Harry Roberts to be released after serving 45 years

Harry Roberts, who was jailed for orchestrating the murders of three policemen in 1966, telephoned Joan Cartwright, 65, almost every day for four years after suspecting she had given evidence which blocked his attempt to gain parole, she has disclosed.

The calls, in which he spoke of tearing "limb from limb" anyone who spoke against him, coincided with a campaign of attacks on animals at the sanctuary which she ran.


Mrs Cartwright and her son, James, raised concerns about Roberts in 2001 while he was working at the sanctuary on day release from an open prison.

She said that her family began to fear for their lives as Roberts made increasing demands of them while speaking of his violent past.

He forced her to pick him up and drive him around in her car and demanded that she cook him breakfast every day, flying into a rage if his egg was not fried to his exacting requirements, she claimed.

Roberts's day release was cancelled abruptly and he was moved away from the open prison after the Cartwrights passed on their concerns to the authorities, using an intermediary for fear of reprisals.

But although the family gave evidence against him to a parole board in secret, he immediately suspected them.

Speaking for the first time after a court order banning publication of her identity was lifted, Mrs Cartwright said that the calls began within minutes of her being told by police that Roberts had been moved away.

"By the time the police had got to the end of the drive, Harry was on the phone spitting blood and spelling out what was going to happen to whoever was responsible," she told the Mail on Sunday.

"He was going to have them torn limb from limb."

Over the following years there were a number of attacks on animals at the sanctuary including a horse slashed with an axe, another blinded with an iron bar, a cat electrocuted, a peacock strangled and a donkey which had to be put down after being beaten.

The family believe that the attacks are connected to the evidence they gave.

Roberts, who has an ongoing application for parole, was jailed for orchestrating the so-called massacre of Braybrook Street in east London 1966 in which three unarmed policemen - Pc Geoffrey Fox, Dc David Wombwell and Det Sgt Christopher Head - were shot.

The killings were described as "the most heinous crime for a generation or more" by a judge at the Old Bailey.

Dominic Grieve, the Tory shadow justice secretary, said that he would write to Mr Straw to demand an explanation for Mrs Cartwight's alleged ordeal.

He said: "If Roberts was able to intimidate her from his cell that is a serious situation and it requires an immediate answer from Jack Straw as to what happened and why."

David Howarth, the Liberal Democrat justice spokesman, said: "Questions need to be asked about why this family received such poor protection from the police against these threats and why these activities didn't result in prosecutions, not just of Harry Roberts but of anybody who might have helped him.

"This is not just a breach of prison security but a failure to protect witnesses."

A spokeswoman for the Ministry of Justice said that the allegations were being considered by the Parole Board reviewing Roberts's custody and said steps had been taken to improve the family's security.

"Protecting the public is paramount," she said.

"All allegations of inappropriate behaviour by prisoners in open conditions are investigated and if credible will lead to the prisoner being returned to a closed prison."

For Reference its MILLWALL who sing his praises.

common song at most clubs, even non league during 60/70's

So has Ian Brady.

You think Brady should be released?

The cost of keeping such scum alive could be put to far better use in society.

how very enlightened

He should have been hanged for it, cold blooded murder with no doubts at all. 

Anybody caught under similar circumstances with no doubts should suffer the same fate.

Jack Straw facked up signing away the death penalty.

Psychos like this monster should NEVER be released (unless the head of the parole board is prepared to give them board and lodgings in his/her own home).

I agree with Facts, and you won't hear that often.

So many reasons as to why the death penalty should be brought in, or brought back, and I'm not even an extreme kid of person, but but's pure common sense, when guilt of such a crime is beyond any doubt and with a guilty plea too, then then there is no point sending them to prison because the people really being punished is the tax payer, paying for his existence, and then when they're released as a pensioner with no job to go to they live in subsidised accommodation with a all kinds of old aged benefits, that is more money forked out for a criminal to go on top of the previous 48 years. One of the reasons why judges are lenient on small time criminals is because prisons are overcrowded, this would be one way to free them up, no need to televise them though the way the yanks do.

^ Nonsense.

Firstly, why would anybody plead guilty? Secondly, how many are you going to execute each year to 'free up space?' Finally, how many televised executions have you seen on Yank TV?

Dotchinite    23 Oct 14 11:50 
He has more than done his time.



You are completely correct, he has done about 47 years too long imo, because some time in 1966 he should have been led to a room & had a rope put around his neck, luckily for him the death sentence had been abolished & this bullying coward escaped the rope, even time has not changed him with the way he hounded Mrs Cartwright who I believe he was working for on day release, this vile s c u m b a g had not changed his spots over the prevailing 35 years & will be no different now, on release I'm sure there will be lowlife out there lauding over him, it really beggars belief he is being released & I'm sure the above poster is on a fishing trip.

How many murderers have been released after doing athird  or a quarter of his time. Im all for capital punishment but I also like consistency in our system and he has clearly done enough time according to our rules and compared to hundreds of others.

I am researching a piece currently about Enoch Powell - what a fascinating, perhaps unique, individual. The contents of the Rivers of Blood have been debated to death, but its ramifications were the first example - and ironically worst given its removal of Powell from leadership contention for ever more - of this kind of screaming hysteria from the treacherous Social Engineers whose roots have undermined and overtaken our beautiful garden.

His views on Europe read like the kind of speeches Farage would employ, if only Nigel possessed the character required to advance from Private to Brigadier in the course of a World War, or the intellectual mastery required to speak twelve languages.

He warned us of this struggle to reclaim our liberties, our rights and our very soul once they had been sequestered.

He was the original racist. In the Dictionary written by the Gerrymanderers, who now write History too, he defines the word.

Furthermore, it is an appropriate punishment that his misfortune should be to live as long as his mental powers remain.

he must be ill

Its Thursday, I need something to get angry about, a 78 yr old roaming the streets just isn't doing it.

Having to listen to dickheads and their opinions.