In a vicious and alcohol-fueled attack over half a century ago, McGrory raped and murdered 15-year-old Jacqueline Montgomery in her London home. He was 28 years old.
Dennis McGrory was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 25 years for the 1975 murder and rape of teenager Jacqueline Montgomery.
He was acquitted of the crime nearly fifty years ago but was convicted guilty after a second trial in which fresh DNA evidence was discovered.
Now in his mid-seventies and given a minimum term of 25 years and 126 days, he will certainly die in prison.
McGrory, a violent alcoholic, was 28 years old when he raped and murdered the 15-year-old in Islington, north London.
Double-jeopardy killer Dennis McGrory will get 25 years
He was furious and searching for his estranged partner, Jaqueline’s aunt Josie. It was believed that he attacked her to compel her to give Josie’s new address.
When Jacqueline’s father returned home, he discovered his daughter’s body.
She had been raped, stabbed in the back, heart, and diaphragm, then strangled with the iron’s cord. Which was discovered around her neck.
Judge Mr. Justice Bryan stated at today’s sentencing that McGrory carried out the crime “fueled by alcohol and fueled by rage and lust for Jackie.”
He stated that the perpetrator had “unrequited sexual desire” for Jacqueline and had previously “tried it on” with her.
The court described the trauma as “horrendous, aggressive, and prolonged.”
He claimed that Jacqueline would have been “terrified” and that doctors believe she may have survived the horrible injuries for up to 10 minutes before passing away.
Judge: “It defies belief that a man could inflict such sexual and bodily torture on a 15-year-old child who had done them no wrong.”
Due to the iron cord around her neck and the burn mark on her leg. He stated that it was also possible that she was tortured.
A million-to-one chance
In court, McGrory was described as having “absolutely no remorse or compassion” for his victim and her family.
Despite the damning new DNA evidence against him, he continued to deny the murder.
Initially, the perpetrator claimed he had been attacked and battered by four strangers on the night of the murder. And that he had not been to Jacqueline’s residence.
However, the prosecution argued that the injuries were caused by the victim’s attempts to fight him off.
In 1976, a judge at the Old Bailey dismissed the case after concluding that the circumstantial evidence presented by the prosecution was insufficient.
However, vaginal swabs from Jacqueline’s body were saved and retested using modern scientific methods.
They demonstrated a one-in-a-billion match with McGrory’s DNA, his unique genetic fingerprint. He was re-arrested and charged with aggravated rape and murder.
Three hours later, jurors at Huntingdon Crown Court found him guilty of rape and murder.
This was the oldest retrial since the abolition of the double jeopardy legal principle. Which prohibited a defendant from being tried for the same offense twice.
In 2003, the legislation was altered to permit retrials of acquitted defendants if new and compelling evidence arose and the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) was confident that each case was fair and in the public interest.
Since the modification in the legislation regarding double jeopardy, there have been very few retrials of acquitted defendants.
The most notable is the successful prosecution of Gary Dobson. Who had been declared not guilty of the 1993 murder of Stephen Lawrence, a black teenager in South London.
In 2012, he and another original suspect. David Norris, who had never been tried, were convicted and sentenced to life in prison.
