Voting Station

Timothy Evans

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Scapegoat

The Resume

    (November 20, 1924-March 9, 1950)
    Born in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales, United Kingdom
    Reported to police that his wife Beryl had died ‘under unusual circumstances’ (November 30, 1949)
    Under questioning, admitted to killing both Beryl and their 13-month-old daughter, Geraldine
    Later recanted his confession
    Found guilty of murdering Geraldine in a three-day trial (January 11-13, 1950)
    Executed by hanging
    Received a posthumous pardon (1966)

Why he might be annoying:

    He would invent stories to boost his self-esteem, a habit that would not enhance his credibility later.
    He was a heavy drinker with a short temper, who frequently got into loud and violent fights with his wife.
    He initially told police he had accidentally killed his wife by giving her a liquid intended to cause an abortion; then claimed his landlord, John Christie, had killed her while performing an illegal abortion; and finally said he had strangled her during an argument.

Why he might not be annoying:

    His confession contained words that the poorly educated Evans was unlikely to be familiar with, suggesting that it had been written by the police, who then coerced Evans into signing it.
    The police and prosecution somehow never thought it suspicious that the bodies of Beryl and Geraldine were found in a locked wash-house in the garden that was accessible only to Christie and his wife, Ethel.
    John Christie was the main witness against him at the murder trial.
    Three years after Evans’ execution, a tenant discovered three women’s bodies in a wallpapered-over alcove off John Christie’s kitchen (March 24, 1953).
    The three bodies were wrapped in blankets in a manner similar to how Beryl and Geraldine Evans’ bodies had been wrapped.
    After his arrest, Christie admitted to murdering seven women, including Beryl Evans.
    If police had done a thorough search of Christie’s place back when they arrested Evans, they might have found the remains of two victims buried in shallow graves in the garden.
    At least they probably would have noticed the human thigh bone being used to prop up one of the garden fenceposts.
    The Home Office granted his two sisters monetary payments as compensation for a miscarriage of justice (2003).

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 12 Votes: 58.33% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 9 Votes: 77.78% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 4 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 7 Votes: 42.86% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 10 Votes: 30.0% Annoying