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- Playing cops and robbers
- Caught in the act
- "Let him have it, Chris"
- Let him have it, Chris!
- Derek Bentley had severe learning difficulties, aged 18 he had the mental age of 10. He struggled to gain make friends and gain any type of employment. Chris Craig was 16 and came from a family often in trouble with the law.
- The Trial at the Old Bailey
- In November 1952, Bentley along with his companion, Chris Craig, were caught burgling a warehouse in London. When the police arrives Bentley and Craig were on the roof. Detective Sergeant Fairfax climbed up and arrested Bentley.
- A fruitless appeal
- More officers climbed onto theroof, PC Sidney Miles was immediately shot and killed. After using the rest ofhis bullets, Craig jumped form the roof and fractured his spine. At this point Craig shot DS Fairfaxin the shoulder, injuring him. Bentley made no attempt to escape or use any ofthe weapons on his possession.
- Too little, too late?
- Pardon Derek BentleyNOW!
- Why did I do it? Poor Derek...
- Bentley and Craig were both charged with murder, Craig, under the age of 18, was too young to hang. However, despite not firing the fatal shot Bentley was found guilty and sentenced to death. Both Bentley and Craig denied that Bentley used the phrase “let him have it”.
- There was public outcry at the sentence, the decision rested with the Home Secretary, Sir David Maxwell Fyfe. Two Hundred MPs signed a petition asking him to show mercy and cancel the execution. Fyfe refused and on 28 January1953, Bentley was hanged, for joint enterprise.
- Derek Bentley’s family used the media to promote their cause. Through songs, films, and books his case became widely known. The Bentley family campaigned for over 40 years. Derek Bentley was eventually pardoned in 1993, and in 1998 the conviction was quashed.
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