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Jan. 25, 2024

S12E04 | The Murder of Juliet Callaghan (Swinton, Greater Manchester, 1966)

In this episode, I tell the story of Juliet Callaghan, a 12-year-old girl killed in Swinton, Greater Manchester, in March 1966.

Juliet was attacked and killed by a 16-year-old boy called Gordon Wheeler while walking home from school one Friday afternoon.

It took just ten days for the police to catch the teenage killer who had stabbed Juliet over 50 times during the frenzied attack.

Wheeler was found guilty of manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility in July 1966. Mr Justice Cusack ordered him to be detained at Broadmoor Hospital indefinitely.

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Intro music:⁣
David John Brady - 'Throw Down the Gauntlet'⁣
davidjohnbrady.com

References:⁣
BODY OF GIRL FOUND BY DOG. (1966, March 12). Nottingham Evening Post, 1.
BROADMOOR FOR CHILD’S KILLER. (1966, July 13). Daily Mirror, 3.
Broadmoor for killer of girl, 12. (1966, July 13). Liverpool Daily Post, 7.
Dead girl - Police quiz man. (1966, March 16). Aberdeen Evening Express, 3.
Frogmen Hunt For Murder Weapon. (1966, March 21). Liverpool Echo, 1.
Girl, 12, is found stabbed to death. (1966, March 12). Newcastle Evening Chronicle, 1.
JULIET, 12, MURDERED. (1966, March 13). Sunday Mirror, 2.
Juliet: Boy accused of murder. (1966, March 23). Daily Mirror, 20.
Juliet hunt: Man quizzed and cleared. (1966, March 16). Manchester Evening News, 1.
JULIET KNIFED 50 TIMES. (1966, March 14). Newcastle Evening Chronicle, 1.
JULIET MURDER: CHECK AT SCHOOLS. (1966, March 14). Bristol Evening Post, 1.
Juliet murder: Over 50 stab wounds. (1966, March 14). Manchester Evening News, 1.
JULIET: MURDER SQUAD AGAIN AT SCHOOLS. (1966, March 15). Torbay Express and South Devon Echo, 1.
Juliet: Police Look For Cyclist. (1966, March 15). Liverpool Echo, 1.
JULIET WAS STABBED MORE THAN 50 TIMES, CORONER TOLD. (1966, March 14). Liverpool Echo, 1.
KILLER HUNT CLUE: “Clothing may have yellow stains.” (1966, March 14). Aberdeen Evening Express, 5.
Killer may strike again, say police. (1966, March 14). Belfast News-Letter, 2.
MURDER CHARGE. (1966, March 21). Torbay Express and South Devon Echo, 1.
Police at funeral. (1966, March 19). Birmingham Daily Post, 23.
POLICE WARN: Killer may strike again. (1966, March 14). Liverpool Daily Post (Welsh Edition), 1.
Schoolgirl murdered. (1966, March 13). The People, 1.
“Shabby man” sought. (1966, March 16). Birmingham Daily Post, 21.
STABBED BODY OF GIRL FOUND NEAR EAST LANCS. ROAD. (1966, March 12). Liverpool Echo, 1.
STABBED BODY OF SCHOOLGIRL FOUND BY DOG. (1966, March 12). Northamptonshire Evening Telegraph, 1.
SUNDAY-SCHOOL CHILDREN IN MURDER QUIZ. (1966, March 14). Daily Mirror, 2.
YOUTH ACCUSED OF JULIET MURDER. (1966, March 22). Liverpool Echo, 18.