William John Davies - another jealousy murder.
30 year old Davies, a waiter, was in a long term relationship with 37 year old Lucy Wilson and they had lived together for four years at 34 Terminus Place in Eastbourne, Sussex.
At the beginning of March 1949, Lucy accused Davies of having an affair with another women, which he denied. On Saturday the 5th of March he ordered her out of his home and she left. The following day Davies went to Campbell’s restaurant at 186 Terminus Place where Lucy worked and begged her to return, which she refused to do.
On Tuesday the 8th of March Davies went to the restaurant again. One of the cooks, Jean Copeland, saw Davies follow Lucy upstairs where then got into a physical struggle. She then saw Davies stab Lucy in the head and eye. Jean saw Lucy collapse and heard Davies say “What have I done to you, Luce?”
Lucy died in hospital on Wednesday the 23rd of March and the post-mortem showed that the knife wound to her eye had caused a brain injury.
Davies was tried at Lewes before Mr. Justice Humphreys on the 14th of July 1949.
He pleaded not guilty and claimed that he had only intended to scare Lucy and not to kill her. The trial got very little press coverage because it was overshadowed by that of John George Haigh, the “Acid Bath’ murderer.
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His appeal before the Lord Chief Justice, Justice Oliver and Mr. Justice Stable was dismissed on the 28th of July.
Davies was hanged at Wandsworth prison on Tuesday the 16th of August 1949 at 9.00 a.m. Albert Pierrepoint was assisted by Harry Kirk and gave Davies, who weighed 152 lbs., a drop of 7’ 4”.
The LPC4 form records “Fracture dislocation of 3rd and 4th cervical vertebrae with complete separation of the cord”. It was reported that just 13 people waited outside the prison to see the notices of execution posted.
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