10th August 1965
Man sentenced to hang for murder
“Anthony Oliver Lynch… was sentenced to death yesterday at a brief sitting of the Jersey full court after pleading Guilty to the murder by stabbing of Madeleine Mabel Fox, aged 26, in Stafford Lane, St Helier, on March 18,” reported The Times on 11 August 1965.
Lynch’s advocate, Terence Sowden, had entered a guilty plea on his client’s behalf on 6 August. This therefore left the court with no choice over the penalty imposed on the 27-year-old Dubliner when he appeared before it on 10 August, since the statutory punishment for murder was death.
On 3 September, the home secretary, Sir Frank Soskice, recommended that his sentence be commuted. The Queen consented, as was customary at the time.
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Other events that occured in August
Parliament debates Jersey’s treatment of prisoners of war
- A Conservative MP in London was concerned that Jersey might have been treating German PoWs too leniently during the First World War.
- Read more…
The Rolling Stones play St Helier
- The Rolling Stones appeared for two nights at St Helier's Springfield Hall in their August 1964 tour of the UK.
- Read more…
Pioneering human rights advocate John Lilburne dies
- John Lilburne was one of the most famous political prisoners of his day and inspired part of the American Constitution.
- Read more…
Jersey-set film The Others is released
- Starring Nicole Kidman and directed by Alejandro Amenábar, The Others is a psychological horror film set in Jersey.
- Read more…