50TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL - MURDER IN THE GRAVEYARD - 50-years since a brutal murder, a wrongful conviction and a 27-year fight for justice

A GRIPPING TRUE-CRIME INVESTIGATION INTO THE LONGEST MISCARRIAGE OF JUSTICE IN BRITISH LEGAL HISTORY - NOW BEING LINKED TO YORKSHIRE RIPPER PETER SUTCLIFFE.

* The book and campaign was featured on the Mark Dolan show on GB News on 10/2/24.

This is the link: https://twitter.com/GBNEWS/status/1756443424654233978

*Don Hale’s campaign and incredible story were also featured by ITV’s Judge Robert Rinder on his recent true crime series.*Read Don Hale's revised and thrilling true-crime book – MURDER IN THE GRAVEYARD, published in 2019 by Harper Collins. 

In September 1973, Stephen Downing was convicted and indefinitely sentenced for the murder of Wendy Sewell, a young legal secretary in the town of Bakewell in the Peak District. Wendy was attacked in broad daylight in Bakewell Cemetery. Stephen Downing, the 17-year-old groundskeeper with learning difficulties and a reading age of 11, was the primary suspect. He was immediately arrested, questioned for nine hours, without a solicitor present, and pressured into signing a confession full of words he did not understand.

21 years later, local newspaper editor Don Hale was thrust into the case. Determined to take it to appeal, as he investigated the details, he found himself inextricably linked to the narrative. He faced obstacles at every turn, and suffered several attempts on his life. All of this merely strengthened his resolve: why should anyone threaten him if Downing had committed the crime?In 2002, Stephen Downing was finally acquitted, having served 27 years in prison.Immerse yourself in this masterful account of Hale’s long, dedicated and often dangerous campaign to rescue a long-forgotten victim of the British legal system; the longest miscarriage of justice in British history.

‘An Extraordinary story of innocence and persecution, determination and grit … it had me rattling through the pages’ SOPHIE DRAPER.

*Don Hale’s campaign and incredible story were also featured by ITV’s Judge Robert Rinder on his recent true crime series.*Read Don Hale's revised and thrilling true-crime book – MURDER IN THE GRAVEYARD, published in 2019 by Harper Collins. 

*This is the Amazon book link: https://amzn.to/3qAUl9I

 

*VIEW THE REVEALING AND AWARD-WINNING BBC DOCUMENTARY NOW FOR FREE: Murder in the Graveyard: Length 28 mins 37 secs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZelkYBRUTk

Don Hale is an author and former investigative journalist who has written many books about a host of varied subjects. A former professional footballer, Don was also a journalist for over 40 years and was the editor of about five regional newspapers. He won a number of regional and national awards during his career including the 'Journalist of the Year' prize on three separate occasions including the prestigious 'What the Papers Say' award. 

In 2001 he was also the Observer 'Man of the Year,' as voted for by the Sunday newspaper's readers. 
Murder in the Graveyard was released in June 2019 and is a true account of his extensive campaign to overturn the conviction of Stephen Downing. He has since worked on three other successful miscarriage of justice cases, and has been involved in several human rights campaigns.

Another popular book released in 2020 and containing many updates and exclusive photographs is his best seller MALLARD, How the Blue Streak Broke the World Speed Record. This book was also used as the authority for the Discovery Channel, Channel 4, and the National Geographic for Trains, fast, faster etc. 

Another top selling genre book has been SHERLOCK HOLMES and the Ghost Ship Mystery - which is a fascinating inquiry into the controversial role of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. 

A more recent book is his fascinating story of Buster Crabb, the naval spy who disappeared in bizarre circumstances in 1956. This new book entitled - Buster Crabb - Ian Fleming's favourite spy and the inspiration for James Bond was released in the spring of 2020.