Who Killed Wendy Sewell? And Is Stephen Downing Innocent or Guilty?
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- Опубликовано: 9 фев 2025
- In this video, we cover the murder of Wendy Sewell and that of Stephen Downing, a case that involved the conviction and imprisonment in 1974 of a 17-year-old council worker, Stephen Downing, for the murder of a 32-year-old legal secretary, Wendy Sewell, in the town of Bakewell in the Peak District in Derbyshire.
Stephen would be incarcerated in prison for over 27 years in what has since been described as the longest miscarriage of justice in British legal history.
But, was Stephen innocent of the murder of Wendy Sewell or is there more to the story?
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When Don Hale started investigating this case to try and prove Stephen’s innocence his life was threatened, someone tried to run him off the road, run him over and his office was targeted. Someone didn’t want the truth to be found out and this makes me believe Stephen is innocent as well as the witnesses who saw Stephen leave the cemetery before Wendy was attacked!
Yes 💯, we tried contacting Don before filming but no response unfortunately
I read the book on this murder by Don Hale sometime ago and he found so many discrepancies in the case that by the end of the book, I was so much on Stephens side. Well done on the story guys, another great video. 👌
It does make you think 🤔.
Another excellent video , thank you Paula from Oxfordshire
Many thanks Paula :-)
Thank you that Cemetery is beautiful! I had heard of this case but you told so much more it was very interesting I wouldn't like to say if he did it or not as it would be guessing. Your channel is just getting better every time you upload so keep up the good work! 👏👏👏👏
Many thanks Jules. We are trying to travel further afield to bring more stories. We do have something planned at the end of the year and this time it involves travelling abroad for 4 days 👀
At around the 28:33 mark “so Stephen still lives here in Bakewell “ followed by a sharp glance over your shoulder. I felt for you but couldn’t help laugh. I don’t blame you one bit!
Lol 👍
GUILTY AS SIN, HE EVEN ADMITTED TOO ATTACKING WENDY!!!!!!
this is very interesting chris and vickie a hard one to judge but you told it so well cheers from trev and christine down south in sussex
👍
Yea, it was a strange story to cover and the fact the resident we talked to off camera wasnt too happy that the guy had been released and still living in that area... 😮
I'd briefly heard of this case in passing via the Jill Dando case in regards to the 'trend' of finding a bloke who was 'a bit slow' and fitting him up for the crime; too much was wrong with this case, they were making a square peg fit into a round hole. Sitting listening to these true crime retellings you go through "Hmm, that's a rookie mistake"...."Gee, did they have ALL the newbies on this case?"....to "Damned lazy police work" until you get to "Hmph, that stinks of corruption!" Especially when you get to evidence the police rejected. Then they do that stupid dance where the prosecutors know it's a fit-up but they've come too far to drop charges/can't afford an inquiry into police corruption so they go ahead with the case to cover everyone's backside and get the credit for 'cleaning up the area' as a bonus, while the poor bloke is sitting in jail and the real killer is frolicking all over the place with gay abandon. And those who are having conniptions about his return? They're hiding their Eugenics leanings behind the façade of 'community concern', they're "mudguards' - shiny on the surface and full of muck underneath.
It is concerning how much police corruption went on and still goes on today 😳
I'd heard of Stephen Downing, but never knew the story of what he was said to have done. It seems it's a case that created more questions than answers.
We tried to condense this story as it's one that we could have turned into an hour mor more or split over two videos, but we didn't really want to do that. There are tons more questions that need answers but Don Hale's novel does go into more detail on most of these questions.
The press at the time referred to Wendy as "the Bakewell Tart".
Yea, but we think it was an insensitive quote, so we never used it in this video 😒
@DaysofHorror It was. However it does show the tabloid sensibility for what it was.
💯
An interesting case and well presented. For me there is sufficient doubt not to convict given some of the evidence given in the original trial was embellished. He didn't do himself any favours by confessing but again nine hours of heavy duty questioning in unfamiliar territory with a child's mind, did undermine the Police case. I don't think we will ever know the truth.
No, I don't think we will, but if was very strange the fact that locals did not want to engage in cobersation about it either 🤔. Thanks for yoir support Diddy 😊
Absolutely Fascinating Case Keep up the Brilliant Work Guys (Guilty or Not)I Honestly don't Know 😢
Thanks as always John, we love your support 😀. Interesting case for sure and I don't want to give an opinion either on guilty or not guilty. Just so many inconsistences and seemingly cover-ups from both sides if you ask me.
Really enjoyed the video again thanks. I read a bit more about the murder on the internet and there seems to be quite a lot of references to Wendy’s supposed promiscuity. Saying she had numerous affairs and was called the “Bakewell Tart” by the locals. It just seems such a shame that even after such a brutal murder that’s how she’ll be remembered. Almost as if it was a case of her getting what she deserved. Maybe some of the things that they said about her were true but it doesn’t make her death any less tragic. RIP Wendy.
We also saw many articles calling here the Bakewell Tart but we didn't want to use that term as, despite how many partners she 'may' have had, it's still a disrespectful term to use and more so on a person who was killed and cannot defend their name. Such a strange story as well and perhaps we may never find out the real answers.
She was called the Bakewell tart by stephen dowlings campainer don hale and the name stuck
@quack437 it's an awful term if I'm being honest 🫤
@@DaysofHorror absolutely shocking an so hurtful to her family
Interesting case with more questions than answers.
I'm thinking if he did attack Wendy , then why would he go and seek help from the police , surely if it was him and she was alive when the police found her , she would identify Stephen as her attacker .
She was badly beaten so I assume that the attacker - whoever that is - believed her to be dead or not in a condition to ever be able to identify anyone.
Another interesting story Chris,I really have no opinion on this one.A story I've never heard about.
It's a real brain teaser and it may take a deathbed confession of sorts from the person responsible for Wendy's death. It's been that long now since it happened, and yet there is someone out there (if still alive) who knows the absolute truth.
An excellent reconstruction of the crime. The police were able to get away with a lot of things in those days, my husband joined West Midlands in the late 70's but could believe that they could behave the way they did with Stephen. I honestly cannot quite believe that Stephen Downing was guilty of the crime but I could believe he may have messed around with Wendy because I think there would have been temptation to touch her, he was mentally subnormal, who really knows though what would have gone through his mind at the time. I believe one day all these things will come to light maybe not in this life but in the next. I don't think we will find out in this life unless someone admits to the crime. I guess it also depends on how strong Stephen was, he didn't look like a particularly strong man to me but what do I know. Well done though and thanks again.
Good read here Linda and love this way of looking at the story. Thanks for sharing your thought process 😊
I don’t believe Stephen was guilty of murdering Wendy. I think she had arranged to meet up with her latest lover and maybe if he was married as most of them were she had threatened to expose him. He must have planned to harm her and had taken the the pick axe handle with him. Wendy was over heard arguing with someone on the phone in her office just before she left on that fateful day. Many people in Bakewell know who the murderer is but are too afraid to say.
Thanks Susan for watching and commenting. Its such an interesting but sad case. Im torn truth be told. Vickie thinks Stephen is innocent, but Im on the fence. So many different possibilities and as you say, it may well be someone married who just wanted to keep it quiet. We spoke with a gentleman near the graveyard and he was extremely polite but you also got the sense that people in Bakewell dont really want to talk too much about the murder.
I don't think he was guilty of murdering Wendy. It's so easy to accuse a person of low IQ. I don't think they are clever enough to think through to plan and lie their way out of anything. What I found interesting was the picture of the clothes, they didn't look smart clothes that a secretary would wear. Also two hour lunch breaks...?
Again maybe somebody knew Stephen wasn't very bright. So carrying out the attack in the cemetery where he worked, knowing full well he would probably get the blame.
Brilliant again AV u heard of 3boys fully in quarry bank quarry in Burnley and being saved by the family that drowned also of a farm worker in cliveger ne Burnley being sacked and going back to farm to kill hope this is of interest for you lovin yr work keep it up thanks
We have covered the Tim Bobbin Quarry story and the five men that drowned trying to save the lads. That video is on our channel. We also did the podcast on the Saville Green shootings, I think it was a couple of years ago when we went over and did that.
Hi Chris and Vickie- couldnt DNA be done now ? Police do keep samples of forensic evidence dont they? Prove one way or the other if he did it - and why didnt he go back into the office of the cemetery for help first? To say he confessed because he thought she was only injured makes me think he did it - another good one folks
Sounds like a tangled web. I’ve no idea in this case but it not unusual for an innocent person to be framed. The 1979 case of Alan livesey from bamber bridge is one that’s always left me thinking that the wrong person was likely convicted.
I'll have a look at the Alan Livesey story. I don't think I've heard of that before 🤔
It's the the police were using old methods of getting a woman to confess of being a witch .
Like sleep deprivation just to get a confession. I don't think steven did it.
I think he was just an easy target of an innocent man.
I think that with the passing of time it's really difficult to say one way or the other. There is definitely issues with the police conduct. Like you say Stephen was an easy target in that respect. Nowadays this would not happen as there would be DNA evidence amongst other tests. Unfortunately this one doesn't have a definite answer.
hi stevan and vicki. love the content and the country side is abs . beautiful.. NOW . If somebody brings a pickaxe handle to a scene . they have only one reason for so doing . remember a pickaxe handle is a baton multiplied by three is force terms . so whomever killed this poor lady meant to kill of severely harm her . NO doubt in my mind the intention was murder .. and if the lady had some history with males . and i wouldent dare sully her character . then whoever wanted her dead intended her death . no doubt im my mind . either a lady or man did this and intended to kill. as for the drop over the wall . it would be no problem to a fit person when i was younger id handel this drop no prob...on the cops .. sometimes they need to blame somebody and wrap a case . and the nearest and easitst couprit will do . . its not rocket science . . i hope the guy with mental capabilitirs of a child was well compensated for a livfetime behind bars as i dont for one moment believe he killed the lady .
I see what you mean taking the pickaxe. Another way to look at this case. Thanks Mike for watching and commenting 😊
i think her husband did it
Very strange place to go in your lunch time. But if she was permiscuous it makes sense. Going to a place where there wouldn't be many people. There must have been something that made the police very suspicious of Stephen. Very good that Justice was done. It's well known that very few criminals admit what they have done. Thanks for sharing Chris and Vicky very interesting video.
Police must have had evidence with him confessing to someone.
@@shirleybezuidenhout2724 I love going to cemeteries, so interesting, but I don't go there to meet anyone!
I really enjoyed watching your new video tonight I think he is guilty killing Wendy my heart goes out to all the family😢 keep up with a good work guys looking forward to see more videos X ❤😊
Many thanks Donna 😀 It's an interesting case and one which will at some point in the future be resolved fully.
Wendy went to look at inscriptions to find a style she liked to put on her fathers headstone, I’d heard it was 2 teenage boys that did it to Wendy on their lunch hour from school x
Hi Kate, thanks for commenting. I have never heard this before so thank-you for mentioning it. The two boys theory is also another interesting theory. I'll have to have a look and see if I can find anything on this.
This seems like a ridiculous theory. I attended the school at the time. I don't believe that two school boys from Lady Manners walked down the hill to the cemetery, found a shovel, assaulted Wendy and returned to the school covered in blood. It was a pretty strict school as nd I don't believe that for a moment. Also it has a distinctive uniform, so there or would be witnesses.
@@kathrynhollingworth1704 they didn’t return to school after, and dark coats and dark trousers wouldn’t identify them x
@@katebradbury May be plausible then. x
Stephen Downing is innocent! I signed the petition to free him when I was child ❤
Innocent people dont sexually assault un conscious women and then admit to it .... 4 days it took for him to change his story innocent people dont do that .... He told an ex girlfriend of his he did it ... The police have stated that through modern forensic testing Stephen would be found guilty but the old double jeopardy law prevents his retrial
@quack437 that's what I never quite understand. Admits to sexually assaulting her and no one seems to bat an eye lid or think this was extremely strange and sick behaviour.
@@DaysofHorror thats would be in part down to the likes of don hale his chief campaigner , hes good at highlighting the pieces of evidence that suits but neglectes the important pieces of evidence... Any police officer involved with that case are adamant he was the killer... The only thing preventing his retrial is the double jeopardy law
@@DaysofHorror Stephens father was sent to prison for interfering with young girls so maybe its a family thing
i totally agree . he was definitly innocent . i cant believe people cant see that Steven was set up . and if people had the slightest ider of how powerful an interrogation can be in fitting an inocent person up with a crime . then consider why defence barristers cost so much especially good ones they can convince 12 people of innocence . for a price..
Wendy made her way to meet a boyfriend.