Sign up to get weekly episode reminders
In the fifth episode of British Murders Season 5, I tell the story of Christopher Farrow.
On March 15, 1994, 33-year-old Christopher tricked his way into the home of 51-year-old divorcee Wendy Speakes in Wakefield, West Yorkshire.
Christopher sexually assaulted Wendy before stabbing her a total of 9 times, killing her.
A shoe fetishist, Christopher forced Wendy to wear a pair of blue mule shoes that he'd purchased from a local charity shop a few days earlier and placed a pair of Wendy's black stiletto's on her bedside table whilst he carried out the attack.
The case remained unsolved for six years until advances in computer technology linked Christopher's fingerprint to one found at the crime scene.
Christopher Farrow was handed a life sentence on November 14, 2000, with a minimum term to serve of 18 years.
He has been denied parole twice since 2018.
Intro music:
David John Brady - 'Throw Down the Gauntlet'
https://linktr.ee/davidjohnbradymusic
My recording equipment:
Shure SM7B Vocal Microphone: https://amzn.to/3F1Jkkj
Cloud Microphone Cloudlifter CL1: https://amzn.to/2XZicC8
Focusrite Scarlett Solo USB Audio Interface: https://amzn.to/3kKCLL2
Rode PSA-1 Professional Studio Boom Arm: https://amzn.to/3zHJOs8
Recorded using:
Audacity
Zoom
Edited in:
Audacity
DaVinci Resolve 17
Mastered in:
Auphonic
You can purchase 'The Serial Killer's Book of Haiku 2' by Rose Bundy here:
References:
Christopher Farrow: Wakefield shoe fetish killer denied parole. (2020, December 9). BBC News. Retrieved February 21, 2022, from https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-leeds-55247950
Cooper, J. (2020, December 9). Shoe fetish murderer Christopher Farrow who raped and killed Wendy Speakes denied parole. Yorkshire Evening Post. Retrieved February 21, 2022, from https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/crime/shoe-fetish-murderer-christopher-farrow-who-raped-and-killed-wendy-speakes-denied-parole-3062986
Family’s outrage as Leeds shoe fetish killer who raped and murdered mum in her home set for release. (2019, January 8). Yorkshire Evening Post. Retrieved February 21, 2022, from https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/crime/familys-outrage-leeds-shoe-fetish-killer-who-raped-and-murdered-mum-her-home-set-release-175607
Gardner, T. (2019a, March 15). How sick shoe fetish killer Christopher Farrow targeted Wakefield mum Wendy Speakes. Wakefield Express. Retrieved February 21, 2022, from https://www.wakefieldexpress.co.uk/news/crime/how-sick-shoe-fetish-killer-christopher-farrow-targeted-wakefield-mum-wendy-speakes-73282
Gardner, T. (2019b, March 15). Why sick shoe fetish killer Christopher Farrow could be moved to an open prison. Yorkshire Evening Post. Retrieved February 21, 2022, from https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/crime/why-sick-shoe-fetish-killer-christopher-farrow-could-be-moved-open-prison-74163
Gardner, T. (2020, December 10). “I will not let mum down”: Daughter of shoe fetish murder victim Wendy Speakes vows to continue her fight to keep Leeds killer Christopher Farrow behind bars until the day he dies. Yorkshire Evening Post. Retrieved February 21, 2022, from https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/crime/i-will-not-let-mum-down-daughter-shoe-fetish-murder-victim-wendy-speakes-vows-continue-her-fight-keep-leeds-killer-christopher-farrow-behind-bars-until-day-he-dies-3064203
Graves, D. (1994, October 12). Mother stabbed to death may be third victim. The Daily Telegraph, 3. Retrieved from Newspapers.com.
“He has never said sorry” - Daughter of murdered Wendy Speakes opens up as killer set to be released. (2019, January 9). Yorkshire Evening Post. Retrieved February 21, 2022, from https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/crime/he-has-never-said-sorry-daughter-murdered-wendy-speakes-opens-killer-set-be-released-174272
History. (n.d.). Wakefield Cathedral. Retrieved February 21, 2022, from https://www.wakefieldcathedral.org.uk/who-we-are/heritage/history
“Please don’t give him the chance to kill again”: Daughter pleads for her mother’s murderer to stay behind bars. (2019, January 3). ITV News. Retrieved February 21, 2022, from https://www.itv.com/news/anglia/2019-01-03/please-dont-give-him-the-chance-to-kill-again-daughter-pleads-for-her-mothers-murderer-to-stay-behind-bars
Robinson, A. (2019, June 18). Fears over release of sadistic shoe fetish killer suspected of targeting Huddersfield shop worker. YorkshireLive. Retrieved February 21, 2022, from https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/news/west-yorkshire-news/fears-over-release-sadistic-shoe-16443573
Sandhu, N., & Hicks, A. (2018, December 30). Shoe fetish killer who raped and murdered mum moved to open prison ahead of release. Mirror. Retrieved February 21, 2022, from https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/shoe-fetish-killer-who-murdered-13795025
“Shoe fetish” killer gets life. (2000, November 14). BBC News. Retrieved February 21, 2022, from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/1023734.stm
Shoe fetish murderer denied parole. (2020, December 9). Express & Star. Retrieved February 21, 2022, from https://www.expressandstar.com/news/uk-news/2020/12/09/shoe-fetish-murderer-denied-parole/
Stokes, P. (2000, November 15). Shoe fetish rapist who killed victim is jailed for life. The Daily Telegraph, 12. Retrieved from Newspapers.com.
Thompson, F. (2020, December 9). Notorious shoe fetish murderer Christopher Farrow denied parole. The Sunday World. Retrieved February 21, 2022, from https://www.sundayworld.com/news/world-news/notorious-shoe-fetish-murderer-christopher-farrow-denied-parole-39844907.html
