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Britain's Countryside Killers - Season 2 Episode 3
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00:01In Blackpool, Eddie Forrester is supposed to meet a friend for dinner, but he never shows.
00:07When he didn't turn up, Trevor knew there was a problem straight away.
00:11He knew Eddie's routine. This was a man who didn't deviate from it.
00:15Eddie was last seen on CCTV returning from a walk with Cassie.
00:20Concerned, his friend visits Eddie's flat to check on him.
00:25Cassie was by herself. Eddie wouldn't have left Cassie.
00:28That was, again, just really out of sorts, really odd.
00:32And so Trevor was really getting concerned at this point.
00:35Worried family and friends file a missing persons report with the police.
00:40He was a friendly man, but there was a reservation with him, I think, on some level.
00:45He knew that he needed to protect himself.
00:47And there was something the police noticed that was deeply concerning.
00:51There was blood. And it was at this point that this went from a missing persons investigation
00:55to a possible murder investigation.
00:58To a possible murder investigation.
01:20To a possible murder investigation.
01:40Blackpool is a popular seaside town in the north of England.
01:45A summer holiday destination for many tourists.
01:50Blackpool is an historic seaside town in Lancashire, in the north-west of England.
01:55And it's famous for the Blackpool Tower, Pleasure Beach, the annual illuminations.
02:01This is a quintessentially English seaside town.
02:06And I think that's why people flock there.
02:08This is a town that people have been going to for decades.
02:13It used to be very busy and thrive with tourism.
02:16However, that petered off a bit after the introduction of package holidays abroad.
02:23Whereby tourism sort of declined and crime rates went up a bit.
02:30Blackpool is somewhere that thrives off a seasonal industry.
02:34So out of season, there can be quite a lot of unemployment and poverty.
02:41Blackpool does have a higher than average crime rate when compared to other towns in the UK.
02:48And that's particularly in the more central regions where you'll find tourists and nightlife.
02:53And those problems, the crimes they have, are generally theft-related, drug-related offences and antisocial behaviour.
03:03Murder happens in Blackpool. It's still big news.
03:06It will have an impact on the local community because, again, the sort of the issues that do go on,
03:11you don't expect murder to be as prevalent element.
03:14So, yes, there will be a shock to the community when murder occurs in that area.
03:20Living in Blackpool is 55-year-old Edward Forrester, known to family and friends as Eddie.
03:27Edward Forrester, or Eddie, as he preferred to be called, was 55 years old.
03:32He was a slight man. He was five feet, five inches tall.
03:36And he had mobility issues. He used a stick to get around.
03:41He was described as a quiet man, peaceful man, reserved, likeable, friendly.
03:50And he was a regular sight around Blackpool with his beloved rescue dog, Cassie.
03:56He would take her out twice a day, at least.
03:58And she meant everything to him.
04:01Eddie Forrester suffered a brain injury in the mid-90s.
04:05And this left him with learning difficulties.
04:09He struggled to read or write. He had a speech impediment.
04:12And, yeah, I think it would be fair to describe him as vulnerable.
04:16And I think that was possibly why he was quite reserved.
04:19He was a friendly man.
04:21But there was a reservation with him, I think, on some level.
04:24He knew that he needed to protect himself and to keep his circle small.
04:31Eddie's a Glasgow native.
04:33Moved there a number of years ago. Moved to Blackpool.
04:35Not long after moving to Blackpool, he met his best friend, Trevor Lake.
04:41Eddie's best friend was a man called Trevor Lake.
04:44The two had met not long after Eddie had moved to Blackpool.
04:48The pair had known each other for 22 years.
04:51And they supported each other.
04:53They relied upon each other.
04:55And this was a beautiful friendship.
04:57These two men would take it in turns to have dinner together.
05:01So every other night, they would eat together.
05:05Eddie would provide the ingredients.
05:07And Trevor Lake would cook for him.
05:10So they knew each other's routines.
05:12They would speak on the phone every day.
05:14And they would see each other every other day too.
05:17Eddie lived on Seafield Road, just a few minutes' walk from the coastline.
05:22Eddie lived alone.
05:24He lived in an upstairs flat, in two in a block flats, in Seafield Road.
05:31From Seafield Road, you can almost see the coast from where they are.
05:34It's almost run parallel with the coast.
05:37Lovely properties.
05:38Quite a few of the houses, a particular one that Eddie lived in, they're sort of terraced houses,
05:44of sort of 30s built, but they're split into flats.
05:48It's great views of the sea and quite a tight, nice little community.
05:54Seafield is not one of those areas that's not been prone to Zionist violence before,
05:58because it's been known that there was a murder there, which a couple were killed.
06:02It was a serial killer, went by the name of Cul-de-sac Killer, who had killed an old people.
06:08And in fact, the killer targeted older people.
06:11And so Seafield has had some murder in the past, despite the fact that there is a high level of
06:18violence in Blackpool.
06:20Murder is not one of the biggest elements of it. It doesn't show out so much.
06:25On 1st September 2023, Eddie goes about his usual routine.
06:31Just after one in the afternoon on 1st September 2023, Eddie was last seen on CCTV, returning from a walk
06:39with Cassie.
06:41By that time, Eddie had made plans with his friend Trevor to have dinner with him,
06:47the following day being Saturday, the 2nd of September 2023.
06:53And when he didn't turn up, Trevor knew there was a problem straight away.
06:57He knew Eddie's routine. This was a man who didn't deviate from it.
07:01So he was suspicious that there was a problem straight away.
07:05So it was really unusual for Eddie to not turn up as planned.
07:09It was really, really out of character for him.
07:11So when he didn't show up, Trevor was really concerned.
07:14So he did what you would expect and he went round to Eddie's house.
07:18But there was no sign of Eddie.
07:20And Cassie was by herself.
07:22Eddie wouldn't have left Cassie.
07:24That was, again, just really out of sorts, really odd.
07:28And so Trevor was really getting concerned at this point.
07:32Trevor went downstairs.
07:34He went to the flat below Eddie to inquire as to his whereabouts.
07:38And that's where William Wilkinson lived.
07:40Wilkinson answered the door and said that he'd not seen or heard from Eddie.
07:46Eddie's neighbour, 65-year-old William Wilkinson,
07:50lived beneath him in their shared building.
07:53The two knew each other and I think it would be fair to say that they didn't get on as
07:58neighbours.
08:00Wilkinson would complain about Eddie and, you know,
08:03and then Eddie would say that Wilkinson had been bullying him.
08:05And there was back and forth between the two of them.
08:09Just a slightly awkward, troublesome neighbourly relationship
08:13between two fellas that lived in the same block.
08:16There had been a falling out between Eddie and William Wilkinson.
08:22And this falling out was around Wilkinson feeding birds.
08:26And this was attracting vermin, according to Eddie.
08:29And Eddie was concerned about this.
08:31So Eddie wrote to Blackpool Council,
08:34who in turn wrote to Wilkinson to inform him of the concerns.
08:39And I think it's fair to say that this was the start of a feud between the two.
08:46Following Trevor speaking with William Wilkinson,
08:49he then attended a hospital in Blackpool to see if Eddie had been admitted there,
08:56which would provide an explanation of why he wasn't within his flat at that time.
09:00He was concerned that he may have come to some harm,
09:02so he just wanted to double-check that he hadn't been admitted.
09:06It caused Trevor and Eddie's friends and family that much concern
09:11that he was reported as a missing person to the police
09:13and a missing person investigation was conducted.
09:17When police went out to inquire as to Eddie's whereabouts,
09:21they went to Eddie's flat first.
09:23Of course, there was no sign of him.
09:25They went to Wilkinson's flat below.
09:28And Wilkinson wasn't there either.
09:31And there was something that the police noticed that was deeply concerning.
09:35There was blood around the front door frame.
09:38And it was at this point that this went from a missing persons investigation
09:42to a possible murder investigation.
10:01Eddie Forester of Seafield Road, Blackpool, disappears on the 1st of September, 2023.
10:08When concerned friends and family file a report,
10:11the police begin their investigation in Eddie's home,
10:15where they notice blood on his neighbour, William Wilkinson's door.
10:21PACE is the Police and Criminal Evidence Act that came in in 1984.
10:25PACE would have been used in this circumstance to force entry,
10:29believing that someone may be hurt inside the premises
10:33because of the fact that they found blood splatters in the communal hallway.
10:37So they're now checking both addresses using, you know, that power.
10:41And no one's there, which is very unusual.
10:45So, of course, that heightens their concerns.
10:50It developed very quickly from a missing persons investigation
10:54to a murder inquiry.
10:57The suspicions were raised almost immediately upon police attendance.
11:01William Wilkinson lives directly below Eddie.
11:06And one of the first signs of suspicion that Wilkinson wasn't home
11:09at the time of police attendance,
11:11there was blood found within the communal hallway.
11:14Police thereafter gained entry to Wilkinson's flat
11:17and they detected a strong smell of cleaning fluid,
11:21which was giving indications
11:24that there had recently been a massive clean-up within the flat.
11:31It smells strongly of, like, cleaning, like, TCP-type fluid.
11:38Something, really.
11:41They can just faintly see blood splatters in the property
11:45and then the strong smell of cleaning fluid,
11:49where it suggests that someone's tried to attempt to clean up
11:52and hide, destroy evidence
11:54that may potentially be within that premises.
11:57And that's what we don't want.
11:59So, as police officers,
12:00we'll try and secure that as best we can.
12:03Even with an attempt to clean up,
12:05you will still be able to, using certain lights,
12:09the forensics team will be able to see
12:10where there's any staining and blood
12:12behind even some of the cleaning.
12:14So, that's, you know, there's potential evidence retrieval
12:17in that respect.
12:18Police started thinking,
12:20well, hang on, something's happened here
12:21and the majority of the blood was in the flat downstairs,
12:25in Wilkinson's flat.
12:26They're now searching the flat
12:28and they find what appears to be
12:31a potential murder weapon,
12:33which was a broken piece of wood
12:34with a metal cap on it,
12:36with a nail sticking out,
12:38which is often referred to as a bung,
12:40hidden in a bag with blood.
12:41It's a little bit more than just a missing person.
12:45There's some foul play has taken place.
12:48So, you would now start looking at
12:50calling the forensic team down
12:52to start examining the scene,
12:55look for fingerprints.
12:56There was a fingerprint in blood,
12:59one of the doors there,
13:00and there was blood in the hallway,
13:02in the communal hallway.
13:03So, all of that would need to be sort of retrieved
13:06and then identified.
13:09Given the mounting evidence,
13:12Wilkinson becomes the chief suspect
13:13in Eddie's disappearance and possible murder.
13:18So, they look at the CCTV,
13:20they track Wilkinson over a number of days
13:23and there's a lot of CCTV in Blackpool
13:26because of the type of town it is
13:28and so they were able to really get a good trace
13:30of how he'd been occupying himself over those days.
13:34He'd been doing all his usual things,
13:36he'd been going to the shops,
13:37he'd gone to put a bet on,
13:39he'd been to the barbers and changed his hairstyle.
13:42He usually had, like, long, straggly hair and a beard
13:45but he'd completely changed his appearance
13:48so that he had his clean, cropped hair
13:50and was clean shaven.
13:52But he'd also been seen carrying chopping bags around
13:55with him while he'd been doing it
13:57and depositing things in bins.
13:59It was, on the one level,
14:01very day-to-day activity,
14:03in another sense, a little odd.
14:10On the basis that there's possibly incriminating evidence
14:13in those bins,
14:14you need to identify where all the bins are,
14:17identify the collection route,
14:19so you'd have to go through the local council to do that
14:22and identify the waste management unit that do that
14:26and then work out the schedule and the sequence
14:29and when they're likely to have been taken
14:32to the waste management site and dumped.
14:34And that gives you some time scale
14:36but even then,
14:37it could be difficult to identify
14:39where those items are going to be,
14:41especially if it's quite a large deposit site.
14:45You know, in those circumstances,
14:46being the area,
14:48probably will be the same local authority
14:50with the same waste management department
14:53and they'll probably have one site
14:55that they might put all of that rubbish.
14:57Even though we recycle,
14:59so there's bins for recycling,
15:01there's, you know, normal general rubbish,
15:03it's still difficult to work out where these items are going to be.
15:06So to cover in, let's say,
15:08in these circumstances,
15:09the worst case scenario
15:10where you've got body parts in different bags
15:12in different locations around Blackpool,
15:15then it's going to be very difficult
15:17to identify in a waste site where they are.
15:22CCTV footage also reveals
15:24Wilkinson's white Peugeot Boxer
15:26travelling towards Cumbria.
15:30Wilkinson had been kitting out a camper van
15:31and over the next few days
15:34he went on a trip in the van.
15:36It was a Peugeot Boxer van
15:38and he could sleep in it.
15:39It was all kitted out for,
15:40you know, weekends away
15:41and that sort of thing.
15:42And he was spotted travelling north up the M6
15:46heading up towards the Lake District.
15:48On one stop off on the motorway,
15:52he changed his clothes.
15:54He stopped nearby a quarry
15:55that was just off the M6.
15:57He stopped in Kendal
15:58and all the time he was just making these,
16:01making these little stops off
16:03in these remote locations
16:04on the way up to Cumbria.
16:09There's a manhunt underway
16:10and they're trying to track down Wilkinson now.
16:12He's, by this point,
16:14he's the prime suspect
16:14with everything that they've found.
16:16And when they chase him,
16:17he's sleeping in his van
16:19in a pub car park in Kirkstone
16:20in the Lake District.
16:24Police tracked down William Wilkinson.
16:27He was asleep in his van
16:28when they came knocking
16:29and they arrested him straight away.
16:32I'm going to give you a quick search, right?
16:34So you've got a bag.
16:35Have you got any needles
16:35or anything like that?
16:38Wilkinson is arrested
16:39on suspicion of murder
16:40and taken to the police station
16:42for questioning.
16:45You've been arrested this morning
16:47for murder.
16:48The circumstances around that
16:49is that Edward Forrester
16:51has been reported missing.
16:53Apparent blood has been found
16:54at your home address
16:54and you've been missing
16:56at the time of Edward's disappearance.
16:58And he initially denied
17:00any knowledge of Eddie's disappearance
17:03or any knowledge
17:04of any kind of disputes.
17:06and said that it was just
17:07a coincidence
17:08that he was not at home
17:10and that he'd fled to Cumbria.
17:12He was just, according to him,
17:14enjoying some downtime
17:15in the countryside.
17:19Is Eddie still alive?
17:21Is he somewhere?
17:23If he is dead,
17:24you need to know where he is, will you?
17:26Tell us where he is.
17:30What clothing have you had with you
17:32when you've been travelling?
17:33No comment.
17:35No comment.
17:35Have you changed your clothes
17:36through that period?
17:37No comment.
17:38There's been some clothing
17:39seized from you.
17:41Blue hooded top,
17:42black track suit bottoms,
17:43blue sleevers, t-shirt.
17:44But can you tell me
17:45about that clothing?
17:46No comment.
17:46Now, those two blood morts
17:49have been analysed
17:50and a DNA profile
17:52has been obtained
17:53which relates to the victim.
17:56How can you explain that?
17:58No comment.
17:58Why is his blood
18:00inside your house?
18:02No comment.
18:02OK, is that because
18:04that you've assaulted him,
18:06killed him
18:07and disposed
18:08of the evidence
18:09but left some behind?
18:11No comment.
18:14Wilkinson was taken away
18:15for an interview
18:16and he wasn't
18:17cooperative at all.
18:18He answered no comment
18:20to all questions
18:21which isn't unusual.
18:23Sometimes people
18:23are advised to do that.
18:25But there was an arrogance
18:26about how he went
18:27about it as well.
18:28He was, as you would expect,
18:29he was put in a cell
18:30in custody
18:31and as the custody sergeant
18:33was taking him back
18:34to his cell
18:35he just nodded at him
18:36and he said,
18:36good luck mate.
18:37Very arrogant.
18:40With Wilkinson in custody,
18:42police continue
18:43searching for Eddie
18:44knowing that without a body
18:45securing a conviction
18:47will be difficult.
18:49The police are dealing
18:50with what they would call
18:51a no body murder.
18:52They think that Eddie's
18:53been killed.
18:54They've arrested the person
18:56that they think
18:56has done it
18:57but they've not got
18:58Eddie's body.
18:59They've not found him.
19:00He's still a missing person
19:01at this stage.
19:04You do have circumstances
19:05of no body murders.
19:07Very difficult to say
19:08what the scenario is
19:10until you sort of
19:11delve a little bit deeper
19:12and it would be looking
19:14at the volume of blood
19:16for example
19:16would be a sign.
19:18But if the person
19:19has been busy
19:19for some time
19:20it does heighten
19:21your concerns
19:22and only becomes
19:23a no body murder
19:25if you like
19:26once you've probably
19:27identified the suspect
19:29and they've been arrested
19:30and then you're using
19:32that opportunity
19:32to say,
19:33well where are they?
19:34Are they alive?
19:35Have you hidden them
19:36somewhere?
19:37They've been kidnapped.
19:38So it's only
19:39when you do that
19:40that you identify
19:42whether or not
19:42they're a no body murder.
19:45And because of
19:45the geography of it
19:47obviously Lancashire police
19:48were searching
19:49in Blackpool
19:50looking for evidence
19:51but then there was
19:52also the element
19:52of was Eddie's body
19:54in Cumbria?
19:54Had he been taken?
19:55What was going on here?
19:56They had to work
19:57quite closely together
19:58the two police forces
19:59to try and piece together
20:00with nothing
20:01from Wilkinson
20:02to go off.
20:06Extensive inquiries
20:07involving
20:08multiple officers
20:09detectives
20:10search dogs
20:12colleagues
20:12from Cumbria police
20:14these inquiries
20:15were launched.
20:16Especially in that
20:17area of England
20:18it is very very vast
20:20it's very widespread
20:21there's a lot of woodland
20:22there's a lot of
20:23uneven surfaces
20:24so it was a
20:26near impossible task
20:29for Lancashire
20:30and Cumbria police
20:32to carry out
20:33a search of that scale.
20:36The operation
20:37went on for almost
20:38two weeks
20:39and it was on
20:39September the 13th
20:41that Cumbria police
20:42managed to find
20:42a breakthrough.
20:43They contacted
20:44Lancashire police
20:45to tell them
20:46about a discovery
20:46that they'd made
20:47in Ashes Lane
20:48in Staveley.
20:49Sadly they'd found
20:50a suitcase there
20:51containing human remains
20:52and they believed
20:53that these were
20:54parts of Eddie's body.
20:57With the discovery
20:58of Eddie's remains
20:59police can finally
21:01confirm his death.
21:03Now their focus
21:03becomes building
21:04the case against
21:05Wilkinson
21:06to uncover the motive
21:08and see justice
21:09served for this
21:10brutal killing.
21:25Blackpool
21:27September 2023
21:2965-year-old William Wilkinson
21:32is in custody
21:33in connection
21:33with the murder
21:34of his neighbour
21:3555-year-old
21:36Eddie Forrester.
21:38Police make a breakthrough
21:39in the search
21:40for Eddie's body
21:41discovering a suitcase
21:42containing human remains
21:44but unfortunately
21:45it's not his full body.
21:50Other remains
21:51were found
21:52across Cumbria,
21:53Kendal
21:53and other locations
21:54often just discarded
21:56in woodland.
21:59Because of the way
22:00that Eddie's
22:01body parts were found
22:03it became apparent
22:04that after he'd been killed
22:06his body had been
22:08dismembered.
22:09The evidence
22:10pointed to Wilkinson
22:11using a knife
22:13and possibly a saw
22:14some kind of
22:15an electric saw
22:16to actually dismember
22:18Eddie's body
22:18and place him
22:19into bags
22:19and dispose of.
22:22Following the
22:23dismemberment
22:23of Eddie's body
22:25Wilkinson spent
22:26a number of days
22:27disposing of
22:28various body parts
22:30across multiple
22:31counties
22:31so he disposed
22:33of Mr. Forrester's head
22:35in a quarry
22:36off the M6
22:37he disposed
22:38of something else
22:39in a river
22:40in Kendal
22:41he disposed
22:42of Eddie's arms
22:43and legs
22:44in Cumbria also
22:45and this was
22:47a crude attempt
22:48to ensure
22:50that Eddie's body
22:51would never be found.
22:55The police are using
22:56everything that they've got
22:57they've still not got
22:58anything from Wilkinson
22:59to help them
23:00so they're using
23:01all the different types
23:02of evidence
23:03gathering that they can
23:04to try and piece together
23:05a timeline of what's happened.
23:07They look at the CCTV
23:08from the first couple of days
23:10they're looking
23:10and they see Wilkinson
23:12going about his business
23:13in Blackpool
23:13with carrier bags
23:14dropping things off
23:16in public bins.
23:18This now
23:19is assumed to be
23:20body parts
23:21and then
23:22in the days that followed
23:24as he makes his way
23:25up to Cumbria
23:27he's depositing things
23:28at those sites
23:29that he stopped at as well
23:30at the quarry
23:31in the Ashes Lane
23:32until eventually
23:33they find him
23:34in the pub car park.
23:40Investigators begin
23:41carefully re-examining
23:42all of the evidence.
23:45After the murder
23:46Wilkinson systematically
23:47dismembered the body
23:49and he placed
23:51various body parts
23:52in plastic bags
23:54these plastic bags
23:55were then moved
23:56into his white
23:57Peugeot boxer van
23:58and so began
23:59a meticulous
24:00methodical
24:01and systematic approach
24:02to disposing
24:04of Eddie's remains
24:05and anything
24:06that might link him
24:07to this crime
24:07and this was his
24:09initial attempt
24:11at getting away
24:12with this.
24:14While the killing
24:15appears impulsive
24:16it was followed
24:17by what seems like
24:18calculated concealment
24:19of evidence.
24:21Because of the way
24:22that some of the body parts
24:23were deposited
24:23in public bins
24:24and the time scales
24:26that they were working to
24:27sadly those bins
24:28had been emptied
24:29and collected
24:30and gone off
24:31to wherever
24:32public bins go to
24:33and the body parts
24:35that were deposited
24:36have never been recovered.
24:38Despite extensive searches
24:40police in both Cumbria
24:42and Lancashire
24:43were unable
24:44ultimately to locate
24:46all of Eddie's remains
24:47and I think
24:48we have to accept
24:49that given the nature
24:52of the locations
24:53where some of those
24:54remains were disposed
24:55it's likely
24:57that animals
24:58had taken
24:59some of those off.
25:04It was
25:04subsequently identified
25:06that
25:07Wilkinson was trying
25:08to get access
25:09to a boat
25:09that could be
25:10for a number of reasons
25:11however the most likely
25:12reason is that
25:13he was going to
25:14go quite far out
25:15and dispose of
25:16more remains.
25:17It doesn't bear thinking
25:19about what
25:19Wilkinson was going to do
25:21if he got a boat
25:21it could still be
25:23the case that he was
25:23going to escape
25:24he would have got
25:25very far
25:26but his state of mind
25:26at the time
25:28wasn't entirely stable
25:29backed up by
25:30the horrific act
25:32that he just committed.
25:34An investigation
25:35like this
25:35isn't common
25:36it is only
25:38carried out
25:39in relation to
25:39the more serious
25:40of crimes
25:40where there is
25:42a significant risk
25:43to a member
25:44of the public
25:44coming to harm
25:45and
25:46that the perpetrator
25:48may dispose
25:49of
25:49crucial evidence.
25:52It's very rare
25:53to have a
25:54man like
25:55Lancashire Police
25:56who are left with
25:57following the
25:58the murder of Eddie
25:59the search
26:00and the manhunt
26:01spanned
26:02more than one county
26:04there was more than
26:05one police force
26:05involved
26:07there was
26:08various crime scenes
26:10because there was
26:11various body parts
26:11discovered through
26:12all different areas
26:13so the manhunt forum
26:15at that time
26:15was huge
26:16there would have been
26:17a number of
26:18specialist resources
26:19deployed
26:19and a large number
26:21of resources
26:21of both the police
26:22forces were mobilised
26:25with no additional
26:26remains discovered
26:27the pathologist's
26:28further examination
26:29of Eddie's
26:30recovered body parts
26:31revealed that he
26:32had likely fought
26:33for his life
26:35Eddie Forrester's
26:37cause of death
26:37was blunt force
26:39trauma to the head
26:40he had been hit
26:41over the head
26:42ten times
26:43with this crude
26:45murder weapon
26:45and he'd suffered
26:47abrasions to
26:49his head
26:49and skull fractures
26:52blood pattern
26:54analysis shows
26:55the defendant
26:55struck forceful
26:57blows
26:57into wet blood
26:59and it was determined
27:00that Eddie
27:01was both
27:02in an upright
27:03position
27:03and on the floor
27:05when these blows
27:07were rained down
27:07on him
27:08and I think
27:08that's really
27:09disturbing
27:10because
27:10this is a
27:12vulnerable man
27:13who is
27:14on the floor
27:15defenceless
27:16and the blows
27:17continue to rain
27:18down on him
27:20after death
27:21Wilkinson
27:22inflicted
27:23incised wounds
27:24to the chin
27:25the jaw
27:26and to the right
27:27side of the mouth
27:28and it was later
27:29determined
27:29that these were
27:30gratuitous
27:32these weren't
27:33part of the
27:33later dismemberments
27:37the post-mortem
27:39also showed
27:39once they've
27:40identified
27:41various parts
27:42of Eddie's
27:43body
27:43that he
27:44had defensive
27:45marks
27:46on his arms
27:47which suggests
27:49that he was
27:49trying to protect
27:50himself
27:50whilst he was
27:51being hit
27:52probably raised
27:53his arms up
27:54in defence
27:55against Wilkinson
27:58One thing that
27:59was never recovered
28:00was Eddie's heart
28:01when the police
28:02and the forensics
28:04looked at his body
28:05and his torso
28:06that had been found
28:07it was really clear
28:08that the heart
28:09had been deliberately
28:10removed
28:10that was described
28:11as an extra
28:12gratuitous act
28:13that had been done
28:14by Wilkinson
28:15I understand
28:18that in order
28:19to dispose
28:21of Eddie
28:21and take him
28:22away from the area
28:23that it would be
28:24easier to do it
28:25in smaller pieces
28:26so dismembering
28:27yes
28:27but then
28:28you know
28:29to take the heart
28:29out
28:30I can't understand
28:32that
28:32and it seems
28:33quite strange
28:33other than the fact
28:34that it was a
28:35sort of control
28:36element
28:37and a hatred
28:38element
28:39to be able
28:39to do that
28:42it's hard to know
28:43what that might
28:44represent for Wilkinson
28:45was it some element
28:46of who Eddie was
28:47is that what
28:48he was removing
28:48what did he think
28:50that Eddie had done
28:51that deserved
28:51such gruesome treatment
28:56I would imagine
28:58that for Eddie
29:00he was completely
29:01shocked
29:02by the attack
29:03almost like a
29:04surprise attack
29:05and I would imagine
29:06the attack probably
29:07took place
29:07shortly after
29:08he came in
29:09from the last time
29:10we saw him
29:11he'd been up
29:12to his flat
29:12put the dog
29:13in
29:14and at some point
29:15he's attacked
29:16by Wilkinson
29:17shortly afterwards
29:18so it's the element
29:19of surprise
29:20that's taken him
29:21back a bit
29:22and then once
29:23he's been subdued
29:24on the floor
29:25the fact that
29:26someone's trying
29:27to hit you
29:27with this metal
29:28object
29:29on their head
29:30it must have been
29:32completely frightening
29:33for him
29:34very very scary
29:35and at some point
29:37he would have
29:37probably passed out
29:38and then
29:39you know
29:39he would have
29:40carried on
29:41I mean
29:41it's very difficult
29:42to say how many
29:43blows were
29:45you know
29:45he actually
29:46was the final blow
29:47but yeah
29:48it's very frightening
29:49for him
29:52it's hard to say
29:53what happened
29:53at the flat
29:54and what happened
29:55in Seafield Road
29:56it's a strange
29:57situation
29:58that you've got
29:59two neighbours
29:59that don't get along
30:01there's friction
30:02it happens
30:03you've got a man
30:04who's got no previous
30:05convictions for violence
30:06a middle-aged man
30:08has he just
30:09lost his temper
30:11and hit out
30:12in a rage
30:13what's happened
30:14Eddie seems
30:15such a mild-mannered
30:16innocent victim
30:18really
30:19quite naive
30:19and vulnerable
30:20it's really hard
30:22to try and gauge
30:23what's happened
30:24to become
30:26such a terrible
30:27and graphic
30:28gratuitous
30:28case
30:31we can only
30:33reflect
30:33on the fact
30:35that
30:35an argument
30:36may have occurred
30:37after
30:37Eddie
30:38came back
30:39from his walk
30:39and
30:41Wilkerson
30:41armed himself
30:42with this weapon
30:43to subdue
30:44Eddie
30:45and then
30:46you know
30:46kill him
30:47by multiple
30:48blood trauma
30:49introduced to his head
30:52if you think about it
30:53as maybe
30:54an impulsive act
30:55sort of a loss
30:56of control
30:56a loss of temper
30:57that sort of thing
30:58you would imagine
30:59there to be
31:00some sort of horror
31:01at what he'd done
31:02some kind of
31:03shock moment
31:04and oh my god
31:05you know
31:05I need to
31:06port this
31:07I need to tell somebody
31:08to go on
31:09and to go about
31:10his day-to-day business
31:11to go and get his hair cut
31:12and change his appearance
31:13to dismember the body
31:15in the way that he did
31:16I mean
31:16that's really chilling
31:20it's very very
31:21concerning
31:21the
31:22the actions
31:23that
31:24Wilkinson took
31:25following this murder
31:27the concerning
31:27part is
31:28that he seemed
31:30to know
31:30what he was doing
31:31by dismembering
31:32Eddie
31:34so it begs the question
31:35has he done this before
31:36because it is
31:37a big big jump
31:39if that is the first person
31:40he's murdered
31:41to then dismember him
31:42so it then causes
31:43great concern
31:44what has he done
31:45in the past
31:45to cause him
31:46to go to that length again
31:49I think Wilkinson
31:50actually thought
31:51he was relatively clever
31:53in his actions
31:55after the murder
31:56I think he thought
31:56if he could dispose
31:57of Eddie's remains
31:59in their entirety
32:00across multiple locations
32:01that he would never
32:04come under suspicion
32:06but there was so much
32:08he overlooked
32:08it didn't take long
32:10for the police
32:11to have him
32:12pinned as their number
32:13one suspect
32:13their first visit
32:15to his flat
32:16made them suspicious
32:17there was blood
32:18around the doorframe
32:19he'd disappeared
32:20his story didn't stack up
32:27Wilkinson didn't
32:28cooperate with the police
32:29in terms of
32:30locating
32:31further remains
32:32of Eddie's
32:33and this showed
32:35a real lack of remorse
32:36on his part
32:37for what he'd done
32:39imagine Eddie's
32:40family's pain
32:41not only had Eddie
32:42been killed
32:43but he was returning
32:43back to them
32:44in pieces
32:46Eddie Forrester's
32:47family were denied
32:48the ability to grieve
32:51in the aftermath
32:52of Eddie's murder
32:53there was a number
32:55of weeks
32:55I think it was
32:56three weeks
32:56where two police forces
32:58across two different
32:59counties
33:00were desperately
33:02attempting to locate
33:03Eddie's remains
33:04to grieve
33:04they were in limbo
33:05waiting for the next
33:07discovery to be made
33:08and they actually
33:09later said
33:10every discovery
33:11that was made
33:12was like reliving
33:13that news
33:14that Eddie had been
33:15murdered all over again
33:21and this was a double blow
33:22for Eddie's family
33:23they had lost
33:24a loved one
33:25in the most brutal
33:26circumstances
33:27not only did they
33:28have to contend
33:29with that
33:29they also had to
33:30contend with the fact
33:31that his remains
33:32had been dispersed
33:33across multiple locations
33:35across at least
33:36two counties
33:37and they delayed
33:39his funeral
33:39they waited until
33:40the 18th of December
33:41two and a half months
33:43after his murder
33:44to bury him
33:45because they were
33:45so hopeful
33:46that all of his
33:47remains would be
33:48located
33:49and it was so
33:50important to them
33:51that they could
33:52locate all of them
33:53and bury Eddie
33:54as one hole
33:54but very sadly
33:56for them
33:56that was not possible
33:57so he can't rest
33:59in peace
33:59as far as they're
34:00concerned
34:02the savage killing
34:03and drawn out
34:04recovery of Eddie's
34:05body
34:05leave his family
34:06and friends
34:07heartbroken
34:08and traumatised
34:09as the murder
34:10trial looms
34:26lancashire police
34:27have charged
34:2865 year old
34:29William Wilkinson
34:30with the murder
34:31of his neighbour
34:3255 year old
34:33Eddie Forrester
34:34as both parties
34:36prepare for the
34:36murder trial
34:37police re-evaluate
34:39their evidence
34:39against Wilkinson
34:43the staggered recoveries
34:46in relation to
34:48Eddie's remains
34:49being found
34:50would effectively
34:51strengthen the case
34:53against Wilkinson
34:55especially with the
34:57forensic analysis
34:58it's carried out
34:59in relation to
34:59where it's disposed
35:01how it's disposed
35:03because inquiries
35:05would have been
35:05undertaken
35:06to establish
35:07Wilkinson's movements
35:11In the face
35:12of the upcoming
35:13murder trial
35:14Wilkinson
35:15expresses little
35:16to no remorse
35:18When Wilkinson
35:19walked into the dock
35:20he just looked like
35:22a middle-aged
35:23bloke
35:24from Blackpool
35:25but then when
35:26you hear the horror
35:27of what
35:28he'd done
35:29it was hard
35:30to look at the man
35:31sitting in the dock
35:32and think
35:34about the events
35:35that had took him
35:36there
35:36In the victim impact
35:38statements
35:38Eddie's family
35:39said that
35:40when they learnt
35:41that he'd been
35:42murdered
35:42they assumed
35:43it would be
35:43something like
35:44a single punch
35:44something
35:45maybe a momentary
35:48flashpoint
35:48that had got out
35:50of hand
35:50but it was really
35:51shocking and horrific
35:52for them to
35:53learn the way
35:55that this had
35:56happened in such
35:57a calculated way
36:00Wilkinson
36:00walked into the dock
36:01to be sentenced
36:02and he seemed
36:03very calm
36:04I suppose
36:05he's a man
36:06who's not really
36:07got a lot
36:08in the way
36:08of emotion
36:08to have been able
36:09to have done
36:09what he'd done
36:10but he looked
36:11very much like
36:12the man who
36:13was pottering
36:13around Blackpool
36:14going to the
36:15buckees
36:15going to the
36:16barbers
36:17his hair had grown
36:18back a little bit
36:19but he didn't look
36:20like a man
36:21who was shocked
36:22at what he'd done
36:23and was facing
36:24the music
36:25he almost looked
36:26like he was just
36:27there to accept
36:28his fate
36:29at this point
36:32the discoveries
36:33in Cumbria
36:34and Lancashire
36:35by their
36:36respective police
36:36forces
36:37meant there was
36:38really no option
36:39I think for
36:40Wilkinson at this
36:41point
36:41but to plead guilty
36:42and obviously
36:43that was done
36:44with a view
36:45to reducing
36:46his sentence
36:47he knew that
36:47this was
36:48something he
36:49couldn't get out
36:50of now
36:50but he knew
36:51that he could
36:51potentially
36:52reduce his
36:53sentence
36:55with overwhelming
36:56evidence
36:57being presented
36:58to him
36:58Wilkinson did
36:59plead guilty
37:00now to murder
37:01and to perverting
37:03the course of justice
37:08Wilkinson was
37:09ultimately sentenced
37:10to life imprisonment
37:12with a minimum term
37:12of 19 years
37:13and 3 months
37:14before he would be
37:15eligible for parole
37:17and I think we have to
37:18accept at the age
37:19of 65
37:20as he was
37:21when sentenced
37:22this effectively
37:24amounts to
37:25whole life order
37:26for him
37:27I think it's unlikely
37:28that he will ever
37:29be released from prison
37:30I think he would die
37:31behind bars
37:34I don't think
37:35this was premeditated
37:37and neither did
37:38the judge
37:39in sentencing
37:41and that would have
37:42been reflected
37:42in the sentencing
37:43I think it was clear
37:44that there was an
37:45intention to kill
37:46on Wilkinson's part
37:48but I don't think
37:49he had
37:50made plans
37:51to kill him
37:53that day
37:53I think this is
37:54something that
37:55happened in a fit
37:55of rage
37:56he grabbed
37:57the nearest implement
37:58which just so
37:59happened to be
38:00a rather crude
38:01broken wooden stick
38:03with a heavy metal bung
38:04and before he knew
38:06what he'd done
38:07he'd hit Eddie
38:08around the head
38:0810 times
38:10I think when we look
38:11at the sentencing
38:12of William Wilkinson
38:13I think it's fair
38:14I think
38:15this is a near
38:1620 year minimum term
38:18this man is 65
38:19years of age
38:20and I think
38:21the judge has to
38:22take that into
38:23account upon
38:24sentencing
38:24it is likely
38:26that he will die
38:27behind bars
38:28this is town to
38:28mount to a whole
38:30life order
38:31and I think
38:32had Wilkinson
38:33been younger
38:33and he'd committed
38:35this crime
38:35we would have seen
38:37a more lengthy
38:38sentence
38:40Eddie's loved ones
38:41make it known
38:41their feelings
38:42toward Wilkinson
38:43at the end
38:44of the sentencing
38:46some of Eddie's
38:47family came to
38:48court on the
38:48day of sentence
38:49and sat in the
38:50front row of the
38:50public gallery
38:51it was obviously
38:52a very upsetting
38:53hearing for them
38:54to hear everything
38:56that had happened
38:57to this sweet
38:58member of the
38:58family
38:59and they sat
39:00listened through
39:01it all
39:02it was a brave
39:03thing for them
39:03to do
39:04mostly they held
39:05on to their
39:06composure
39:06but then
39:07when Wilkinson
39:08was led away
39:09to begin his
39:09sentence
39:10they were shouting
39:11animal at him
39:12which really
39:13sums up how
39:13they felt
39:16Eddie's family
39:16were disgusted
39:17at the actions
39:18of Wilkinson
39:20they have been
39:22unable to sleep
39:22since
39:23they've suffered
39:24nightmares
39:24especially when
39:25they found out
39:27what actions
39:28were taken
39:28after Eddie
39:29was murdered
39:29and he was
39:30dismembered
39:31it's caused
39:31the family
39:32great distress
39:34probably
39:35distress
39:36that they'll
39:36never recover
39:37from
39:39the nature
39:40of Eddie
39:41Forrester's
39:42murder
39:42and the
39:42later
39:42dismemberment
39:43of his
39:44body
39:45dehumanised
39:46him
39:46to his
39:47family
39:47and they
39:48later remarked
39:49on that
39:50in a statement
39:50it was difficult
39:52for them
39:52to properly
39:53lay him
39:53to rest
39:53when all
39:55of his
39:55remains
39:55were not
39:56there
39:58the details
39:59of this
40:00case
40:00reveal
40:00Wilkinson
40:01to be
40:01a cold
40:02individual
40:03capable
40:03of extreme
40:04and savage
40:05violence
40:07despite
40:08admitting
40:08to murder
40:09Wilkinson
40:09didn't help
40:10the police
40:10he refused
40:11to identify
40:12other locations
40:12where parts
40:13of the body
40:13might be
40:14and he did
40:15not provide
40:15any information
40:16that might
40:16help the
40:17family
40:17grieve
40:18their loved
40:18one
40:19this suggests
40:20someone who's
40:20callous
40:21wants to
40:21maintain
40:22control
40:22and doesn't
40:23want to
40:24address
40:24the gruesome
40:25things
40:25that they've
40:25done
40:27I think
40:28what we're
40:29potentially
40:29looking at
40:30with somebody
40:30like Wilkinson
40:31is a psychopath
40:33this is a man
40:34who is easily
40:36able to detach
40:37from what
40:38he's doing
40:39and what
40:40he's done
40:41and to
40:42not feel
40:43the consequences
40:45of that
40:45and I think
40:45that's evident
40:46from what he
40:46does
40:47with the
40:48later dismemberment
40:49and some of
40:50that was
40:50gratuitous
40:50it was not
40:51for the purposes
40:52of disposing
40:53of the body
40:54it was done
40:54for gratuitous
40:56reasons
40:57he removed
40:58the heart
40:58we don't know
41:00what the motivation
41:00was for that
41:02but there was
41:03no need
41:03for him
41:04to do
41:04that
41:04so there
41:05was a reason
41:06an instinct
41:07within him
41:07that compelled
41:08him to do
41:09that
41:09so I think
41:10we are
41:10looking at
41:11an animal
41:11I think
41:12when
41:12Eddie Forrest
41:13his family
41:14shouted
41:14animal
41:15at Wilkinson
41:16on his
41:17sentencing
41:17I think
41:18they'd hit
41:19the nail
41:19on the head
41:22he has
41:23got to
41:23the age
41:23of 65
41:24and all
41:24of a sudden
41:25he has
41:26woken up
41:27one day
41:27and killed
41:28a man
41:29in the most
41:29brutal
41:30circumstances
41:30and I think
41:32that's something
41:32I struggle
41:33to reconcile
41:34I struggle
41:35to understand
41:36what happened
41:38what switching
41:40him flicked
41:41on that
41:41particular day
41:42what made
41:43him see red
41:44and attack
41:45and unleash
41:47his rage
41:52I've been
41:53involved in
41:53many cases
41:54where
41:54dismemberant
41:55has taken
41:56place
41:56and
41:57it takes
41:58a certain
41:58mindset
41:59to get
41:59over the
42:00fact
42:00that you're
42:01now dealing
42:01with a
42:01human being
42:02and then
42:03think about
42:04where you're
42:05going to
42:05cut them
42:06how you're
42:06going to
42:07cut them
42:07it's very
42:08strange to
42:08think about
42:09very horrific
42:09almost sadistic
42:11in a way
42:11to be able
42:12to do
42:13something
42:14like that
42:14so yeah
42:14it's
42:15horrible
42:17the thing
42:18that really
42:18stood out
42:18to me
42:19about this
42:19case
42:19was
42:20the gratuitous
42:21violence
42:22the level
42:23of violence
42:24the way
42:25that
42:27Wilkinson
42:28coldly went
42:29about
42:29doing what
42:31he did
42:31and yet
42:32the only
42:34thing that
42:35really seems
42:36to have been
42:36an issue
42:37the only
42:38kind of motive
42:38is this
42:39little squabble
42:40about feeding
42:40the birds
42:41it's
42:42shocking
42:49I think
42:50Wilkinson
42:51can
42:52be best
42:53described
42:53as
42:54wholly
42:56remorseless
42:57this is a man
42:57who refused
42:58to cooperate
42:59with the police
43:00he held the
43:01key to the
43:02location
43:02of Eddie's
43:03remains
43:04and he refused
43:05to give
43:06that tiny bit
43:07back to the
43:08family
43:08to allow them
43:10to bury
43:10Eddie as one
43:11whole
43:12so that he
43:12could rest
43:13in peace
43:13this is a
43:14cold
43:15detached man
43:16who doesn't
43:17think of
43:17others
43:22the horrifying
43:23details of
43:24this case
43:25leaves a
43:25lasting sense
43:26of fear
43:27and unease
43:28in the
43:28community
43:30whilst Blackpool
43:31has a higher
43:32than average
43:33crime rate
43:33this is not
43:35a town
43:35that is
43:36synonymous
43:36with murder
43:37this is a
43:37quintessentially
43:39English
43:40seaside
43:41destination
43:41this is a
43:42tourist town
43:43this kind
43:44thing
43:44doesn't
43:45really
43:45happen
43:46there
43:46so the
43:47residents
43:47of Blackpool
43:48were shocked
43:49at what
43:50had happened
43:50and they
43:51were left
43:52in a state
43:53of disbelief
43:53that this
43:55vulnerable
43:55quiet man
43:56he was small
43:57in stature
43:58he was five
43:58feet five
43:59inches tall
43:59he had
44:00mobility issues
44:01he would be
44:02seen out
44:02and about
44:03with his
44:03beloved
44:04rescue dog
44:04Cassie
44:05all of a
44:06sudden
44:06he was gone
44:07in the most
44:07brutal
44:07circumstances
44:08it was hard
44:09for them
44:09to take
44:10in
44:17Blackpool
44:18was somewhere
44:18I used to
44:19go on holiday
44:20every year
44:20with my family
44:23and what
44:24struck me
44:25particularly
44:25about this
44:26case
44:27especially
44:28a location
44:29that was a
44:30happy place
44:31to go for
44:32me and my
44:32family
44:33was the
44:34level of
44:34depravity
44:35that was
44:35involved
44:35in this
44:37especially
44:38the lengths
44:39that Wilkinson
44:40went to
44:41following the
44:42murder
44:42and the
44:44dismemberment
44:45he carried
44:45out
44:46the dissection
44:46he carried
44:47out
44:47with no
44:48clear reason
44:48whatsoever
44:50and the lengths
44:51that he went
44:51to to dispose
44:52of Eddie's
44:53remains
44:53and cover
44:54his tracks
44:54especially
44:56in a town
44:56like Blackpool
44:58that's known
44:58for family fun
45:00it's known
45:00as a tourist
45:01attraction
45:01a really
45:02lively
45:02tourist attraction
45:03it was a
45:04great place
45:04to go
45:05a number
45:05of years
45:06ago
45:06I used
45:06to go
45:07all the
45:07time
45:07with my
45:07family
45:08every
45:09October
45:09for the
45:10eliminations
45:10and for
45:12that to
45:12happen
45:13in that
45:13particular
45:14area
45:14is a
45:15very
45:15dark
45:16spell
45:16for Blackpool
45:20Eddie's
45:21best friend
45:22Trevor
45:22would take
45:23in his
45:23beloved
45:24dog
45:24Cassie
45:25after his
45:26death
45:26both having
45:27tragically
45:27lost
45:28their
45:28closest
45:29companion
45:31I
45:31can't
45:32imagine
45:32how this
45:33would have
45:33felt
45:33for Trevor
45:34Lake
45:34he had
45:35been
45:35friends
45:35with
45:35Eddie
45:36Forrester
45:36for 22
45:37years
45:37the two
45:38were
45:39extremely
45:39close
45:40they
45:40saw each
45:41other
45:41every
45:41other day
45:42and they
45:43spoke on
45:43the phone
45:43every single
45:44day
45:45they relied
45:46upon each
45:46other
45:46they were
45:47each other's
45:47family and
45:48support network
45:48so I can
45:50only imagine
45:51the loss
45:53for Trevor
45:53Lake
45:54of not
45:54having
45:55Eddie
45:55in his
45:55life
45:56and I
45:56know
45:57that Trevor
45:57took
45:58Eddie's
45:59beloved
45:59dog
46:00Cassie
46:01in
46:01and
46:02now
46:03looks
46:03after
46:03her
46:04and
46:06Trevor
46:06has since
46:07said
46:07that without
46:08her
46:09he's not
46:10sure he
46:10would have
46:11been able
46:11to cope
46:12in the
46:12aftermath
46:12as much
46:13as he
46:14has
46:14been able
46:14to
46:15to
46:45Transcription by CastingWords
46:55CastingWords
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