A series of child murders in Staffordshire, England, between 1965 and 1967 prompted one of Britain's largest manhunts for a child killer.
Key Facts
- Number of victims
- Three girls aged five to seven
- Period of murders
- 1965 to 1967
- Convicted murderer
- Raymond Leslie Morris
- Conviction date
- February 1969
- Morris's death
- 11 March 2014, HMP Preston
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Raymond Leslie Morris, believed to have begun offending as early as 1964 with the abduction and assault of a fifth girl, targeted young children in Staffordshire. His motives involved sexual predation against children, and he operated in and around Cannock Chase over a period of several years.
Between 1965 and 1967, three girls aged five to seven were murdered in Staffordshire, with their bodies discovered on Cannock Chase. Morris was also linked to an attempted abduction in November 1968. He was convicted in 1969 solely for the 1967 murder of Christine Ann Darby, though police believed him responsible for all three killings.
Morris's capture followed one of the largest manhunts for a child killer in British history. Convicted in February 1969 and imprisoned, he died in custody in 2014. The case drew widespread attention to child safety and the capacity of British law enforcement to investigate serial crimes against children.