Bert Spencer

13th December 1979, at Holloway House farm in Stourbridge, near Dudley in the West Midlands, at a Christmas party, Bert Spencer blasted his friend in the head at point blank range, 70-year-old Hubert Wilkes died instantly. Spencer stated that Hubert had suggested a wife swap and he got angry.

After the shooting, Janet Spencer tried to get the gun off him, Spencer hit his then wife with the sawed-off shotgun and attacked Mr Wilkes' daughter, air-hostess Jean. Spencer went off in his car but when he saw an ambulance he hailed it down, Bert Spencer immediately confessed to the crimes.

At trial Spencer offered no defence or explanation, the trial lasted four days.

He was sentenced to life, to serve a minimum 15-years for the murder of 70 year-old farmer Hubert Wilkes.

1995, Spencer released on licence from HMP Wormwood scrubs.

Spencer has always been a suspect in the murder of 13-year-old paperboy Carl Bridgewater, Bert has always denied this.

The murder of Mr Wilkes and Carl Bridgewater were in the same area, and bore a lot of similar features, but there is no real evidence.