An inquiry has revealed that due to “serious failings” at the hospitals where he worked, David Fuller, considered the most notorious necrophiliac killer in British history, was able to abuse the bodies of over 100 women and girls during a 15-year period.
Fuller, who confessed to murdering two women and sexually abusing numerous others found in mortuaries, received a life sentence in 2021, leading to the initiation of a two-part independent inquiry.
“Over the years, there were missed opportunities to question Fuller’s working practices,” the inquiry’s chair, Sir Jonathan Michael, said, as he announced the first round of findings on Tuesday.
“He routinely worked beyond his contracted hours, undertaking tasks in the mortuary that were not necessary or which should not have been carried out by someone with his chronic back problems. This was never properly questioned.”
In his 2021 trial, Fuller confessed to the separate attacks on 25-year-old Wendy Knell and 20-year-old Caroline Pierce in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, in 1987. Following this, he also admitted to sexually abusing the bodies of deceased women and girls aged between nine and 100 years while employed at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust from 2005 to 2020.
The discovery of these later crimes occurred when the police conducted a raid on his residence, revealing over 800,000 images and 500 videos depicting his acts of abuse. Additionally, evidence emerged of his “persistent interest” in the rape, abuse, and murder of women.
On Tuesday, Michael said: “The offences that Fuller committed were truly shocking and he will never be released from prison.
“Failures of management, of governance, of regulation, failure to follow standard policies and procedures, together with a persistent lack of curiosity, all contributed to the creation of the environment in which he was able to offend, and to do so for 15 years without ever being suspected or caught.”
There was a “lack of consideration” regarding who accessed the mortuary, with Fuller visiting 444 times in a year – a situation described as having gone “unnoticed and unchecked,” according to statements by reporters. Additionally, senior bosses were reportedly “aware of problems in the running of the mortuary from as early as 2008.”
Michael, the inquiry’s chair, emphasized, “In identifying such serious failings, it’s clear to me there is a question of who should be held responsible.”
The former NHS hospital consultant and chief executive provided 17 recommendations aimed at preventing similar atrocities. These included the installation of CCTV cameras in the mortuary and post-mortem room, along with a suggestion for maintenance staff to work in pairs in these areas.
Michael also proposed an end to the “practice of leaving deceased people out of mortuary fridges overnight” during maintenance and called for a comprehensive review of governance policies by the trust’s board.
