Albert Goozee,British Muderer and Paedophile dies of Natural Causes

An Inquest into the death of an old aged pensioner in Leicester, United Kingdom, heard yesterday (22/6/2010) that the man was “allowed to die with dignity” after he refused food and medication whilst in a care home. The coroner recorded a verdict of death by “natural causes” for the 86 year old man.

The old man had led an eventful and long life. His name was Albert Goozee, they even made a film about his life but for notoriety rather than popularity!

Albert Goozee was a working man, and he lodged with the Leakey family in the New Forest in England. In the house were Thomas Leakey, his wife Lydia and daughter Norma. On 17^th June 1956 Goozee was found on a country road with stab wounds, leaning on a car with a blood trail leading back to the bodies of Lydia and 14 year old Norma Leakey. The murder took place at a populr picnic spot in the New Forest- he confessed his participation to the motorist who stopped to help him. When the police arrived he asked them to help him stand up so that he could lead them to the bodies of Lydia and Norma. The bodies were found in a glade at Bignall woods. Lydia was found at post mortem to have died from a haemorrhage, fractured skull and shock from knife wounds. Norma had died from being stabbed through the heart. Goozee told the police where he had left the knife and admitted to the police how he had stabbed and killed the two women. On examination at post mortem it was found that Norma had been sexually assaulted and Goozee was charged with indecently assaulting her and murdering both her and her mother.

Despite being some twenty years older than Goozee Lydia was supposedly having an affair with Goozee. The prosecution stated that Goozee had decided to murder Lydia and her daughter who of knew about the affair. His defence case was that Lydia came upon him and her mother in the wood and they murdered each other Lydia with a knife and Norma with an axe. Goozee was hurt trying to prevent the fight. The prosecution were told that Goozee had lodged with the Leakey’s for two years. When he arrived he realised that Mr and Mrs Leakey had separate bedrooms and he was approached by Mrs Leakey with whom he began an affair. After some time Norma found out about the affair and sometimes joined the pair in bed. Mrs Leakey had a bargaining power with Goozee to make him stay as Norma was under the age of consent. Goozee stated that he wanted to get away from her, move out, rejoin the army, but always Lydia hung the threat of Norma’s involvement over him.

After four hours deliberation the jury found Goozee guilty of murdering Norma Leakey whilst the charge against Lydia Goozee was held on file. Goozee was sentenced to death by hanging but was reprieved by the Home Secretary., Rab Butler, four days before he was due to be hung. He was diagnosed as suffering from paranoid schizophrenia and sent to Broadmoor for treatment. In 1971 Goozee was released on licence from Broadmoor and entered into the community. In 1996 Goozee was sentenced to six years at Maidstone Crown Court for sexually assaulting two girls aged 12 and 13. When the death sentence had been commuted it was replaced by a life sentence, being released on licence meant that Goozee would only stay free if he kept out of the courts. Therefore Goozee returned into the prison system to serve the rest of his life sentence. In sentencing him, HHJ Gower stated that those deciding when, if ever, he could be freed, should consider his “horrifying” background.

In 1996 a film “Intimate relations” starring Julie Walters and Rupert Graves was released depicting the murders.

The theme of the film is of a young man who has an affair with the lady of the house with whom he is lodging. The affair becomes more complicated when the woman’s daughter discovers the affair.

The film is set in 1950’s London depicting the prudish hypocrites who reside at the address and engage in all sorts of sordid affairs behind the closed doors and drawn curtains. The plot follows the life of Goozee and the murders he committed.

Goozee spent his last month at the Cedars Court Nursing Home in Wigston, Leicester. It was whilst he w as here that his existence was noted by the Sun with residents relatives quoted as being worried for the safety of their families. Care home nurse Pam Plimmer told the inquest at Leicester Town Hall “Mr Googee was no risk to the public towards the end of his life”. The coroner Catherine Mason said “As a dying man, his needs were recognised so much that he was granted compassionate release. He was permitted to die with dignity in an appropriate setting” perhaps as some would say more than his victims were permitted.