Have you ever known someone who committed a serious crime?

[TheGhostsOfMeAndYou]

I’ve been listening to a true crime podcast recently and it got me thinking. One of the episodes was about Fred and Rose West. When Fred was first arrested (at the stage where police had only uncovered three bodies in the garden), his brother and sister-in-law spoke about him and said they couldn’t believe he’d done what he was accused of, as he had always seemed so gentle and polite spoken.

It made me wonder — has anyone here ever known someone who’s committed a serious crime, and did it come as a total shock? Or were there warning signs in hindsight? Did you ever suspect anything at the time? And how did others around them react — was it disbelief, or did some say they weren’t surprised?

No but in the news again last year

Yes, the West’s story was told over 4 or 5 episodes I think. At the point the brothers quote was read out they had only found 2 bodies in the garden.

ot later went on to explain about his brother vomiting suicide while awaiting trial.

Vomiting suicide sounds like quite the party trick!

Secondhand knowledge: my DH went to school with someone who murdered his girlfriend, even though he wasn't supposed to be anywhere near her. In his class there were also two others who have been jailed for fraud, one very serious resulting in people getting severely injured from chemicals used in the scam. Yet another who is a GP lucky not to have been struck off for defrauding the NHS. He also would probably be struck off for some of his unethical behaviour (breaking patient confidentiality) if it were reported. They all went to a private school in Manchester in the 80s, where, apparently ethics wrre not well understood or taught.

I don't know anyone who has gone to gaol! My school was clearly really boring, thank goodness!

I googled someone who I remembered getting the slipper at primary school. (Late 70s.) It came up that he was being hunted by police for breaking a woman's rib. Kids used to get the slipper for being violent. Eg. I remember a boy had kicked another boy in the head.
The thing is I bet the most violent kids experienced violence in the home, then were punished with violence at school. It was a vicious circle.

Just looked up the article and he broke her cheek bone as well. 🙁

Relative robbed several post offices.

I worked alongside a convicted pedophile, he then did it again.

My friends BF turned out to be a serial rapist.

A near neighbour was convicted of historic CSA

A volunteer I knew in a charity I also volunteered at was convicted of downloading CSA images