|
Kill Total: |
2 |
Kill place: |
Chillenden, Kent |
|
Kill date: |
9th July 1996 |
Victim(s): |
Lin Russell,
Megan Russell |
|
Date of Birth: |
1960 |
Marital Status: |
|
|
AKA: |
Michael Goodban |
Occupation: |
|
Stone attacked and killed Dr Lin Russell, 45, and her six-year-old
daughter Megan, as they walked home from a swimming
gala along a country lane in Chillenden, near Canterbury,
on 9th July 1996. Ther eldest daughter, Josie, nine, was also battered and
left for dead but she survived and made a miraculous
recovery, the family's pet dog, Lucy, was also killed.
The family passed Stone's car, which was parked in
the lane, when he got out wielding a claw hammer and
demanded money. Dr Russell said they did not have any and
offered to go home and get some.
But Stone said "No", tied them up and bludgeoned Dr
Russell and Megan to death with the hammer. Josie was urged by her
mother to run home and get help but she was caught,
blindfolded with strips of towel taken from her swimming
bag and tied to a tree. Her mother was also blindfolded.
Josie was then attacked and passed out. Her injuries were
so severe it was not until the next year that she could
recount the events to police. She still has difficulty
speaking and understanding speech.
16th July 1997 - Michael stone from Gillingham in Kent is arrested, on an unrelated crime, and held in Canterbury Jail.
6th October 1998 Michael Stone stands trial at Maidstone Crown Court, charged with the murder of Dr. Lin Russell and 6 year old Megan Russell, as well as the attempted murder of Josie Russell.
23rd October 1998 - after nearly 15 hours of deliberation, the jury, by a 10-2 majority, finds Stone guilty on all three counts, he is given three life sentences.
6th November 1998 Stone's defence
lodged an appeal against his conviction, stating that they
are hopeful of being granted "Leave to appeal".
16th
January 2001 the court of appeal grants Stone the
right to appeal, after one of the main prosecution
witness's admits he lied in the first trial.
6th February 2001 the court of
appeal rules that the appeal "Must Succeed", and on 8th
February, quashed Michael Stone's conviction, immediately
ordering a new trial. The trial started on 5th
September 2001 at Nottingham Crown court, on 4th
October the jury again found stone guilty on two
counts of murder and one of attempted murder.
The prosecution at the first trial was based mainly on the evidence of Barry Thompson, who later admitted he had made the story up. At the second trial the evidence against Stone was from an "alleged" confession he shouted through the wall to a prisoner in the next cell. There was never any forensic evidence to link Stone to the case. Stone has a violent past with convictions for burglary and assault.
19th January 2005 - A new appeal
heard in the high court in London found no grounds for the
appeal, Stone was returned to prison.
21 December 2006, a High Court judge
has decided that Stone should spent at least 25 years in
prison before being considered for parole. This means that
he is likely to remain in prison until 2023 when he will
be 63 years old.
September 2007 it was announced that
The Criminal Cases Review Commission is assessing if
there is "any new evidence or anything to cast doubt on
the safety of Stone's convictions".
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