Andrew Ratcliffe

On 26 March 2013, Andrew Ratcliffe, aged 56, murdered Mary Roberts, a 50-year-old woman, at the St Edmunds Tavern in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. Ratcliffe, who had been living in the same flat as Roberts for two weeks, developed a sexual obsession with her, but his advances were firmly rejected. The pair had been out drinking together that evening, leaving the pub around 23:45 GMT. What followed was a brutal attack in the pub's covered smoking area, where Ratcliffe sexually assaulted and strangled Roberts to death.

The following morning, Roberts' body was discovered in the smoking area, with Ratcliffe's DNA found on her. When arrested, police found Roberts' underwear in Ratcliffe's pocket, providing damning evidence of his involvement. During the week-long trial at Ipswich Crown Court, the jury heard detailed accounts of Ratcliffe's unrequited obsession and the events of that night. Ratcliffe claimed in court that he had fallen asleep on the ground beside her and awoke without noticing her dead body, later phoning an ambulance to falsely claim he had been attacked. However, the prosecution dismantled this alibi, highlighting the physical evidence and inconsistencies in his story.

Judge John Devaux, passing sentence, condemned Ratcliffe's fabrications, stating: 'There was not a word of truth in your story. You were hoping to distance yourself from the death of Mary Roberts and provide yourself with an alibi. The evidence as a whole is of sexual misconduct. You killed this lady because she rejected your sexual advances.' The court convicted Ratcliffe of murder, sentencing him to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 23 years. Punam Malhan from the Crown Prosecution Service remarked on the hollowness of Ratcliffe's defence, noting: 'This evidence showed just how hollow was Ratcliffe's explanation of 'falling asleep on the ground' and not knowing what had happened to Mrs Roberts.' The case, reported by the BBC on 29 October 2013, underscored the tragic consequences of rejected advances, bringing closure to Roberts' family and friends through Ratcliffe's lengthy incarceration.