lady lake trial lady lake trial murder case gordon park january january retired teacher near england jailed life murder wife went missing july seen alive family body discovered divers gordon arrested suspicion murder charges subsequently dropped gordon arrested found guilty wife murder trial judge sentenced life imprisonment recommended serve minimum years considered parole held prison preston december lodged appeal conviction dismissed november january found hanged cell pronounced dead scene details murder carol killed blunt trauma face means instrument alleged court ice axe bound rope complex knots weighed rocks lead pipes thrown overboard boat body landed underwater later found amateur divers dropped metres shore sunk deeper probably discovered great deal controversy surrounding case gordon received support family friends maintained innocence large local interest trial shown sales local paper claimed evidence discounted petitions attempts free gordon prison clear case featured prominently book smoke outlined seven cases author believed examples innocent people convicted murder case history prior disappearance according friends carol feeling depressed talked tracing biological parents adopted july went missing gordon claimed left home man carol left home twice reason gordon claimed report missing weeks carol said time periods away home coincide school holidays gordon claimed wasn didn return time job primary school teacher september start school term realised problem time reported missing solicitor family informed day vanished family visit day trip carol said felt wanted remain bed seen alive family gordon claimed returned home find carol left house leaving wedding ring sign struggle missing persons launched came missing persons report subsequently lost implied gordon senior police commander time article published died involved case refuted smoke claimed gordon time police told gordon body found main suspect discovery body post results august amateur divers discovered body clad feet nicknamed lady lake detectives detective novel lady lake body wrapped dress canvas plastic bags tied knots weighed lead eyes covered later reported body landed underwater thrown water metres farther land probably found details carol death revealed post severe injuries skull said face smashed multiple blows later found court murder weapon ice axe body found position suggested body dealt hours death settle said investigators failed acknowledge passes hour time period body passed unusual knots tie body knots said house boat key pieces evidence gordon trial arrested charges dropped time discovery body gordon wife cycling holiday france heard news discovery body said seen footage police searching house august arrived home gordon arrested suspicion murder morning charged murder preston prison weeks managed persuade court grant bail january charges gordon dropped lack evidence released statement conference leading counsel police decision taken agreement parties insufficient evidence realistic prospect conviction reportedly told deserved discovered wife charges dropped gordon said wished try including events years ago try return everyday life fact charges dropped angered carol brother said disgusted way carol portrayed proceedings talked carol cheap string lovers second arrest trial gordon arrested january police said time murder file closed arrest followed new leads new leads later reported confession claimed gordon short prison stay police revisited site body discovered found piece green slate stone matched rocks wall family case brought trial lasted weeks single piece evidence pointed gordon prosecution argued evidence placed point park mysterious stranger secret lover primarily case prosecution rested evidence jury asked consider knots rocks weight body ice axe linking crime statements gordon learning difficulties evidence prosecution sentenced jailed life told serve years judge said taken account terrible body park claimed wife open marriage court found gordon hands carol neck struggled grabbed ice axe brought described considerable force carol face smashed right hand face splitting open head smashing teeth attack described consisting big heavy crushing blows gordon dumped wife body lake went day day life trial prosecution speculated gordon wife possibly july tied stored body chest dumping appeal december reported representing said launch appeal public statement said appeal based fresh evidence available original trial hoped conviction ordered conviction family friends launched campaign clear claiming single piece evidence pointed representing park appeal solicitor initially reveal new evidence available original trial strong significant released statement saying detectives carried thorough investigation facts case presented case tried jury found guilty murder october support park said possession signed witnessed statement week main prosecution witnesses stating police officers words mouth gordon park police told court pastor george_harrison acting spokesperson claimed appeals process flawed rendered virtually impossible costs november appeal bid rejected judges london representing park wanted expert witness challenge geological evidence trial lord justice said new evidence raise reasonable doubt safety conviction saying geological evidence small element strong case new evidence presented concerned rock found body said wall outside parks house argued rock indistinguishable area meaningless death january morning park birthday found hanged unconscious prison cell pronounced dead scene later morning believed involved park inflicted injuries park assessed risk suicide said completely devastated believe innocence death family tried trace ashes review november confirmed examining verdict new dna evidence come light niece accused gordon park family argued gordon went high_court appeal lost makes think time find information court decision case controversy local interest matter shown sales local paper ran special editions case park maintained innocence received support family friends children appointed new legal team attempt find grounds appeal set website bid raise awareness support case gordon notable individuals offering support include said considerable doubt gordon conviction help campaign freedom quoted saying case grave injustice people signed gordon park innocent petition year park life sentence family members friends held prison bid raise awareness fact innocent man prison held year later led anniversary park imprisonment claimed george_harrison barred visiting park transferred prison lancashire fronts campaign included offer providing evidence lead gordon freedom included planned homes area organised harrison gordon wife stayed trial wrote confirm wanted reward harrison right include contact details email address mention website subsequently harrison claimed delivered area link family supported gordon attempts clear park adoptive daughter appeared witness prosecution trial telling father hit children stick cane discuss wife disappearance court time park sentencing carol brother spoken publicly times feelings gordon price family sat away park supporters trial statement shortly park guilty verdict said doubt justice added carol lovely girl clever intelligent said heartbreaking thing justice carol time price said believed gordon time carol disappearance news body found knew knew expressing conviction park guilt recently said distressed ongoing campaign free park park unsuccessful appeal price daughters spoke parents having died appeal rejected said brilliant amazing result dad fought hard justice rest peace justice result glad staying added finally justice carol park family comment claims flawed investigation case reported difficult prosecution time murder trial making extremely difficult track potential witnesses police officer involved case said difficulty course body taken away place killed difficulties outlined police website detailed number park supporters claim holes evidence convict story problems evidence published daily_mail october request written author later wrote article december talking trial controversies similar article pointing holes evidence published sunday herald july witnesses problem evidence use informant evidence described form evidence despite fact key pieces evidence trial man park briefly shared cell claimed court park admitted guilt described highly frequently changed story claimed park admitted killing carol sailing informant said heavy admitted hearing voices claimed gordon said went upstairs found carol bed man killed fit rage unlikely parks lived supposed lover come forward park claimed actually met hand witness challenged articles came forward claiming seen push boat testimony challenged time passed fact husband saw claims reading paper time said young far away identify person boat couldn body dumped positioned location carol body found visibly blocked island article points young described boat appeared cruiser yacht despite fact gordon large yacht owned racing sold later year witnesses provide direct evidence supporting idea park innocent neighbour claims saw carol second neighbour claims saw unidentified man beetle parks drive minutes presence unidentified car accounted night witness woman knew carol saw services mentioned husband fact carol greeted describing evidence rock supposedly found lake said taken park garden wall challenged evidence multiple places articles police memory recovering claimed found placed professor defense witness said evidence rock lake bed article sunday herald claims policeman said responsible finding rock produced court offering explanation denying found issues addressed sunday herald article daily_mail article knots tie carol body knots carol body knots evidence gordon trial specifically asked responded use knots knot mistake reef knot learning knot tying frequently mistake experienced knot likely use knot frequent appearance body carol strong evidence gordon tied article claims evidence knots irrelevant common area piece evidence related rock taken supposedly come parks roof prosecution eventually admitted green slate worked area hundreds years come herald mentions fact police files original missing persons inquiry gone missing draw conclusions articles address issue killer alternatively mention carol lovers responsible murdering carol sister articles mention area time murder careful point accusing murderer smoke smoke published book features stories seven high profile convicted murderers including park book claims expert lady lake trial flawed certain evidence withheld reporting press time influenced court park person killed wife personal life gordon park park worked village primary school teacher retired time prosecuted murder wife carol park children gordon carol adopted niece months old mother carol sister murdered boyfriend aged described rare coincidence picked case defence trial park remarried twice carol murdered second wife named catherine remained married death named park met wives teaching carol teacher killed rejecting park request appeal lord justice justice noted gordon carol affairs year leading carol disappearance park interests included sailing climbing relevant case knots tie wife body prison park spent time practising taking degree keeping fit exclusive written interview gazette months sentence park talked struggled prison saying inmates smoke play loud music video games rifle steal lie etc lot watched guy chasing dragon frightened death seen refused answer detailed questions trial case protested innocence saying knew killed wife said know know
Lady in the Lake trial