Age: 25
Sex: male
Crime: murder
End Of Full Sentence:
Place: Winwick Street, Warrington
Source: www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
William Preston was found guilty but insane for the murder of Alan Bentley 64.
William Preston murdered Arthur Alan Bentley on 20 September 1954 in a garage after Arthur Bentley made indecent advances towards him as they played a game. He strangled him, stabbed him, beat him and set him on fire.
He was not caught, however, he handed himself in in 1956. He told police that it had been worrying him and he had to come clean about it and when he handed himself in he said, 'I strangled him and set him on fire. It was the perfect crime, wasn't it'.
He was found guilty and sent to Broadmoor.
see National Archives - ASSI 52/874, ASSI 86/129
see Lancashire Evening Post - Tuesday 07 February 1956
see Belfast News-Letter - Wednesday 08 February 1956
see Aberdeen Evening Express - Tuesday 07 February 1956
