Sunday, 11 January 2026

Brian Cawley - Winchester Hampshire 14th December 1959

 I was researching for some information relating to one of the many articles on my website and I came upon the murder of one Rupert Poole Steed in Basingstoke Hampshire on 2nd August 1959.,


4th August 1959


5th August 1959



21st August 1959

The trial took place on 14th December 1959 at the Winchester Assizes and was the the shortest murder trial in British legal history  - the proceedings take just 30 seconds.

Brian Cawley pleaded and was found guilty of the murder of Rupert Poole Steed and was later sentenced to life imprisonment

From the press reports Cawley, a 30-year-old council worker lived, along with his wife and three children, rent free in a house owned by Rupert Steed, in New Road, Basingstoke. Rupert Steed was a 67-year-old retired grocer’s manager and bachelor who had befriended the family by helping them out financially.

However, Cawley started to drink and as a consequence lost his job. To compound his problems his wife left him, taking their children with her. One night Cawley returned home and this is what happened


Evening News 14th December 1959






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