![](../images/straffen_john/straffen_001.jpg)
![](../images/straffen_john/straffen_002.jpg)
2nd May 1952: John Straffen, a 22 year old Broadmoor patient, in
a police car on his way to
Reading Magistrates court to answer
charges of murdering 5yr old Linda Bowyer.
(Photo by Keystone/Getty
Images)
![](../images/straffen_john/straffen_003.jpg)
John Thomas Straffen who was found to be insane at his murder trial.
He escaped
from Broadmoor and was free for four hours before being recaptured.
(Photo by Keystone/Getty Images)
![](../images/straffen_john/straffen_004.jpg)
Winchester, England, 1952, Serial killer John Straffen seen here
being escorted by police officers
into Winchester Court House during his murder trial. (Photo by
Popperfoto/Getty Images)
![](../images/straffen_john/straffen_005.jpg)
Winchester, England, July 1952, Serial killer John Straffen seen
here being escorted by police officers
into Winchester Court House during his murder trial. (Photo by
Popperfoto/Getty Images)
![](../images/straffen_john/straffen_011.jpg)
John Straffen
![](../images/straffen_john/straffen_012.jpg)
John Straffen was sentenced to death but the
sentence was commuted to life imprisonment.
![](../images/straffen_john/straffen_021.jpg)
John Straffen was Britain's longest-serving prisoner.
![](../images/straffen_john/straffen_022.jpg)
John Straffen
![](../images/straffen_john/crimescene-cecily-batstone.jpg)
Somerset, England, 1951. A Police officer guards the crime scene
where 9 year old Cecily Batstone
was found murdered. (Photo by Popperfoto/Getty Images)
![](../images/straffen_john/brenda-goddard.jpg)
Circa 1950's, Portrait of Brenda Goddard, murder victim of serial
killer John Straffen
(Photo by Popperfoto/Getty Images)
![](../images/straffen_john/linda-bowyer.jpg)
Circa 1950's, Portrait of Linda Bowyer, murder victim of serial
killer John Straffen.
(Photo by Popperfoto/Getty Images)
John Tomas Straffen biography