...
revealed 150 separate injuries on her body. During the last month of her life she had been kept bound in the house, sometimes tied by her hair to radiators
Radiator (heating)
Radiators and convectors are heat exchangers designed to transfer thermal energy from one medium to another for the purpose of space heating. The heating radiator was invented by Franz San Galli, a Prussian-born Russian businessman living in St. Petersburg, between 1855–1857.- Radiation vs...
or chairs, and at other times with a ligature around her neck. William Lawler, the Home Office
Home Office
The Home Office is the United Kingdom government department responsible for immigration control, security, and order. As such it is responsible for the police, UK Border Agency, and the Security Service . It is also in charge of government policy on security-related issues such as drugs,...
pathologist
Pathology
Pathology is the precise study and diagnosis of disease. The word pathology is from Ancient Greek , pathos, "feeling, suffering"; and , -logia, "the study of". Pathologization, to pathologize, refers to the process of defining a condition or behavior as pathological, e.g. pathological gambling....
who examined her body, said: "In my career, I have examined almost 600 victims of homicide but I have never come across injuries so extensive." The injuries included:
- scalding to her buttocks and left leg;
- burns on her thigh caused by the application of a hot ironIron (appliance)A clothes iron, also referred to as simply an iron, is a small appliance used in ironing to remove wrinkles from fabric.Ironing works by loosening the ties between the long chains of molecules that exist in polymer fiber materials. With the heat and the weight of the ironing plate, the fibers are...
; - fracturedBone fractureA bone fracture is a medical condition in which there is a break in the continuity of the bone...
arm; - multiple stab wounds caused by knives, forks and scissors;
- stab wounds inside her mouth;
- crush injuries to both hands;
- mutilationMutilationMutilation or maiming is an act of physical injury that degrades the appearance or function of any living body, usually without causing death.- Usage :...
of her ears, nose, eyebrows, mouth, lips and genitaliaSex organA sex organ, or primary sexual characteristic, as narrowly defined, is any of the anatomical parts of the body which are involved in sexual reproduction and constitute the reproductive system in a complex organism; flowers are the reproductive organs of flowering plants, cones are the reproductive...
; - wounds caused by a spadeSpadeA spade is a tool designed primarily for the purpose of digging or removing earth. Early spades were made of riven wood. After the art of metalworking was discovered, spades were made with sharper tips of metal. Before the advent of metal spades manual labor was less efficient at moving earth,...
and pruning shearsPruning shearsPruning shears, also called hand pruners , or secateurs are a type of scissors for use with plants. They are strong enough to prune hard branches of trees and shrubs, sometimes up to two centimetres thick...
; - both eyes gouged out;
- later stab wounds to the empty eye sockets;
- partial scalpingScalpingScalping is the act of removing another person's scalp or a portion of their scalp, either from a dead body or from a living person. The initial purpose of scalping was to provide a trophy of battle or portable proof of a combatant's prowess in war...
.
The pathologist determined that her eyes had been removed "not less than five days and not more than three weeks before her death". She had been starved, losing around 20 kg in weight, and had not received water for several days before her death. Peter Openshaw, QC
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
for the prosecution in Smith's trial, said: "It was as if he deliberately disfigured her, causing her the utmost pain, distress and degradation ... The injuries were not the result of one sudden eruption of violence, they must have been caused over a long period [and] were so extensive and so terrible that the defendant must have deliberately and systematically tortured the girl." The cause of death was drowning
Drowning
Drowning is death from asphyxia due to suffocation caused by water entering the lungs and preventing the absorption of oxygen leading to cerebral hypoxia....
, immediately prior to which she had been beaten about the head with a shower head. Openshaw said: "Her death must have been a merciful end to her torment".
Trial
Smith denied murder and claimed Bates "would put me through hell winding me up". He also claimed that Bates had "taunted him" about his dead mother and had "a bad habit of hurting herself to make it look worse on me". When asked to explain why he had blinded, stabbed and battered Bates, he said she had dared him to do it, challenging him to do her harm.The jury at Manchester Crown Court
Crown Court
The Crown Court of England and Wales is, together with the High Court of Justice and the Court of Appeal, one of the constituent parts of the Senior Courts of England and Wales...
took one hour to find 49-year-old Smith guilty of murder
Murder in English law
Murder is an offence under the common law of England and Wales. It is considered the most serious form of homicide, in which one person kills another either intending to cause death or intending to cause serious injury .-Actus reus:The definition of the actus reus Murder is an offence under the...
. Sentencing him to life imprisonment the judge, Mr Justice Sachs, recommended that Smith should serve a minimum of twenty years. He stated: "This has been a terrible case; a catalogue of depravity by one human being upon another. You are a highly dangerous person. You are an abuser of women and I intend, so far as it is in my power, that you will abuse no more."
The jury was provided with professional counselling to help them deal with the distress of seeing the photographs of Bates's injuries and the "sickening violence" of the case.
See also
- Torture murderTorture murderTorture murder is a loosely defined term to describe a murder where death has been preceded by the torture of the victim. In many legal jurisdictions a murder involving "exceptional brutality or cruelty" will involve a harsher sentence.-Punishment:...
- Sadistic personality disorderSadistic personality disorderSadistic personality disorder is a diagnosis which appeared only in an appendix of the revised third edition of the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders . The current version of the DSM does not include it, so it is no longer considered a valid...
- Dennis RaderDennis RaderDennis Lynn Rader is an American serial killer who murdered ten people in Sedgwick County , between 1974 and 1991....
- Murder of Jennifer DaughertyMurder of Jennifer DaughertyJennifer Lee Daugherty was murdered in Greensburg, Pennsylvania in February 2010. Daugherty, who was mentally disabled, was tortured and murdered before being wrapped in Christmas decorations, put inside a garbage can and dumped in the parking lot of Greensburg Salem Middle School.During torture...
- Murder of Suzanne CapperMurder of Suzanne CapperThe murder of Suzanne Capper was committed in Greater Manchester, England in December 1992. Sixteen-year-old Suzanne Jane Capper died in Withington Community Hospital on 18 December 1992, from multiple organ failure arising from eighty per cent burns after she was deliberately set on fire on 14...