Christopher, you are certainly pushing her [Dennehy’s] buttons.
DCI MARTIN BRUNNING. BEDFORDSHIRE,
CAMBRIDGESHIRE AND HERTFORDSHIRE MAJOR
CRIME UNIT – EMAIL TO THE AUTHOR, 2014
Joanne Christine Dennehy is a sadistic serial murderer who claims to have killed three Peterborough men on her own. However, this book exclusively asks a shocking question; despite a massive police investigation and Crown Court trial, could two killers have actually worked hand-in-hand to commit multiple homicide? I ask whether Dennehy’s accomplice could have been Gary ‘Gaz’ John Stretch. Never charged with any of the killings, he was only charged with two counts of attempted murder in Hereford, and three counts of preventing the lawful and decent burial of a human body. Nevertheless, had police not apprehended the pair as quickly as they did they might easily have become an even more notorious killing team than Fred and Rose West or Ian Brady and Myra Hindley.
For the most part Joanne Dennehy and Gary Stretch have preferred to keep their mouths shut, not just to me but also the police, psychiatrists and psychologists, even their own kith and kin. But in doing so, using offender profiling skills we will try to get right inside their heads and come to learn more about what makes them tick than they themselves know.
Love of Blood is dedicated to DCI Martin Brunning, DS Andy Crocker and the officers of the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Major Crime Unit, who worked the Joanne Dennehy murders. Moreover, on behalf of my publishers and myself, I extend a very special thanks to David Old of the Cambridgeshire Constabulary, who handled media enquiries during ‘Operation Darcy’, giving ‘The Boss’ blue sky to carry out his job, unhindered. David, I know you are a busy guy and I did pester you a bit, yet every time you came up trumps. And I will add to this West Mercia Police, especially DS Mark Jinks (Hereford Criminal Investigation Department). I finally got around to speaking with Mark a bit late in the day – my fault entirely – and he is yet another very busy law enforcement officer, too. Nevertheless, he came up trumps with any information I required. Thank you, Mark, and well done to your colleagues who arrested Dennehy and Stretch. Also, to Chris Ammonds (former PR Manager, Corporate Communications, Warwickshire & West Mercia Police). We should take our hats off to the West Mercia police officers who acted instantly in response to a ‘Wanted for Murder’ circular issued by the Cambridgeshire Constabulary for they gave it their highest response priority, most certainly stopping Dennehy and Stretch from killing again although they had tried hard enough – as in twice.
Throughout this book I have given appropriate credit to those who, in their professional capacity, assisted me as best they could. These include: Sarah Murnane –High Court Judges Clerk to sentencing judge Mr Justice Robin Godfrey Spencer. To Mr Justice Sweeney for conducting such a fair trial. Roger Davis (The Ministry of Justice, Clive Petty House, London). Governor Ms Pattison-Rideout and Deputy Director Chris Purkess (HMP & YOI Bronzefield) – you assisted me within your remit and where you possibly could. Your responses were always professional and well received by me.
Now to my colleagues, beginning with my dearest friend, investigative journalist Andy Stone, who has stuck by me through thick and thin and helped enormously with this book. Stephen Briggs – reporter for Peterborough’s The Evening Telegraph; Louie Smith of the Daily Mirror; Arthur Martin, Guy Adams and Andy Dolan of the Daily Mail and Rob Pattinson of the Sun.
David Heming – Senior Coroner for Peterborough, and Mr J. R. Arnott on behalf of certified accountants Bulley Davey – Business Recovery and Insolvency Specialists. To Dr Bhatti – St Mary’s Hospital, Portsmouth. Allison Stratford – NHS Trust HQ. Sue Atkins – (MAU) Queen Alexander Hospital, Portsmouth.
Most of the others I wrote to did not have the courtesy to reply to any of my letters, or they made subtle requests for a ‘donation’ of sorts for their cooperation – something they did not get.
John Treanor who lived with Dennehy, on and off, for twelve years, promised me an interview. He wasted my valuable time – and a round trip of almost 500 miles – in spades. When I arrived at his house to talk to him, as previously arranged the day before, he was suddenly unavailable, offering an excuse one could not make up if one tried, or so it seemed to me.
I wrote to Gary Stretch. Through his lawyers, Richard Brown & Co., I was given polite, short shrift, saying their client thanked me for my letter but he had nothing more to say and didn’t wish to take part in my ‘project’. Then there are the parents of Joanne, Kevin and Kathleen Dennehy. Quite by getting an address wrong, I met with Kathleen for just a few minutes, during which time she was keen to say a big ‘thank you’ to DCI Martin Brunning. They felt unable to contribute to this book so we must respect their wishes and not intrude any further into their shattered lives, for their own heartbreak we cannot imagine. And this is echoed by a very senior medical professional, who said to me: ‘Her parents must be… oh, dear me… I simply cannot imagine how they feel.’
When one picks up any book obviously the author’s name can be seen on the cover, the publisher’s corporate logo on the spine, but it is a massive team effort to go from a blank white page on my PC to getting the finished product into the stores or onto Amazon, or wherever else a book is advertised on the Internet.
All those at ‘Team John Blake’ and everyone else involved with the cover design, copy-editing, production and marketing of this book are true professionals. So, I thank my executive editor, Toby Buchan, for his skills, his patience and support, in converting my typescript into something readable. To my copy-editor Jane Donovan for going through the text with a fine-toothed comb. Also, my long-time dear friend and publisher John Blake and all of his colleagues, to include Rosie, for taking the brave move in commissioning Love of Blood. And bless you, Joanna, for getting the much-needed cheques out on time :).
I have not yet written a book without mentioning my writing mentor Robin Odell – undoubtedly one of the world’s most authoritative crime historians – who supported me from the day I first picked up a pen and put it to paper so many years ago. Thank you so much, Robin. I have used some of your reference material in this book, giving credit where it is due. And I recall you saying to me, just as the fax machines gave way to the Internet age: ‘God help us all now you have access to the Worldwide Web.’
Then there is Frazer Ashford, a first-rate TV documentary-maker and the guy who enabled me to make twelve programmes about serial killers throughout the US. He’ll smile when I refer to ‘The Two Minnies’ on the beltway around Fort Worth, or the belly-expanding Indian breakfast someplace along US Highway 101. And, when I was once strapped down in an electric chair to experience the execution protocol, Frazer remarked: ‘Something is wrong… the current is not switched on!’
On a personal level, always much love to my sister Lizzie, her husband Jim and all of ‘Clan Stothard’. To my daughters, Joanna, Sasha and Zoe, and my son, Jack. Claire, Trevor and Carol, you have been very supportive of me in the writing of this book. To my long-time friend Wilf Cummings (‘The Peoples’ Memorial’, Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth) and his partner Jan. Former Detective Sergeant Phil Swan – a former Royal Marines Commando like me, and a true all-weather friend. David ‘I always bet on winners’ Todd. Doctors Andy and Laura Preston for your Christian counseling and fab dinners. My co-writer on two books, Tony Brown, John Clayton. Mark, Kate, Lauren Oakley from the good ole US of A, and my Canadian friend, the award-winning actor and novelist, Alan Scarfe, author of the acclaimed A Handbook for Attendants on the Insane: the autobiography of ‘Jack the Ripper’ as revealed to Clanash Farjeon.
This has been a most difficult, oft times heartbreaking project, not only in the research but also to write up. The genesis for Love of Blood came with a news cutting, quickly followed by a letter from Joanne Dennehy herself, who indicated her full cooperation from the outset. Then she reneged. When we disagreed on something, like all sociopaths she rebelled in an effort to wrestle back control. Communication between us withered on the vine. However, what started as an exercise in studying the life and crimes of Joanne Dennehy became so much more. It turned into a journey along a ‘Murder Road’ that led to an abyss and that abyss looked back at me, as it will you, when you read through the pages that follow.
As this book illustrates one does not become a serial murderer overnight and the same applies to an investigative criminologist. It has taken decades of working with killers, law enforcement, penal reform, the judiciary, attorneys, victims’ next-of-kin, psychologists, psychiatrists, general medical practitioners and everyone concerned with protecting society from these highly dangerous people to bring all of my knowledge and investigative skills to the pages you are about to read.
Therefore, historically, I thank all of my friends and colleagues in the US and in the UK. To list everyone’s name would far exceed the allocated word count, however, the FBI, FDLE, US Marshals Service, the Metropolitan Police, Avon and Somerset Constabulary, and HM Customs & Excise ‘Special Investigations’, the St Petersburg (Russia) State Police and the Singapore Homicide Police are amongst them. Moving down from there, I thank the numerous state and county law enforcement jurisdictions I have worked with, and over the years I have been granted exclusive access to offenders held in ‘Super-Max’ correctional facilities throughout the US. These include Federal institutions as well. Indeed my old pal Russell J. Kruger, Chief Investigator, Minneapolis PD, who worked the Harvey Carignan serial homicide cases, once remarked to a journalist: ‘I just don’t understand Chris Berry-Dee. He’s the only guy I know who is trying to get into prisons when everyone else is trying to get out. These Brits are not right in the head, ya know!’
Back in 2003, when I was director of the Criminology Research Institute (CRI), I submitted a book on killers to Virgin True Crime. Within a day the commissioning editor informed me this most certainly was not the sort of book that would appeal to their elderly readers. Two hours later I received a call back: ‘Christopher, after some thought we think that all of our readers might enjoy it very much.’ Monsters of Death Row is still published today.
With this in mind I stress that Love of Blood is not for the faint-hearted. Parts of it should carry a Government Health Warning because it might well damage your health. Writing it became not a nice place to be because it touches on extremely delicate matters that will shock the most loving parent to the core. That said, if one is inclined to study the motivations that compel people such as Joanne Dennehy to repeatedly kill, we are also obliged, however distasteful it might seem, to examine every aspect of her life and the lives of her associates. But along with Gary Stretch, Dennehy represents just two of the pieces in the jigsaw. We need all of the pieces to complete the story, and then ask, why?
Finally, I sincerely thank all of my readers, past and present, not only for buying my books but for your constructive letters and emails, too. Also to the booksellers for in this respect you are very much part of the team and, to echo these sentiments, let me lead you ever so gently by the hand to the edge of the abyss that is homicide at its most foul and then, without a moment’s hesitation, I’ll launch you in!
CHRISTOPHER BERRY-DEE