Crimewatch UK January 1988

Nick Ross and Sue Cook present. Cases include a Post Office break-in in Salisbury, Wiltshire, An arson in Northampton where three people died and the murder of Ivy Batten in Honiton, Devon.

[@luckyboy407]

You live on this earth 79 years and some loser wipes you out. There's no justice you get sent to prison. You have a roof over your head, tv, games 3 meals a day. Homeless don't get that and they've not committed any crime. I'd give them a rat invested cell one meal a day and one thin sheet. That'll make them think of what they've done.

[@Whizzer_]

The murderer was released in 2004 - Brian Parsons is his name

[@misplacedkiwi9498]

That’s such a lovely thing for the the train drivers to do to an elderly lady on her own. They were all saying ‘hi’ as they went by.

[@mrkipling2201]

I thought that as well.

[@olegenie1007]

very nice yes

[@neilt4723]

She must have waved mustn’t she every day for a bit of companionship. Class

[@clioflano421]

Ivy the lady who waves at the trains would be perfect in postman Pat or fireman Sam. Even the description of her grand nephew driving by her house, the milk being delivered and all the comings and goings. I would love to have had a grandma just like her , knitting gloves in daft colors that don't quite match!! Sweet lady who waves at the drivers.

[@ianpilkington2037]

For some reason and I don't know why but this one has always stuck with me, even though I was 12 when this first aired and I couldn't remember her name, just the train going by with the horn going

[@cliftonian10]

Thanks for this. The son of the helicopter pilot was in my class at school at the time of the jailbreak. I’d completely forgotten about it until I saw this. That was such a big news story at the time!

[@misplacedkiwi9498]

Poor old Ivy 😢😢😭 Why are people so bloody evil?

[@spike197047]

I'm surprised that there isn't a Crimewatch forum anywhere online? Would be great to discuss some of these cases in greater detail with Crimewatch fans. Still it's been interesting reading many of the comments from this and previous videos of the many cases that have been featured. Will be interested when we get to two cases that have fascinated and intrigued me for sometime, which are those of David Short (murdered 1988) & Karen Hales (murdered 1991)..both which remain unsolved to this day.

[@DeanBall75]

Not a bad idea to be honest, I'm amazed that many people have an interest in the old CW episodes I thought it was just me!

[@paulnwo4256]

I agree, i'm also intrigued by the death of David Short as he lived in a town a few miles from me and the whole incident was very out of character for the area

[@piotrgadowski3506]

There is a FB fanpage.

[@languageoffootball]

CTID just out of curiosity, where were you on the night he was last seen alive?

[@DisabledPrepper]

Shall we set up a twitter account?

[@mohammedjhangir3453]

Love these retro cW videos. Thanks for uploading. Your a legend Redcar 74

[@BlytheWorld1972]

The murder of Ivy Batten in Honiton, Devon. is very sad who could do that to an old lady ... evil

[@ajs41]

Did they catch the culprit?

[@sh-ig9fm]

Andy JS thay sentenced a man to life in jail but the investigation was handled to badly and he was released after 15 years in 2003 defrostingcoldcases.com/which-brian-parsons-is-responsible-for-the-death-of-mrs-ivy-batten/

[@katemissfilanpurrmcdevitt]

Yes and the first case was sad too Xx😢

[@kevinobrien8445]

A joke the way the police handle the evidence

[@olegenie1007]

@@sh-ig9fm sounds to me like he should never have been released, i think it was him

[@Wadworth6XLad]

Now into 1988 which, for me, was the real halcyon days of CW. The fact I first watched it in real-time in June ‘88 (looking forward to seeing that again shortly with the Joan Macan reconstruction, the Bowood House heist and “three strange men” artists impressions (stay with me it’ll all make sense soon!) has a lot to do with it. Plus the Oct, Nov and Dec episodes all of which I recall extremely vividly and have been on YT for quite a few years now. Five words to strike terror into any vintage CW viewer’s heart: “Highgate Wood Beardy Trance Weirdo.”

[@Paul8342]

ToteScrote Being born in 1985 I remember the 90’s episodes the most (especially from 1994/95 onwards) do I’m looking forward to that era being posted in due course!

[@leonjohnson1366]

Bearded trance guy is terrifying

[@RipperBravo]

Someone must have recognised the ‘Highgate Wood Beardy Trance Weirdo’, sadly Michael Williams murder is still unsolved.

[@Wadworth6XLad]

Indeed, one of the more intriguing cases. Someone calling himself "Paul" called in to say he recognised the strange man standing evidently in a trance outside the wood, but he rang off without giving further details and never called back.

[@RipperBravo]

ToteScrote Where did you get this information out of interest, I can’t find much at all, aside from Crimewatch.

[@birchwoodracing]

The actor playing Chris at 3:12 is George Armstrong who played Alan Humphries in Grange Hill

[@simonmcmullen1129]

Arsed

[@flipdip8008]

Hes dead now😢

[@kirstm.2215]

I cannot Bare the thought of people being hurt or dying in fires after witnessing what my son went through suffering facial burns. Its so so horrific. Poor people absolutely tragic

[@craigsutherland4726]

An absolute sin that house fire. Bastard

[@RadialSkid]

Random trivia: "Castle Keep" is the same movie Butch DeFeo was watching on TV right before he committed the infamous Amityville murders in 1974.

[@Scott1433]

50 grand is a lot of money now, in 1988 it would have been an astronomical fee and bought you a nice home

[@ajs41]

It would be worth about £135,000 in today's money if you take inflation into account, although of course property is more expensive than it used to be.

[@treasurehunteruk9718]

Princess Diana's dad bought her a three bedroomed flat in London for the same amount in 1979, for her eighteenth birthday.

[@RipperBravo]

12:10 This is incredible, I had no idea about this at all. I live in Market Harborough and Gartree prison is still in use. It’s housed Fred West, Reggie Kray and Ian Brady amongst others notorious criminals. I also owe a 50p fine to that library that the two men were seen in but please don’t grass me up......

[@ajs41]

We drive past that area quite often when visiting Foxton Locks, and my dad is also a member of the gliding club at Husbands Bosworth so we combine the two places a lot. We actually live in south-east Staffordshire so it's a bit of a drive. My dad's always known about the helicopter escape because he always mentions it as we drive past the prison!

[@MsVanorak]

for defacing a book?

[@ColinFlowers]

Love these every night. Thanks

[@noka79]

They always said that the elderly are rarely targeted yet every episode features elderly people being robbed etc.

[@muk8804]

Not every, plus it's likely that a lot more of or all,in the UK, of those types of murders were featured on CW:UK simply because they are much more repulsive and rare.

[@charlieasplin5152]

Crimewatch didn't show all crimes. They showed crimes where they wanted to catch the culprit the most

[@gayham]

Lynda Hunter was killed by her Husband.

[@stfitness]

Clive Bull on the radio on the first reconstruction. I listen to him on LBC now.

[@SKisatourist2010]

Northampton arson attack that killed two adults and a seven year old girl remains unsolved. Apparently someone called the local newspaper a few days later and claimed they were responsible but did not know the child was in the house.

[@ajs41]

I was just about to ask whether it had been solved. Maybe it was a case of mistaken identity, where they got the wrong house but the culprits didn't want to admit to it.

[@katemissfilanpurrmcdevitt]

Andy JS you could b right it’s so sad poor family Xx

[@misplacedkiwi9498]

Sick bastards

[@mrkipling2201]

What a sad case. That poor family never stood a chance.

[@olegenie1007]

im sure if someone phoned a local newspaper this would have been said on crimewatch, where are u gettin that info

[@deanmobley1112]

Red card you had me worried for abit as I thought there would be no Crimewatch fix tonight! haha thank you! Evening crime watchers 🤗

[@jarettebernard1053]

Ha ha me too Dean I thought we weren't gonna get an episode tonight ,thanks redcard74 u never failed us yet😁

[@AC-LING666]

i think his channel will get deleted soon to be honest

[@jarettebernard1053]

@@AC-LING666 no it won't there's other channels with crime watch episodes and they have been on KZbin for The past few years now without issue,I think there's only a problem if your making money from the videos (monetising) but this channel doesn't have any adverts so I think redcard74 will be fine

[@AC-LING666]

oh ok i see .

[@AC-LING666]

well ive downloaded all these episodes already from this guy to be on the safe side

[@StewSpaull]

Interesting to see Salisbury, in light of what happened there recently!

[@jimmyt5921]

Alan from Grange Hill & tuckers Luck was the casino man...

[@davidbatthews3811]

Jimmy T I thought it was him but thought would they have a comparatively well known actor on Crimewatch?

[@curvedglass1]

It is him

[@misplacedkiwi9498]

@@davidbatthews3811 I guess he was classed as a jobbing actor: he had no specific acting jobs so he was fair game for crime watch

[@chriswilby7679]

Thought that was Tom Jones getting into helicopter. Could be wrong but that's not unusual.

[@karlchidgey4103]

Ha ha, funny guy 😂😂👍

[@LANCSKID]

He was looking for the green green grass of home … why, why, why etc.

[@DeanBall75]

Ace, another one! Keep em coming Redcard can't wait to see the rest of 1988!!

[@spike197047]

Thanks again.

[@sdeee3842]

Linda’s hubby killed her 😧. And died of a heart attack 4 years later

[@andypandy9831]

That's Karma right there!!

[@michaelpout2208]

just got in for my fav time of the evening thanks more crimewatch

[@roccaluce]

I just realised Wellingborough Road is the same road where Arthur Brumhill worked, and was unfortunately murdered.

[@ColinFlowers]

yeah and still havnt found his killer. After quick google looks like the Thorplands arson is unsolved too.

[@trabali5168]

I was actually old enough to stay up and watch these episodes from 88, without being told to go to bed! The salisbury po robbery was definitley the russians.

[@ajs41]

Same with me, I think I started watching in 1988 at the age of 9. I was scared by some of the reconstructions and e-fits, but only on a very superficial level. Nothing scared me in the long-term.

[@trabali5168]

@@ajs41 i was about 11, and after the show it was straight to bed (never got to watch the update), and yes the reconstructions were terryfying for a while at that age!

[@CaptainOveur69]

When this episode was aired I was only a few hours old!

[@mrkipling2201]

Same here. Some of the reconstructions scared the crap out of me!!

[@leesolomon3314]

I like the old crime watch. Keep them coming

[@BlytheWorld1972]

Thanks i was hoping you would uploads Fab ...

[@nathaniliescu4597]

Cow.

[@nicolar6461]

That car is a complete giveaway for the man in the red jacket. Somebody would have know who he was for sure. However he wasn’t the criminal.

[@rayoflight6505]

That really upset me about poor Ivy. If there is a hell that individual will burn there.

[@charlottedeacon6031]

smck 2016 He has been out of jail for 15+ years!

[@languageoffootball]

Was there extenuating circumstances? What was the motive?

[@ajs41]

@@languageoffootball Report on the case: news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/3376353.stm

[@chrismanners9091]

@@ajs41 Have you ever seen the Trial and Error programme on the case? It's on the STV Player, for some reason (as are 9 other episodes, worth checking out. I know those programmes can be one-sided, but they made a good case some itinerant burglars from the Bristol area may have done it.

[@mrkipling2201]

Wasn’t someone found guilty and then it was found that he didn’t do it some years later??

[@McIntyreBible]

26:10, Inspector, the person who committed that terrible crime probably doesn't have a conscience!!

[@noellegunning3301]

I agree.

[@kevintraynor4508]

Love the shuffle of papers like before the news starts

[@LANCSKID]

All artifice.

[@senzoz5301]

thanks for the upload

[@misplacedkiwi9498]

Any train enthusiasts keep rewinding and looking at that train scene? Asking for a friend

[@NoEurosJustGuilders]

Loving these making my night shifts something to look forward too 😄

[@nathaniliescu4597]

Lazy bastard.

[@Stormy_69]

16:46 Wow! Cecilia Giménez removed Andrew Longmire's beard for Crimewatch back in 1987. Ecce Mono wasn't her first attempt at art! She obviously had a long break 😁 The excellent news is that, as of July 2024, he is still banged up.

[@Jimwoodward1212]

The Andrew Longmire on Incident desk was featured on Crimewatch Roadshow in 1989 on Operation Osprey

[@Thenorthsace]

Crimewatch file

[@mattyexploresavengerurban7922]

I love watching them keep posting them videos good work

[@I7275-p2d]

Classic late 80s telly. The old (pre Jeremy Clarkson’s mid life crisis version) of Top Gear 8.30 to 9 on BBC 2. Switch to BBC 1 for Crimewatch later. Then Friday at school and you were clear for the weekend 👍

[@ceripullen8153]

How could anybody set fire to somebodys home this is beyond sick😢

[@Wadworth6XLad]

I’d’ve thought the helicopter prison break would’ve been an excellent candidate for a full-scale reconstruction? Cost-prohibitive maybe?

[@simon-fk2ye]

Perhaps the were able to cover everything in a shorter amount of time?

[@katemissfilanpurrmcdevitt]

I was only a year in a half when this was broadcasted thank you so much for the uploads Xxxx

[@ajs41]

What do you think of Britain in 1988? I remember it well, I was 9 years old. Some things were a lot better then, other things were not so good. We already had a mobile phone and personal computers at that time, so it wasn't as old-fashioned as you might think. I even used a touch screen computer at a science park in America that year. My mum had a mobile phone as part of her job, they were very expensive to buy for personal use.

[@katemissfilanpurrmcdevitt]

Andy JS I can’t really remember I had been through a lot as a baby been ill in hospital many times how are you? Xx

[@09weenic]

Andy JS mobile phones were still quite rare back then and were the size of building bricks

[@emmacheckley3308]

I was born in June 88 so I enjoy watching once b4 I was born all to young. Should bring this back

[@zeddeka]

​@@ajs41 Every era has its ups and downs. We need to be always be careful though about drawing conclusions about the world we lived in when we were kids. As children, we lived very sheltered existences and didn't see half the things that were happening.

[@misplacedkiwi9498]

That beautiful train in Networksoutheast livery! I have the train set version of that. I am such a loser. Most of the train drivers know me too. I’m gonna end up like Ivy!

[@gavinthorburn5385]

Please bbc bring this back i have no idea why it ended,great tv and made big difference, maybe in the woke generation bbc felt it couldnt be on tv anymore

[@zeddeka]

It's been back on for many years in the mornings. It was originally taken off because people stopped watching. The viewing figures went through the floor. The version that is on now is very different to the one in the 80s because crime has changed massively. A lot of the crimes you see in 1980s Crimewatch either don't really happen now (such as child abduction off the street, or securicor van robberies), or would be solved very quickly nowadays.

[@krull1981]

Is that Tucker Jenkins' mate? 03:22

[@robertboyle2573]

Yes.

[@LANCSKID]

Well, if not, it will be someone who was in Only Fools and Horses …

[@jackhenderson2979]

It's like a documentary/comedy these days. No I am not scared....:)) i think I'm scared though. Waiting for Oct 90 sadberge near to darlington and the ann heron reconstruction. Thanks as always for the episode's redcard74.

[@McIntyreBible]

19:57, that’s really mean! why did that person have to do that to that kindly old person!

[@ajs41]

He was released from jail after just 16 years, at the age of 42. news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/3376353.stm

[@olegenie1007]

@@ajs41 yes and by the sounds of it he was the bastard that done it

[@olegenie1007]

sick world

[@McIntyreBible]

@@olegenie1007 I hope that guy who murdered her was caught, and executed!

[@Hi-kq1vi]

Wonder how many calls they got identifying the helicopter guy as Karl Howman from Brush Strokes?

[@AACE73]

Because of yoooooooo

[@drubber007]

On the first Reconstruction. What's him going to the casino and having a curry got anything to do with the case..lol And i can't believe they didn't mention that they should have had smoke alrams.

[@languageoffootball]

drubber77 do you reckon they might either have suspected him; or that they wanted to make it clear that he wasn’t involved? He must have felt a bit self-conscious afterwards as loads would have suspected him just for the very fact he was up and about, was a gambler and had the opportunity and means to do it.

[@Thenorthsace]

@@languageoffootballwhat the hell are you on about

[@LANCSKID]

What are alrams? Are they like alarms that don’t work?

[@drubber007]

@@LANCSKIDNo it's known as a typo.

[@andrewmacleod5826]

"Please ...Dont have nightmares and do, sleep well" .. 👍🏽💤 🕵️ Brilliant programme ....Should still be on now 🤔😐

[@PC-lu3zf]

The Bank clerk looked so calm handing over money LOL

[@AACE73]

Northampton & Market Harborough, two towns local to me & both mentioned in the same episode!

[@greensparkles5799]

Poor chep the dog. He must of been so lonely being dumped in middle of no where. I hope he is reunited with linda in heaven

[@mrkipling2201]

The guy who called regarding the house fire in Northamptonshire, who didn’t want his family finding out what he was doing there, was he having an affair?? Buying drugs?? Selling drugs?? I wonder if he called back??

[@letsdiscussitoversometea8479]

My first thought was an illicit liaison. If he was buying or selling drugs, getting in touch with the police would be something I'd imagine he'd be VERY reluctant to do. Seems to be unlucky for him that a local woman bumped somebody else's car.

[@muk8804]

Anyone know if they solved the Salisbury robbery ? And they must've disabled any alarms (and that's Nick said "things were concealed etc) Gotta involve an inside job

[@stephenkissane4268]

Sue Cook is a stunning woman. Grrr!

[@LANCSKID]

She most certainly is. Very professional and not like the drama queens we have today.

[@alisonblackwell988]

I'm trying to find the episode where I saw someone I was working with who appeared on the photo wall, and was arrested the next day for driving away from a petrol station for not paying

[@DeanBall75]

Any more tonight Redcard?

[@kevintraynor4508]

Anyone who could set a house on fireknowing there was was children in there is sick and beyond belief

[@Horseymama1]

I left school in 88 in Leicester, I don't recall this at all..

[@GekoPish]

I wonder if those robbers were the Hatton Garden guys in their younger days

[@kevinobrien8445]

Lol I was thinking same thing

[@Thenorthsace]

No because they didn’t work together back in the 70s and 80s, one of them was part of the brinx matt heist, and others were armed robbers and did other well known heists with different crews

[@Jimwoodward1212]

ive got that film called Castle Keep from 1969 Recorded

[@BlytheWorld1972]

the first reconstruction the guy playing the son is from grange hill and tuckers luck

[@geordieal9187]

The son on the arson case was in Grange Hill…

[@markdavidson9100]

Lady playing ivy reminds me of lady who played a grandma on an advert for ambrosia rice pudding

[@LANCSKID]

Stop it … oh, I’ve got to go to the kitchen now and have a rummage in the top cupboard.

[@kevphillips02]

Nice drumming at the beginning .

[@beejjas3321]

Omg such scumbags preying on elderly it's no better now you get these groups who com around knocking on doors late at night claiming to be from a charity bunch of criminal fraud

[@Nigel-ef2ft]

Nearly all criminals have receding hair!

[@AACE73]

It's the stressful lifestyle!

[@LANCSKID]

… and ‘beer bellies’ apparently.

[@rachaeladams8059]

Poor ivy batten

[@rachaeladams8059]

@naked old skool this was over 30 years ago

[@TheImatube]

Don't understand why they think they might not of intended the murders. They put petrol through the letterbox, hardly something that's not to kill them. The police man didn't make sence

[@RogerJJSmith]

I thought that was an odd thing to say too. He then also says that the longer the perpetrator waits the less likely it is that the police will believe he didn't intend to kill them. I think the policeman was encouraging the perpetrator to come forward on the basis he would face lesser charges such as manslaughter. Or maybe because the police had so little to go on.

[@treasurehunteruk9718]

I think they just say it because they want the person to come forward. 'Bargain with me' sort of thing.

[@letsdiscussitoversometea8479]

I suspect that the wrong address ended up being targeted. That was my very first thought in fact. There may have been a neighbour who had enemies living close by (maybe they were notorious, maybe they themselves came forward to divulge this??), and a random arsonist, came along and put petrol through a letterbox, thinking it was somebody who it wasn't. Perhaps the mother or her partner (or even the surviving son) conveyed this knowledge of a possible undesirable (or presumed undesirable) living in their midsts, and so identified them as the potentially real target of the fire. Terrible even if this was the case in its own way too.

[@TheImatube]

Did they ever find the killer for Ivy batten?

[@treasurehunteruk9718]

Yes.

[@jenniferkelly5897]

Didn't they have smoke alarms in houses in the 80's?

[@ajs41]

Some people did, but most didn't.

[@09weenic]

Jennifer Kelly it wasn’t standard building regulation to install them then

[@misplacedkiwi9498]

Smoke alarms weren’t a standard household item back in the 80’s or even the early 90’s. I’m very paranoid about fire. I actually had a date with a fireman because they did one of those home checks and he asked me out on a date! But it didn’t go very far because I got sick and needed a transplant

[@erminman74]

@@misplacedkiwi9498 oh dear, hope you got sorted out.

[@katemissfilanpurrmcdevitt]

Does anyone know if Ivy’s killer was caught? Also on the first case I hope the arsonist was found and send to jail Xx

[@lnteIIigence]

30:08 early pirates 😁

[@olegenie1007]

lol yes

[@DaveYT8325]

Google ivy batten and you can read up on an amazing case of potential mistaken identity

[@Wadworth6XLad]

Yes, was reading up on that a few days ago - sounds like a miscarriage of justice there. :(

[@ajs41]

Do you mean they got the wrong person? news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/3376353.stm

[@chrismanners9091]

There's a good Trial And Error (basically BBC's Rough Justice, but on Channel 4). kzbin.info/www/bejne/nl6ydnt3pM6Jfrs

[@martinward2159]

Aladdin's Cave is so boring.

[@Thenorthsace]

Have you ever heard of fast-forward ?

[@martinward2159]

No, explain that concept for me please.@@Thenorthsace

[@AACE73]

​​@@Thenorthsace😅👏🏻🙌🏻 watching it as if it's live on BBC all over again!

[@LANCSKID]

Good ol’ Johnny Bly!

[@bwabymafia]

Absolutely hate Alladins Cave

[@86compgeek]

Just in time :)

[@davidjohn8795]

Did the Salisbury and Oxford burglars get caught?

[@CaptainOveur69]

16:14 ooooooo matron!

[@kevintraynor4508]

From what iv read in the comments Linda was killed by her husband

[@LANCSKID]

Castle Keep … good, wholesome stuff.

[@carldobson4247]

Sailsbury robbery..wonder if it was any of the Hatton garden robber's??lol

[@Thenorthsace]

Nope

[@michaelcannon2434]

I wonder if these BBC researchers knew about mr savile

[@misplacedkiwi9498]

Probably

[@Thenorthsace]

Everyone thought he was weird around young girls and people were covering him for a long time

[@edwardburnsen-hicks2721]

Love the armed robberies. 18 year free me now retired.

[@Thenorthsace]

Same

[@dorianrose4622]

King Redcar 🤴

[@LANCSKID]

Redcard.

[@CharlieEdward25]

what a intro

[@emilyspring3625]

Salisbury , my hometown

[@ajs41]

My favourite writer and TV documentary maker, Jonathan Meades, was originally from Salisbury I think.

[@piotrgadowski3506]

Napalm Death recorded "Live Corruption" and "Suffer the Children" video clip there!

[@nathaniliescu4597]

@@piotrgadowski3506 oh jeez...

[@misplacedkiwi9498]

I don’t live far from Salisbury. I live near Bournemouth and used to live in Southampton

[@639704234200009]

​@@misplacedkiwi9498very the same locations to you then. Salisbury is lovely to visit. Bournemouth was nice in the 80s and early 90s but then took a sharp dive. Southampton is not the same as when we came back to it in 88, it's a hole now