text: Murderer: Ronald Jebson, who was responsible for the 'Babes in the Woods' killings, when first jailed in the 1970s, died of kidney failure almost a fortnight ago . A paedophile serial killer who murdered three children and sexually abused several more has died secretly in prison, it was revealed today. Ronald Jebson, who was responsible for the 'Babes in the Woods' murders in 1970, died of kidney failure almost a fortnight ago. Jebson's final wish was for his death to be secret and victims' families only found out after journalists told them 11 days after he died. Beryl Hanlon, whose 12-year-old son Gary was killed together with his 11-year-old friend Susan Blatchford in 1970, sobbed as she heard the news. Mrs Hanlon said: 'I'm glad to hear he's gone. I just don't want him to be able to hurt anyone else's children. 'I still have nightmares. I just can't sleep at night. I wake up crying sometimes I just can't understand how some people are so evil. 'I keep imagining what Jebson did to him'. Four years after killing the two friends Jebson strangled eight-year-old Rosemary Papper, shose sister Samantha Humbles, 45, said: 'He deserves to rot in hell' Jebson, who was being held at HMP Frankland, which also holds child killer Ian Huntley, died at the University Hospital of North Durham 11 days ago. A prison source told The Sun: 'He was bitter and twisted and did not want people to have the satisfaction and relief of knowing he was dead.' In 2000 he confessed his part in the deaths of Gary Hanlon, 12, and Susan Blatchford, 11, thirty years earlier, while serving a life sentence for strangling an eight-year-old girl. The murder of the pair in 1970 became known as the Babes in the Wood case because their bodies were dumped in a copse on the fringes of Epping Forest in Essex. Bereft: Beryl Hanlon, whose 12-year-old son Gary was murdered by Jebson said: 'I'm glad to hear he's gone. I just don't want him to be able to hurt anyone else's children' Crimes: In 2000 confessed his part in the deaths of friends Gary Hanlon, 12, and Susan Blatchford, 11, who he murdered and dumped on the edge of Epping Forest . Jebson finally confessed to police because he felt he could die shortly 'and did not want to go into his grave knowing the murder of the two young friends was still unsolved. He wanted to clear his conscience,' said Richard Whittham, prosecuting. But he refused to accompany police to the area where he had sexually abused and killed his victims because he feared the ghosts of the children would haunt the area. Serial killer: Jebson, pictured, had also strangled eight year old Rosemary Papper . Jebson admitted he had been evil over the years and was a danger to children. 'If I get a few drinks and poppers, nothing would stop me,' he had said. The Ministry of Justice is said to have made attempts to contact the families of the children murdered by Mr Jebson to inform them of his death. The government department said it does not discuss individual cases but a spokesman added: 'It is ridiculous to suggest prison staff would deliberately prevent deaths in custody being made public. 'Offenders do not decide whether victims' families are informed about their death.' Gary and Susan vanished from their homes in Enfield, North London, after Gary called for her and they left to go for a walk. They were last seen together strolling and laughing as they went across fields. Jebson, who had previous convictions for sexually assaulting children, told police he picked them up on March 1 and drove them to a spot where he shared cannabis with them. He then took them into a copse and sexually assaulted them. After killing them, he left them about a foot apart in a bird watcher's hide in the copse. Their bodies were found on June 17, 1970, covered in twigs. A cause of death could not be ascertained at the time and no-one was charged. Jebson kept his evil secret for decades. In 1974, he was sentenced to life at St Albans Crown Court for another paedophile murder of the eight-year-old daughter of a friend. Jebson had picked up Rosemary Papper from school, bought her sweets and raped her before strangling her with a piece of twine in a field in Hertfordshire. The judge recommended he should serve at least 20 years. Crime scene: The bodies of the two children were found here in this copse on the edge of Epping Forest but the crime remained unsolved for 30 years . It was not until 1996 that Jebson gave the first indication to a prison officer that he was responsible for the Babes in the Wood murders. It started a chain of events including the exhumation of Susan's grave in Ponders End, North London, which ended decades of uncertainty for the children's families. Jebson originally implicated two other people in their deaths. But, over four years, police broke down his story and he admitted sole responsibility. The nightmare began with two schoolfriends disappearing after going for a walk on a grey and blustery afternoon in 1970. Eleven weeks later the discovery of their bodies huddled together under a pile of leaves and twigs left the nation in shock. In 2000 three decades of anguish for the mothers of Susan Blatchford, 11, and Gary Hanlon, 12, came to an emotional close as paedophile Ronald Jebson, who was already in jail for another murder, finally admitted raping and strangling them. Hunt: The murders of Susan and Gary became one of Britain's most high profile unsolved murders until Jebson finally admitted he did it . Beryl Hanlon and Muriel Blatchford, who are both widowed, broke down in tears as 61-year-old Jebson was led away from the dock at the Old Bailey in the final act of what became-known as the Babes in the Wood mystery. The children fell victim to the perverted Jebson on that spring day 30 years ago after Susan knocked at Gary Hanlon's door at around 4pm on March 31 to ask if he wanted to go for a walk. Gary got his mum's permission to go out and, with his football under his arm, set off with Susan. They were seen an hour later walking across a field laughing together. It was the last time they were seen alive. In 2000 three decades of anguish for the mothers of Susan Blatchford, 11, pictured, and Gary Hanlon, 12, came to an emotional close as paedophile . Their parents reported them missing and a massive hunt was launched. Day after day, more than 600 police officers were joined by members of the public. Frogmen and teams of sniffer dogs were brought in but the friends appeared to have vanished. Nearly three months later, on June 17, a man walking his dog discovered the children's bodies in a copse in Epping Forest, Essex, 30 minutes walk from their home. As a stunned Britain struggled to absorb the news, post mortem tests failed to discover how they died. Time and again the question was posed of how two healthy, sensible young children could meet their deaths in such inexplicable circumstances. Their parents were convinced they had been murdered. Police agreed and launched an investigation under the leadership of Detective Chief Superintendent Leonard 'Nipper' Read, the man who nailed the Krays. During the inquiry 14,272 people were interviewed, but no one was brought to justice. It was the only murder 'Nipper' Read failed to solve during his long career. It left the Babes in the Wood one of the most intriguing and tragic unsolved mysteries in a generation. Jebson's confession finally vindicated the families' belief that Susan and Gary were murdered. He lived in lodgings in Hatfield, Hertfordshire, at the time, said he randomly selected his victims as he drove home after visiting an employment office in Enfield. High on drink and drugs, he took them to a field where he raped Susan. When Gary told him he wanted to go home, he told him: 'You're not going anywhere.' He then beat and raped him, before strangling both children and keeping Susan's tights, bra and knickers as 'trophies'. Today, describing that day, Beryl Hanlon said: 'You could always hear his football when he was kicking it around. 'I realise I couldn't hear him playing football and I looked out of the widow and he was gone.' She added: 'In the 1970s no-one knew about paedophiles. We were just told about dirty old men. 'All the children used to play together on the estate. We all thought of it as such a safe place.'
target: Triple killer Ronald Jebson died of kidney failure almost a fortnight ago .
  He killed three children but only admitted two of crimes 30 years later .
  Prison authorities had respected final wish that his death would be secret .
  Jebson 'didn't want people to have the satisfaction of knowing he's dead'
  Family of his victims wept today and one said: 'He deserves to rot in hell'