Kenneth Sharley (Detained)

Kenneth Sharley killed two people over a period of several years.

In March 1957 he strangled his fiancee Jean Ethel Saxton 22 whilst she slept. He was sentenced to 14 years and served 9.

Neither prosecution nor defence could suggest a motive although it was noted that Kenneth Sharley had been depressed and had previously attempted suicide. He was also convinced that he could not make his fiancee happy. Jean Saxton had gone to stay with Kenneth Sharley at his parents house in Rushcliffe Avenue, Carlton, Nottinghamshire and slept in a seperate bedroom. After she visited him in the night he strangled her and then went to the police station.

Mrs Brothers

In 1970 he killed Mrs Brothers 39 who he strangled with his plastic belt after which he took a bus to the police station.

Kenneth Sharley and Mrs Brothers had met at a factory where they worked. Mrs Brothers had gone to see him at his lodgings on 14 July 1970 but they argued when Kenneth Sharley accused Mrs Brothers of talking indiscretly about their relationship at work.

For killing Mrs Brothers, Kenneth Sharley was sent to Broadmoor.

Jean Saxton

Kenneth Sharley had been seeing Jean Saxton for 12 months. She was a printing worker and lived on Whitwell Road, Broxtowe Estate, Nottingham. Two weeks before Christmas they became engaged to marry and always seemed on friendly terms and very much attached to her. Jean Saxton was a frequent visitor to Kenneth Sharley's home and would often stay the night with Kenneth Sharley sleeping on the fold out bed in the living room and Jean Saxton sleeping in Kenneth Sharley's room.

On 2 March 1957 they had been out together and got back at 9pm to Kenneth Sharley's home at 14 Rushcliffe Avenue, Carlton. They had supper and then Kenneth Sharley's parents went to bed leaving Kenneth Sharley and Jean Saxton playing records in the living room. It was thought that Jean Saxton would later go home but later Kenneth Sharley asked if it was alright if Jean Saxton could stay the night and his parents said it would be ok. Before leaving them Kenneth Sharley asked his parents to wake him up at 7am in readyness for work.

Kenneth Sharley slept as usual on the bed-settee in the living room while Jean Saxton slept in his room.

At 7am the following morning Kenneth Sharley went into Carlton Police Station and said 'I've come to give myself up. I've murdered my girlfriend. I did it about six o'clock with a stocking. My head has been bad. I've strangled her'.

At 7.15am Kenneth Sharley's mother got up to wake Kenneth Sharley but saw that his bed had not been slept in and when she went into the living room she saw Jean Saxton lying on the bed-settee with a pillow over her face.

Later on 4 March 1957 in the Magistrates Clerks office at Shire Hall Kenneth Sharley turned to a policeman and said 'I want to tell you. It's about that statement. What I said about pains in the head and buzzing, thats all cock. I had nothing of the sort. We'd had some ups and downs lately and we were going to break up, so i just did her in. I want things to be put right.'