List of serial killers in the United Kingdom
Updated: 11/4/2025, 4:29:33 PM Wikipedia source
A serial killer is typically a person who murders three or more people, with the murders taking place over more than a month and including a significant period of time between them. The British Centre for Crime and Justice Studies defines a serial killer when an individual has killed three or more people who were previously unknown to him or her, with a ‘cooling off’ period between each murder. This definition is accepted by both police and academic experts and therefore provides a useful frame of reference.
Tables
· England
Akinmurele, Stephen
Akinmurele, Stephen
Name
Akinmurele, Stephen
Years active
1995–1998
Proven victims
8
Possible victims
8
Status
Committed suicide before trial
Notes
Known as "The Cul-de-sac killer"; Nigerian immigrant suspected of killing elderly people in Blackpool and the Isle of Man
Allitt, Beverley
Allitt, Beverley
Name
Allitt, Beverley
Years active
1991
Proven victims
4
Possible victims
4
Status
Sentenced to life imprisonment
Notes
Known as "The Angel of Death"; Lincolnshire paediatric nurse who killed children in her care
Balls, Jonathan
Balls, Jonathan
Name
Balls, Jonathan
Years active
1824–1845
Proven victims
22
Possible victims
22+
Status
Committed suicide prior to identification
Notes
Poisoned relatives and acquaintances with arsenic in Happisburgh
Bellfield, Levi
Bellfield, Levi
Name
Bellfield, Levi
Years active
2002–2004
Proven victims
3
Possible victims
3+
Status
Sentenced to life imprisonment with a whole life order
Notes
Known as "The Bus Stop Stalker"; convicted of the 2002 murder of Amanda Dowler and two fatal hammer attacks on young women in South West London.
Bierton, Lawrence
Bierton, Lawrence
Name
Bierton, Lawrence
Years active
1995–2023
Proven victims
3
Possible victims
3
Status
Sentenced to life imprisonment with a whole life order
Notes
Killed two elderly sisters in Rotherham in 1995. In 2023 he was convicted of a third murder he committed while released on licence.
Bishop, John
Bishop, John
Name
Bishop, John
Years active
1830
Proven victims
3
Possible victims
3
Status
Executed in 1831
Notes
Leader of "The London Burkers"; together with Thomas Williams and two accomplices, formed a gang of body snatchers that drugged and killed victims for money
Bourne, Geordie
Bourne, Geordie
Name
Bourne, Geordie
Years active
1590s–1597
Proven victims
7
Possible victims
7
Status
Executed in 1597
Notes
Scottish bandit who killed seven people around the East English Marches
Brady, Ian
Brady, Ian
Name
Brady, Ian
Years active
1963–1965
Proven victims
5
Possible victims
5
Status
Died in prison
Notes
Committed the so-called Moors murders with girlfriend Myra Hindley, killing five children and burying four of their bodies on Saddleworth Moor
Britland, Mary Ann
Britland, Mary Ann
Name
Britland, Mary Ann
Years active
1886
Proven victims
3
Possible victims
3
Status
Executed in 1886
Notes
Poisoned her daughter, husband, and the wife of her lover in 1886; first woman to be executed by hanging at Strangeways Prison
Brumfitt, Paul
Brumfitt, Paul
Name
Brumfitt, Paul
Years active
1979–1999
Proven victims
3
Possible victims
3
Status
Sentenced to life imprisonment
Notes
Strangled two men, one in Tilbury and another in Denmark, in 1979; sentenced to life, but released in 1994, and later killed a prostitute in Woodsetton in 1999.
Bryan, Peter
Bryan, Peter
Name
Bryan, Peter
Years active
1993–2004
Proven victims
3
Possible victims
3
Status
Sentenced to life imprisonment
Notes
Institutionalized for fatal hammer attack on woman in 1993; re-apprehended for cannibalizing a friend in 2004, but able to batter a fellow patient to death months later
Burgess, David
Burgess, David
Name
Burgess, David
Years active
1966–1967
Proven victims
3
Possible victims
3
Status
Sentenced to 27 years imprisonment
Notes
Murdered three young girls in Beenham; originally convicted of two murders, he was released in 1996, only to be convicted of the third murder in 2012 after new DNA evidence was found.
Chapman, George
Chapman, George
Name
Chapman, George
Years active
1897–1902
Proven victims
3
Possible victims
3
Status
Executed in 1903
Notes
Known as "The Borough Poisoner"; Polish-born barber who poisoned his wives in London's East End
Childs, John
Childs, John
Name
Childs, John
Years active
1974–1978
Proven victims
6
Possible victims
6
Status
Sentenced to life imprisonment with a whole life order
Notes
Apparent contract killer who killed six people in East London, although none of the bodies were ever found
Christie, John
Christie, John
Name
Christie, John
Years active
1943–1953
Proven victims
8
Possible victims
8+
Status
Executed in 1953
Notes
Known as "The Rillington Place Strangler"; gassed, raped and strangled at least five women from 1943 to 1953, hiding the bodies at his house in Notting Hill, London; also strangled his wife Ethel, as well as the wife and baby daughter of neighbour Timothy Evans, who was wrongfully executed for their murders.
Chua, Victorino
Chua, Victorino
Name
Chua, Victorino
Years active
2011
Proven victims
3
Possible victims
7
Status
Sentenced to life imprisonment
Notes
Nurse at Stepping Hill Hospital who poisoned patients with insulin
Cotton, Mary Ann
Cotton, Mary Ann
Name
Cotton, Mary Ann
Years active
1852–1872
Proven victims
21
Possible victims
21+
Status
Executed in 1873
Notes
Poisoned family members and acquaintances for their insurance policies
Cream, Thomas Neill
Cream, Thomas Neill
Name
Cream, Thomas Neill
Years active
1881–1892
Proven victims
5
Possible victims
5+
Status
Executed in 1892
Notes
Known as "The Lambeth Poisoner"; Scottish-Canadian doctor who poisoned women with strychnine in the United States and then England
Cummins, Gordon
Cummins, Gordon
Name
Cummins, Gordon
Years active
1941–1942
Proven victims
4
Possible victims
6
Status
Executed in 1942
Notes
Known as "The Blackout Ripper"; RAF pilot who murdered four women in London during the wartime blackout in 1942, and suspect in two previous murders from 1941
Dawson, Andrew
Dawson, Andrew
Name
Dawson, Andrew
Years active
1982–2010
Proven victims
3
Possible victims
3
Status
Sentenced to life imprisonment with a whole life order
Notes
"The Angel of Mercy"; stabbed three men to death with no provocation
Dennehy, Joanna
Dennehy, Joanna
Name
Dennehy, Joanna
Years active
2013
Proven victims
3
Possible victims
3
Status
Sentenced to life imprisonment with a whole life order
Notes
Stabbed three men to death and tried to kill two others selected at random in what became known as the "Peterborough ditch murders".
Duffy, John
Duffy, John
Name
Duffy, John
Years active
1985–1986
Proven victims
3
Possible victims
3
Status
Sentenced to life imprisonment with a whole life order
Notes
Together with accomplice David Mulcahy, known as "The Railway Rapists"; killed three women near railway stations in Southern England
Dyer, Amelia
Dyer, Amelia
Name
Dyer, Amelia
Years active
1869–1896
Proven victims
6
Possible victims
400+
Status
Executed in 1896
Notes
Known as "The Ogress of Reading"; baby farmer who murdered infants in her care
Erskine, Kenneth
Erskine, Kenneth
Name
Erskine, Kenneth
Years active
1986
Proven victims
7
Possible victims
11
Status
Sentenced to life imprisonment
Notes
Known as "The Stockwell Strangler"; gerontophile who murdered elderly citizens in London
Grieveson, Steven
Grieveson, Steven
Name
Grieveson, Steven
Years active
1990–1994
Proven victims
4
Possible victims
4+
Status
Sentenced to life imprisonment
Notes
Known as "The Sunderland Strangler"; murdered four teenage boys in Sunderland
Griffiths, Stephen
Griffiths, Stephen
Name
Griffiths, Stephen
Years active
2009–2010
Proven victims
3
Possible victims
3+
Status
Sentenced to life imprisonment with a whole life order
Notes
Known as "The Crossbow Cannibal"; convicted of murdering three prostitutes in Bradford
Haigh, John
Haigh, John
Name
Haigh, John
Years active
1944–1949
Proven victims
6
Possible victims
9
Status
Executed in 1949
Notes
Known as "The Acid Bath Murderer"; murdered people for money and then dissolved their bodies in sulphuric acid
Hardy, Anthony
Hardy, Anthony
Name
Hardy, Anthony
Years active
2000–2002
Proven victims
3
Possible victims
8+
Status
Died in prison
Notes
Known as "The Camden Ripper"; abducted, murdered and dismembered women across London
Hardy, Trevor
Hardy, Trevor
Name
Hardy, Trevor
Years active
1974–1976
Proven victims
3
Possible victims
3
Status
Died in prison
Notes
Known as "The Beast of Manchester"; killed three teenage girls in Manchester
Herbert, Philip
Herbert, Philip
Name
Herbert, Philip
Years active
1678–1680
Proven victims
3
Possible victims
3
Status
Died a free man
Notes
Nobleman known for assaulting and sometimes killing fellow peers for no discernible reason; although he faced lesser charges, research indicates that he was responsible for all the murders attributed to him
Hindley, Myra
Hindley, Myra
Name
Hindley, Myra
Years active
1963–1965
Proven victims
5
Possible victims
5
Status
Died in prison
Notes
Committed the so-called Moors murders with boyfriend Ian Brady, killing five children and burying four of their bodies on Saddleworth Moor
Ireland, Colin
Ireland, Colin
Name
Ireland, Colin
Years active
1993
Proven victims
5
Possible victims
5
Status
Died in prison
Notes
Known as "The Gay Slayer"; killed five gay men in London to seek attention from the media
Jebson, Ronald
Jebson, Ronald
Name
Jebson, Ronald
Years active
1970–1974
Proven victims
3
Possible victims
3
Status
Died in prison
Notes
Paedophile responsible for the 1970 Babes in the Wood murders and the murder of another child
Johnson, Theodore
Johnson, Theodore
Name
Johnson, Theodore
Years active
1981–2016
Proven victims
3
Possible victims
3
Status
Sentenced to 30 years imprisonment
Notes
Jamaican immigrant who murdered his wife and two girlfriends
Lee, Bruce George Peter
Lee, Bruce George Peter
Name
Lee, Bruce George Peter
Years active
1973–1979
Proven victims
12
Possible victims
26
Status
Sentenced to involuntary commitment
Notes
Arsonist responsible for multiple deaths during acts of arson in Kingston upon Hull; some convictions have been quashed
Letby, Lucy
Letby, Lucy
Name
Letby, Lucy
Years active
2015–2016
Proven victims
7
Possible victims
7+
Status
Sentenced to life imprisonment with a whole life order
Notes
NHS nurse convicted of killing 7 babies and attempting to kill 6 others whilst working as a neonatal nurse at Countess of Chester Hospital
Ligus, Robin
Ligus, Robin
Name
Ligus, Robin
Years active
1994–1996
Proven victims
3
Possible victims
4
Status
Died in prison
Notes
Drug addict convicted of robbing and bludgeoning three men to death with an iron bar in Shropshire
Lupo, Michael
Lupo, Michael
Name
Lupo, Michael
Years active
1985–1986
Proven victims
4
Possible victims
4
Status
Died in prison
Notes
Known as "The Wolf Man"; Italian immigrant who killed fellow gay men in London
Mackay, Patrick
Mackay, Patrick
Name
Mackay, Patrick
Years active
1974–1975
Proven victims
3
Possible victims
11
Status
Sentenced to life imprisonment
Notes
Thrill killer who killed people during thefts and robberies
Martin, Mark
Martin, Mark
Name
Martin, Mark
Years active
2004–2005
Proven victims
3
Possible victims
3
Status
Sentenced to life imprisonment with a whole life order
Notes
Known as "The Sneinton Strangler"; murdered homeless women in Nottingham with two accomplices to become famous
Maudsley, Robert
Maudsley, Robert
Name
Maudsley, Robert
Years active
1974–1978
Proven victims
4
Possible victims
4
Status
Sentenced to life imprisonment with a whole life order
Notes
Killed a man in London, and later two cellmates in prison and one fellow patient in Broadmoor Hospital
Morris, Raymond Leslie
Morris, Raymond Leslie
Name
Morris, Raymond Leslie
Years active
1965–1967
Proven victims
3
Possible victims
3
Status
Died in prison
Notes
Raped and murdered prepubescent girls and left their corpses on Cannock Chase.
Mulcahy, David
Mulcahy, David
Name
Mulcahy, David
Years active
1985–1986
Proven victims
3
Possible victims
3
Status
Sentenced to life imprisonment
Notes
Together with accomplice John Duffy, known as "The Railway Rapists"; killed three women near railway stations in Southern England
Napper, Robert
Napper, Robert
Name
Napper, Robert
Years active
1992–1993
Proven victims
3
Possible victims
3
Status
Sentenced to involuntary commitment
Notes
Known as "The Green Chain Rapist"; raped, murdered and mutilated women and children
Neilson, Donald
Neilson, Donald
Name
Neilson, Donald
Years active
1971–1975
Proven victims
4
Possible victims
4
Status
Died in prison
Notes
Known as "The Black Panther"; killed post office clerks and heiress Lesley Whittle
Nilsen, Dennis
Nilsen, Dennis
Name
Nilsen, Dennis
Years active
1978–1983
Proven victims
12
Possible victims
15
Status
Died in prison
Notes
Known as "The Muswell Hill Murderer"; lured and murdered young men at his flat in London, ritually dissecting their bodies post-mortem
Norris, Colin
Norris, Colin
Name
Norris, Colin
Years active
2002
Proven victims
4
Possible victims
10
Status
Sentenced to life imprisonment
Notes
Scottish nurse who poisoned elderly patients he considered "difficult" at a hospital in Leeds
Port, Stephen
Port, Stephen
Name
Port, Stephen
Years active
2014–2015
Proven victims
4
Possible victims
4
Status
Sentenced to life imprisonment with a whole life order
Notes
Known as "The Grindr Killer"; serial rapist who drugged, sexually assaulted and murdered men in Barking, London that he met on dating apps
Sach, Amelia
Sach, Amelia
Name
Sach, Amelia
Years active
1900–1902
Proven victims
20
Possible victims
20+
Status
Executed in 1903
Notes
Together with accomplice Annie Walters, known as "The Finchley Baby Farmers"; murdered infants placed in their care
Shipman, Harold
Shipman, Harold
Name
Shipman, Harold
Years active
1975–1998
Proven victims
218
Possible victims
250+
Status
Committed suicide in prison
Notes
Known as "Dr Death"; general practitioner who murdered patients placed in his care; only British doctor to be convicted of such charges. Convicted of 15 murders and responsible for the deaths of 218 patients identified by inquiry, but is believed to have killed around 250 people.
Smith, George Joseph
Smith, George Joseph
Name
Smith, George Joseph
Years active
1912–1914
Proven victims
3
Possible victims
3
Status
Executed in 1915
Notes
Bigamist who murdered three women by drowning them in his bath in what became known as the "Brides in the Bath Murders"
Smith, Rebecca
Smith, Rebecca
Name
Smith, Rebecca
Years active
1830s–1849
Proven victims
8
Possible victims
8
Status
Executed in 1849
Notes
Poisoned eight of her newborn children; last British woman to be executed for infanticide of her own child
Straffen, John
Straffen, John
Name
Straffen, John
Years active
1951–1952
Proven victims
3
Possible victims
3
Status
Died in prison
Notes
Murdered a young girl to get revenge on police; confined to mental hospital, escaped and killed two others
Sutcliffe, Peter
Sutcliffe, Peter
Name
Sutcliffe, Peter
Years active
1975–1980
Proven victims
13
Possible victims
14+
Status
Died in prison
Notes
Known as "The Yorkshire Ripper"; murdered women around West Yorkshire and Manchester; the manhunt for him was one of the most extensive and expensive in British history
Walters, Annie
Walters, Annie
Name
Walters, Annie
Years active
1900–1902
Proven victims
20
Possible victims
20+
Status
Executed in 1903
Notes
Together with accomplice Amelia Sach, known as "The Finchley Baby Farmers"; murdered infants placed in their care
Williams, Thomas
Williams, Thomas
Name
Williams, Thomas
Years active
1830
Proven victims
3
Possible victims
3
Status
Executed in 1831
Notes
Member of "The London Burkers"; together with John Bishop and two accomplices, formed a gang of body snatchers that drugged and killed victims for money
Wright, Steve
Wright, Steve
Name
Wright, Steve
Years active
2006
Proven victims
5
Possible victims
5+
Status
Sentenced to life imprisonment with a whole life order
Notes
Known as "The Suffolk Strangler"; killed five women in six weeks around Ipswich
Young, Graham
Young, Graham
Name
Young, Graham
Years active
1962–1971
Proven victims
3
Possible victims
3+
Status
Died in prison
Notes
Known as "The Teacup Poisoner"; poisoned school friends and family at age fourteen in 1961, killing his stepmother in 1962. Detained at Broadmoor Hospital. Released in 1971, he began poisoning coworkers, murdering two. His case sparked debate on the treatment of mentally-ill offenders, leading to legislation being passed
| Name | Years active | Proven victims | Possible victims | Status | Notes | Ref |
| Akinmurele, Stephen | 1995–1998 | 8 | 8 | Committed suicide before trial | Known as "The Cul-de-sac killer"; Nigerian immigrant suspected of killing elderly people in Blackpool and the Isle of Man | |
| Allitt, Beverley | 1991 | 4 | 4 | Sentenced to life imprisonment | Known as "The Angel of Death"; Lincolnshire paediatric nurse who killed children in her care | |
| Balls, Jonathan | 1824–1845 | 22 | 22+ | Committed suicide prior to identification | Poisoned relatives and acquaintances with arsenic in Happisburgh | |
| Bellfield, Levi | 2002–2004 | 3 | 3+ | Sentenced to life imprisonment with a whole life order | Known as "The Bus Stop Stalker"; convicted of the 2002 murder of Amanda Dowler and two fatal hammer attacks on young women in South West London. | |
| Bierton, Lawrence | 1995–2023 | 3 | 3 | Sentenced to life imprisonment with a whole life order | Killed two elderly sisters in Rotherham in 1995. In 2023 he was convicted of a third murder he committed while released on licence. | |
| Bishop, John | 1830 | 3 | 3 | Executed in 1831 | Leader of "The London Burkers"; together with Thomas Williams and two accomplices, formed a gang of body snatchers that drugged and killed victims for money | |
| Bourne, Geordie | 1590s–1597 | 7 | 7 | Executed in 1597 | Scottish bandit who killed seven people around the East English Marches | |
| Brady, Ian | 1963–1965 | 5 | 5 | Died in prison | Committed the so-called Moors murders with girlfriend Myra Hindley, killing five children and burying four of their bodies on Saddleworth Moor | |
| Britland, Mary Ann | 1886 | 3 | 3 | Executed in 1886 | Poisoned her daughter, husband, and the wife of her lover in 1886; first woman to be executed by hanging at Strangeways Prison | |
| Brumfitt, Paul | 1979–1999 | 3 | 3 | Sentenced to life imprisonment | Strangled two men, one in Tilbury and another in Denmark, in 1979; sentenced to life, but released in 1994, and later killed a prostitute in Woodsetton in 1999. | |
| Bryan, Peter | 1993–2004 | 3 | 3 | Sentenced to life imprisonment | Institutionalized for fatal hammer attack on woman in 1993; re-apprehended for cannibalizing a friend in 2004, but able to batter a fellow patient to death months later | |
| Burgess, David | 1966–1967 | 3 | 3 | Sentenced to 27 years imprisonment | Murdered three young girls in Beenham; originally convicted of two murders, he was released in 1996, only to be convicted of the third murder in 2012 after new DNA evidence was found. | |
| Chapman, George | 1897–1902 | 3 | 3 | Executed in 1903 | Known as "The Borough Poisoner"; Polish-born barber who poisoned his wives in London's East End | |
| Childs, John | 1974–1978 | 6 | 6 | Sentenced to life imprisonment with a whole life order | Apparent contract killer who killed six people in East London, although none of the bodies were ever found | |
| Christie, John | 1943–1953 | 8 | 8+ | Executed in 1953 | Known as "The Rillington Place Strangler"; gassed, raped and strangled at least five women from 1943 to 1953, hiding the bodies at his house in Notting Hill, London; also strangled his wife Ethel, as well as the wife and baby daughter of neighbour Timothy Evans, who was wrongfully executed for their murders. | |
| Chua, Victorino | 2011 | 3 | 7 | Sentenced to life imprisonment | Nurse at Stepping Hill Hospital who poisoned patients with insulin | |
| Cotton, Mary Ann | 1852–1872 | 21 | 21+ | Executed in 1873 | Poisoned family members and acquaintances for their insurance policies | |
| Cream, Thomas Neill | 1881–1892 | 5 | 5+ | Executed in 1892 | Known as "The Lambeth Poisoner"; Scottish-Canadian doctor who poisoned women with strychnine in the United States and then England | |
| Cummins, Gordon | 1941–1942 | 4 | 6 | Executed in 1942 | Known as "The Blackout Ripper"; RAF pilot who murdered four women in London during the wartime blackout in 1942, and suspect in two previous murders from 1941 | |
| Dawson, Andrew | 1982–2010 | 3 | 3 | Sentenced to life imprisonment with a whole life order | "The Angel of Mercy"; stabbed three men to death with no provocation | |
| Dennehy, Joanna | 2013 | 3 | 3 | Sentenced to life imprisonment with a whole life order | Stabbed three men to death and tried to kill two others selected at random in what became known as the "Peterborough ditch murders". | |
| Duffy, John | 1985–1986 | 3 | 3 | Sentenced to life imprisonment with a whole life order | Together with accomplice David Mulcahy, known as "The Railway Rapists"; killed three women near railway stations in Southern England | |
| Dyer, Amelia | 1869–1896 | 6 | 400+ | Executed in 1896 | Known as "The Ogress of Reading"; baby farmer who murdered infants in her care | |
| Erskine, Kenneth | 1986 | 7 | 11 | Sentenced to life imprisonment | Known as "The Stockwell Strangler"; gerontophile who murdered elderly citizens in London | |
| Grieveson, Steven | 1990–1994 | 4 | 4+ | Sentenced to life imprisonment | Known as "The Sunderland Strangler"; murdered four teenage boys in Sunderland | |
| Griffiths, Stephen | 2009–2010 | 3 | 3+ | Sentenced to life imprisonment with a whole life order | Known as "The Crossbow Cannibal"; convicted of murdering three prostitutes in Bradford | |
| Haigh, John | 1944–1949 | 6 | 9 | Executed in 1949 | Known as "The Acid Bath Murderer"; murdered people for money and then dissolved their bodies in sulphuric acid | |
| Hardy, Anthony | 2000–2002 | 3 | 8+ | Died in prison | Known as "The Camden Ripper"; abducted, murdered and dismembered women across London | |
| Hardy, Trevor | 1974–1976 | 3 | 3 | Died in prison | Known as "The Beast of Manchester"; killed three teenage girls in Manchester | |
| Herbert, Philip | 1678–1680 | 3 | 3 | Died a free man | Nobleman known for assaulting and sometimes killing fellow peers for no discernible reason; although he faced lesser charges, research indicates that he was responsible for all the murders attributed to him | |
| Hindley, Myra | 1963–1965 | 5 | 5 | Died in prison | Committed the so-called Moors murders with boyfriend Ian Brady, killing five children and burying four of their bodies on Saddleworth Moor | |
| Ireland, Colin | 1993 | 5 | 5 | Died in prison | Known as "The Gay Slayer"; killed five gay men in London to seek attention from the media | |
| Jebson, Ronald | 1970–1974 | 3 | 3 | Died in prison | Paedophile responsible for the 1970 Babes in the Wood murders and the murder of another child | |
| Johnson, Theodore | 1981–2016 | 3 | 3 | Sentenced to 30 years imprisonment | Jamaican immigrant who murdered his wife and two girlfriends | |
| Lee, Bruce George Peter | 1973–1979 | 12 | 26 | Sentenced to involuntary commitment | Arsonist responsible for multiple deaths during acts of arson in Kingston upon Hull; some convictions have been quashed | |
| Letby, Lucy | 2015–2016 | 7 | 7+ | Sentenced to life imprisonment with a whole life order | NHS nurse convicted of killing 7 babies and attempting to kill 6 others whilst working as a neonatal nurse at Countess of Chester Hospital | |
| Ligus, Robin | 1994–1996 | 3 | 4 | Died in prison | Drug addict convicted of robbing and bludgeoning three men to death with an iron bar in Shropshire | |
| Lupo, Michael | 1985–1986 | 4 | 4 | Died in prison | Known as "The Wolf Man"; Italian immigrant who killed fellow gay men in London | |
| Mackay, Patrick | 1974–1975 | 3 | 11 | Sentenced to life imprisonment | Thrill killer who killed people during thefts and robberies | |
| Martin, Mark | 2004–2005 | 3 | 3 | Sentenced to life imprisonment with a whole life order | Known as "The Sneinton Strangler"; murdered homeless women in Nottingham with two accomplices to become famous | |
| Maudsley, Robert | 1974–1978 | 4 | 4 | Sentenced to life imprisonment with a whole life order | Killed a man in London, and later two cellmates in prison and one fellow patient in Broadmoor Hospital | |
| Morris, Raymond Leslie | 1965–1967 | 3 | 3 | Died in prison | Raped and murdered prepubescent girls and left their corpses on Cannock Chase. | |
| Mulcahy, David | 1985–1986 | 3 | 3 | Sentenced to life imprisonment | Together with accomplice John Duffy, known as "The Railway Rapists"; killed three women near railway stations in Southern England | |
| Napper, Robert | 1992–1993 | 3 | 3 | Sentenced to involuntary commitment | Known as "The Green Chain Rapist"; raped, murdered and mutilated women and children | |
| Neilson, Donald | 1971–1975 | 4 | 4 | Died in prison | Known as "The Black Panther"; killed post office clerks and heiress Lesley Whittle | |
| Nilsen, Dennis | 1978–1983 | 12 | 15 | Died in prison | Known as "The Muswell Hill Murderer"; lured and murdered young men at his flat in London, ritually dissecting their bodies post-mortem | |
| Norris, Colin | 2002 | 4 | 10 | Sentenced to life imprisonment | Scottish nurse who poisoned elderly patients he considered "difficult" at a hospital in Leeds | |
| Port, Stephen | 2014–2015 | 4 | 4 | Sentenced to life imprisonment with a whole life order | Known as "The Grindr Killer"; serial rapist who drugged, sexually assaulted and murdered men in Barking, London that he met on dating apps | |
| Sach, Amelia | 1900–1902 | 20 | 20+ | Executed in 1903 | Together with accomplice Annie Walters, known as "The Finchley Baby Farmers"; murdered infants placed in their care |
· Northern Ireland
Shankill Butchers
Shankill Butchers
Name
Shankill Butchers
Years active
1975–1982
Proven victims
23
Possible victims
23+
Status
Various
Notes
Ulster loyalist gang who murdered people in sectarian attacks
Murphy, Lenny
Murphy, Lenny
Name
Murphy, Lenny
Years active
1972–1982
Proven victims
11 (not including Shankill Butchers murders)
Possible victims
34+ (including Shankill Butchers murders)
Status
Shot dead by Provisional IRA gunmen on 16 November 1982
Notes
Leader of the Loyalist Shankill Butchers death squad. He killed as part of the gang but also on his own prior to its establishment
| Name | Years active | Proven victims | Possible victims | Status | Notes | Ref |
| Shankill Butchers | 1975–1982 | 23 | 23+ | Various | Ulster loyalist gang who murdered people in sectarian attacks | |
| Murphy, Lenny | 1972–1982 | 11 (not including Shankill Butchers murders) | 34+ (including Shankill Butchers murders) | Shot dead by Provisional IRA gunmen on 16 November 1982 | Leader of the Loyalist Shankill Butchers death squad. He killed as part of the gang but also on his own prior to its establishment |
· Scotland
Black, Robert
Black, Robert
Name
Black, Robert
Years active
1981–1986
Proven victims
4
Possible victims
4+
Status
Died in prison
Notes
Paedophilic lorry driver who raped and murdered underage girls across the UK; suspected in other murders across several European countries
Burke, William
Burke, William
Name
Burke, William
Years active
1828
Proven victims
16
Possible victims
16
Status
Executed in 1829
Notes
Irish immigrant who killed people and sold their corpses for money along with accomplice William Hare
Hall, Archibald
Hall, Archibald
Name
Hall, Archibald
Years active
1977–1978
Proven victims
5
Possible victims
5
Status
Died in prison
Notes
Known as "The Monster Butler"; murdered people to cover up his crimes while working as a butler for British aristocracy, some with the help of accomplice Michael Kitto
Hare, William
Hare, William
Name
Hare, William
Years active
1828
Proven victims
16
Possible victims
16
Status
Unknown; died after 1829
Notes
Irish immigrant who killed people and sold their corpses for money along with accomplice William Burke
Manuel, Peter
Manuel, Peter
Name
Manuel, Peter
Years active
1956–1958
Proven victims
7
Possible victims
9
Status
Executed in 1958
Notes
Known as "The Beast of Birkenshaw"; American-born killer who murdered people across Lanarkshire
Mone, Robert
Mone, Robert
Name
Mone, Robert
Years active
1967–1976
Proven victims
4
Possible victims
4
Status
Sentenced to life imprisonment
Notes
Raped and murdered a teacher; later escaped from a mental hospital and killed three more people
Sinclair, Angus
Sinclair, Angus
Name
Sinclair, Angus
Years active
1961–1978
Proven victims
4
Possible victims
8+
Status
Died in prison
Notes
Raped and murdered young women in Edinburgh and Glasgow; his case prompted significant changes to the double jeopardy laws in the UK
Tobin, Peter
Tobin, Peter
Name
Tobin, Peter
Years active
1991–2006
Proven victims
3
Possible victims
3+
Status
Died in prison
Notes
Sex offender who raped and murdered young women in Scotland and England; suspect in numerous violent crimes dating back to the late 1960s
| Name | Years active | Proven victims | Possible victims | Status | Notes | Ref |
| Black, Robert | 1981–1986 | 4 | 4+ | Died in prison | Paedophilic lorry driver who raped and murdered underage girls across the UK; suspected in other murders across several European countries | |
| Burke, William | 1828 | 16 | 16 | Executed in 1829 | Irish immigrant who killed people and sold their corpses for money along with accomplice William Hare | |
| Hall, Archibald | 1977–1978 | 5 | 5 | Died in prison | Known as "The Monster Butler"; murdered people to cover up his crimes while working as a butler for British aristocracy, some with the help of accomplice Michael Kitto | |
| Hare, William | 1828 | 16 | 16 | Unknown; died after 1829 | Irish immigrant who killed people and sold their corpses for money along with accomplice William Burke | |
| Manuel, Peter | 1956–1958 | 7 | 9 | Executed in 1958 | Known as "The Beast of Birkenshaw"; American-born killer who murdered people across Lanarkshire | |
| Mone, Robert | 1967–1976 | 4 | 4 | Sentenced to life imprisonment | Raped and murdered a teacher; later escaped from a mental hospital and killed three more people | |
| Sinclair, Angus | 1961–1978 | 4 | 8+ | Died in prison | Raped and murdered young women in Edinburgh and Glasgow; his case prompted significant changes to the double jeopardy laws in the UK | |
| Tobin, Peter | 1991–2006 | 3 | 3+ | Died in prison | Sex offender who raped and murdered young women in Scotland and England; suspect in numerous violent crimes dating back to the late 1960s |
· Wales
Cooper, John
Cooper, John
Name
Cooper, John
Years active
1985–1998
Proven victims
4
Possible victims
9
Status
Sentenced to life imprisonment with a whole life order
Notes
Known as "The Bullseye Killer"; committed two double murders in Pembrokeshire; suspected in other murders and numerous sexual assaults
Kappen, Joseph
Kappen, Joseph
Name
Kappen, Joseph
Years active
1973
Proven victims
3
Possible victims
4+
Status
Died prior to identification
Notes
Known as "The Saturday Night Strangler"; raped and murdered three teenage girls in Llandarcy and Tonmawr; first serial killer to be posthumously identified via familial DNA profiling
Moore, Peter
Moore, Peter
Name
Moore, Peter
Years active
1995
Proven victims
4
Possible victims
4
Status
Sentenced to life imprisonment with a whole life order
Notes
Known as "The Man in Black"; English cinema owner who and stabbed men to death "for fun" in Denbighshire and Anglesey. Moore also committed at least 39 sexual assaults on men in North Wales and the Merseyside area over a 20-year period
| Name | Years active | Proven victims | Possible victims | Status | Notes | Ref |
| Cooper, John | 1985–1998 | 4 | 9 | Sentenced to life imprisonment with a whole life order | Known as "The Bullseye Killer"; committed two double murders in Pembrokeshire; suspected in other murders and numerous sexual assaults | |
| Kappen, Joseph | 1973 | 3 | 4+ | Died prior to identification | Known as "The Saturday Night Strangler"; raped and murdered three teenage girls in Llandarcy and Tonmawr; first serial killer to be posthumously identified via familial DNA profiling | |
| Moore, Peter | 1995 | 4 | 4 | Sentenced to life imprisonment with a whole life order | Known as "The Man in Black"; English cinema owner who and stabbed men to death "for fun" in Denbighshire and Anglesey. Moore also committed at least 39 sexual assaults on men in North Wales and the Merseyside area over a 20-year period |
· Unidentified serial killers
Bible John
Bible John
Name
Bible John
Years active
1968–1969
Proven victims
3
Possible victims
3
Regions where active
Glasgow
Notes
Murdered three young women he met at the Barrowland Ballroom in Glasgow; nickname derived from his repeated quotations from the Bible
Jack the Ripper
Jack the Ripper
Name
Jack the Ripper
Years active
1888
Proven victims
5
Possible victims
20
Regions where active
Greater London
Notes
Murdered prostitutes in London's Whitechapel area of the East End, mutilating their bodies post-mortem
Jack the Stripper
Jack the Stripper
Name
Jack the Stripper
Years active
1964–1965
Proven victims
6
Possible victims
8
Regions where active
Greater London
Notes
Strangled prostitutes in West London and dumped their bodies in and near to the River Thames
Thames Torso Murderer
Thames Torso Murderer
Name
Thames Torso Murderer
Years active
1887–1889
Proven victims
4
Possible victims
4+
Regions where active
Greater London
Notes
Murdered prostitutes around London, then dismembered their remains and dumped them into the River Thames; some speculate that these killings were committed by Jack the Ripper, but this has not been confirmed
| Name | Years active | Proven victims | Possible victims | Regions where active | Notes | Ref |
| Bible John | 1968–1969 | 3 | 3 | Glasgow | Murdered three young women he met at the Barrowland Ballroom in Glasgow; nickname derived from his repeated quotations from the Bible | |
| Jack the Ripper | 1888 | 5 | 20 | Greater London | Murdered prostitutes in London's Whitechapel area of the East End, mutilating their bodies post-mortem | |
| Jack the Stripper | 1964–1965 | 6 | 8 | Greater London | Strangled prostitutes in West London and dumped their bodies in and near to the River Thames | |
| Thames Torso Murderer | 1887–1889 | 4 | 4+ | Greater London | Murdered prostitutes around London, then dismembered their remains and dumped them into the River Thames; some speculate that these killings were committed by Jack the Ripper, but this has not been confirmed |
References
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- Burkhalter Chmelir 2003, p. 1.
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- The Guardianhttps://www.theguardian.com/uk/2010/may/14/camden-ripper-never-released-judge
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- The Independenthttps://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/babes-wood-murders-paedophile-ronald-jebson-dies-secretly-hospital-10206614.html
- The Guardianhttps://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/jan/05/man-theodore-johnson-on-conditional-release-who-killed-partner-lied-to-authorities-about-relationship
- The Timeshttp://infotrac.galegroup.com/itw/infomark/531/644/115751697w16/purl=&dyn=11!pdy_3_0FFO-1981-JAN21-003-F?sw_aep=corlonli
- The Guardianhttps://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/commentisfree/2023/aug/20/lucy-letby-confirms-yet-confounds-our-ideas-of-a-serial-killer
- Shropshire Starhttps://archive.today/20230106164847/https://www.shropshirestar.com/news/crime/2023/01/06/shrewsbury-serial-killer-robin-ligus-dead-at-70/
- The Independenthttps://www.independent.co.uk/news/serial-killer-with-hiv-virus-dies-in-jail-1573604.html
- Crime Libraryhttps://web.archive.org/web/20080401002015/http://www.crimelibrary.com/notorious_murders/mass/patrick_mackay/2.html
- BBC Newshttp://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/nottinghamshire/4747374.stm
- Liverpool Echohttp://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/tragic-life-led-hannibal-killings-3554260
- Express & Starhttps://www.expressandstar.com/news/2014/03/13/cannock-chase-child-killer-raymond-morris-dies-in-prison/
- BBC Newshttp://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/954909.stm
- The Timeshttps://www.thetimes.com/travel/destinations/uk-travel/england/london-travel/inside-the-mind-of-robert-napper-jlfxmbf7wr7
- The Birmingham Mailhttp://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/black-panther-donald-neilsons-trail-8464470
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- Kent and Sussex Courierhttps://www.kentlive.news/news/kent-news/george-joseph-smith-notorious-brides-1219108
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- The Guardianhttps://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2003/jan/18/weekend.kevintoolis
- Flintshire Chroniclehttps://web.archive.org/web/20110720013139/http://www.flintshirechronicle.co.uk/flintshire-news/local-flintshire-news//tm_headline=flintshire-murderer-peter-moore-in-european-court-of-human-rights-appeal-over-life-sentence%26method=full%26objectid=28267583%26siteid=51352-name_page.html
- Evening Timeshttps://news.google.com/newspapers?id=v-NAAAAAIBAJ&pg=3021%2C2603615
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