Haunting 999 call that led to arrest of teen murderer James Fairweather

Sadistic: double murderer James Fairweather
PA
Sebastian Mann29 April 2016
WEST END FINAL

Get our award-winning daily news email featuring exclusive stories, opinion and expert analysis

I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice.

Police today released a chilling transcript of the harrowing 999 call that led to the arrest of sadistic teenage murderer James Fairweather.

The caller describes “freezing” after spotting the would-be serial killer hiding in bushes in Colchester near to where he carried out one of his murders.

They begin “Hi, I wonder if you can help me,” before describing the double murderer who was later arrested and today jailed for life at the Old Bailey.

The caller says: “There’s a very suspicious guy down there who’s just standing there, and it’s like obviously a dog trail and he’s just on his own and it’s quite a secluded area.”

As the 999 operator tries to elicit more information, the concerned member of the public adds: “He’s got thick dark glasses … I don’t if that makes … I don’t know, it’s just something’s not right.”

The call was made at 10.50am on May 26, 2015, nearly a year after Fairweather had last struck.

Police eventually attended the scene and arrested the boy, who aged just 15 was said to have been obsessed with becoming Britain’s youngest serial killer.

Now 17, Fairweather shrugged and mouthed "don't give a s***" as he was locked up for at least 27 years, waving to his parents as he was led to the cells.

The schoolboy had spent months obsessing over mass murderers like the Yorkshire Ripper when he stabbed his first victim, James Attfield, more than 100 times while he slept in a park.

Fairweather struck again three months later when he stabbed to death 31-year-old Saudi student Nahid Almanea.

The full transcript

Operator: Essex Police Control Room

Caller: Hi, I wonder if you can help me. I’m actually on the Salary Brook erm the Longridge end of the trail where that murder was last year and there’s a very suspicious guy down there who’s just standing there, and it’s like obviously a dog trail and he’s just on his own and it’s quite a secluded area. Erm I don’t think there’s anyone around to have a look and he’s got like a, I don’t know could be wrong but he’s got…

Operator: Right.

Caller: …a jacket that looks very similar to what was all over the paper and everything and it’s on the same trail as what happened err almost a year ago.

Operator: Okay.

Caller: Yeah.

Operator: What’s suspicious about him?

Caller: Well to be honest with you he’s on a bridge huh and yeah not a footpath…

Unknown female: (Indecipherable speech)

Caller: ..yeah he was stood behind some of the trees and there’s it’s obviously it’s only like a dog (inaudible) place. And I first went down on my own with my dog and I saw him sort of hiding..

Operator: Mm.

Caller: ..and it made me freeze…

Operator: Did you…

Caller: …thinking he’ll come out.

Operator: ..is he in a bush did you say sort of hiding?

Caller: No he’s practically he’s hiding, he’s practically, he’s on a bridge just practically yeah he’s sec, in a secluded area he’s not in the main bit and then I’ve come out with one of the other ladies that’s got a big dog and we’ve walked down there and he’s a little bit further into the bushes a little bit and….

Operator: Right

Caller: …yeah…

Operator: Yeah.

Caller: ..and it’s just like not the sort of person, person…

Operator: So Salary on the …

Caller: ..you expect to see someone.

Operator: …bridge in bushes?

Caller: Yeah it’s yeah it’s just and he’s got thick dark glasses I don’t if that makes, I don’t know it’s just something’s not right.

Operator: Okay.

Caller: Clearly not right.

Operator: Where did you say this was?

Caller: Well it’s on the, it’s on the Salary Brook Trail.

Operator: Salary Brook…

Caller: And..

Operator: .. Trail?

Unknown Female: Okay (indecipherable speech)..

Caller: Yeah it’s the Longridge end of the Salary Brook Trail erm yeah so it’s the little bridge that goes across into the Bowmans Ford.

Unknown female: (Inaudible)

Caller: It’s just there’s, there’s no you’d never see somebody down there that’s all.

Operator: Salary Brook Trail. I’m just looking for that location now. Is there, is any sort of buildings nearby that I can use as a reference point to put on my system?

Create a FREE account to continue reading

eros

Registration is a free and easy way to support our journalism.

Join our community where you can: comment on stories; sign up to newsletters; enter competitions and access content on our app.

Your email address

Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account

* Required fields

Already have an account? SIGN IN

By clicking Create Account you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use , Cookie policy and Privacy policy .

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in