SHOCKING CRIMES

Greymouth Evening Star, 7 August 1946, Page 7

SHOCKING CRIMES

ALLEGATIONS IN LONDON POLICE COURT DOUBLE MURDER CHARGE (Rec. 10.35 a.m.) LONDON, August 6. As soon as Neville George Clevely Heath was committed for trial by the West London Police Court to-day on a charge of murdering Mrs. Margery Gardner on June 20, the prosecutor. Mr. A. A. Morgan, outlined the Crown’s case against him on a charge of murdering Doreen Marshall at Bournemouth on July 4. Mr. Morgan said that Miss Marshall went to Bournemouth to recuperate from an illness and stayed by herself at an hotel. Heath, who arrived in Bournemouth three days earlier, stayed at another hotel under the name of Rupert Brooke. They met on July 3 and she accepted invitations the same day to tea and dinner at Heath’s hotel. Miss Marshall and Heath left the hotel together about midnight to walk to Miss Marshall’s hotel. Heath returned to his room early next morning by a ladder, which had been left, by workmen, possibly because he did not want the night porter to see his dishevelled condition. Scratches on Neck. Heath next day as usual wore a scarf around his neck, Mr. Morgan said. Witnesses would say that they saw scratches on his neck. Miss Marshall’s hotel reported her as missing on July 4. The manager of Heath’s hotel asked Heath whether Miss Marshall was the woman with whom he dined. Heath said “no,” but the manager asked him to make contact with the police. Heath did so and told them that he and Miss Marshall walked to the sea front and then returned to her hotel. He later wrote a statement and later the same day met Miss Marshall’s parents and told them the same story. After describing the finding of Miss Marshall’s body, Mr. Morgan said she had been struck on the head and assaulted violently. Some ribs were fractured and her wrists were tied. A silk neckerchief, found nearby, had been tied around her neck and head. She had been dragged along the ground while alive and naked. Her throat was gashed.

Body Badly Mutilated. “The poor girl evidently had done what she could to protect herself,” he said. “Her hand was deeply cut as if she had seized a knife, but her efforts were unavailing. Her body was badly mutilated. There were teeth marks on the upper part of the body and a severe gash in the lower part. They were horribly sadistic injuries.”

Miss Marshall had also apparently been robbed of her ring which was pawned the day after she was killed. It was sold to a jeweller only half an hour before Heath went to the police. The pawnbroker and the jeweller recognised Heath as the man with whom they transacted business.

Heath’s room was searched and a knotted blood-stained handkerchief was found, which is believed to be the one with which Miss Marshall’s wrists were bound.

The hearing was adjourned until August 14.