Malcolm Fairley, 'The Fox', Dies in Prison Aged 71

Malcolm Fairley, a convicted rapist and burglar from Sunderland, has died of a heart attack in prison while serving a life sentence. Fairley, who was given six life sentences in 1985 for a series of terrifying crimes committed in the south of England, had been serving his sentence at HMP Hull. His nickname 'The Fox' was given due to his unusual modus operandi, which involved breaking into homes and building dens before committing rape and indecent assault offences. He was eventually caught due to his northern accent and the distinctive harvest yellow Austin Allegro he drove.

Key Takeaways:

• Malcolm Fairley, a convicted rapist and burglar, died of a heart attack at HMP Hull, a category B prison, in May 2022, aged 71.
• Fairley was given six life sentences in 1985 for a series of crimes committed in Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, and Hertfordshire, which included rapes, indecent assaults, and burglaries.
• He was nicknamed 'The Fox' due to his unusual method of breaking into homes, building dens, and committing offences while masked and armed with a shotgun.
• Fairley had regular contact with the police during his life, and was eventually caught due to his northern accent and distinctive vehicle.
• An independent investigation by the Prisons and Probations Ombudsman (PPO) concluded that the clinical care Fairley received at HMP Hull was of a reasonable standard, but identified some areas for improvement.
• An inquest held in September 2022 concluded that Fairley died of natural causes.

Statistics:

• 1984: The year in which Malcolm Fairley committed a series of burglaries, rapes, and serious sexual assaults across Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, and Hertfordshire.
• 1985: The year in which Fairley was given six life sentences at St Albans Crown Court for his crimes.
• 71: The age at which Malcolm Fairley died in May 2022.
• 1985: The year in which an investigation into Fairley's crimes was concluded, and he was sentenced to prison.

Sources:

• "Inquest into death of Malcolm Fairley" by Robert Sharpe, BBC News, September 2022
• "Malcolm Fairley: 'The Fox' who terrorised south England" by Britain's Crime Museum, 2022
• "Prisons and Probations Ombudsman (PPO) investigation into death of Malcolm Fairley" by Prisons and Probations Ombudsman, 2022