Paedophile BBC Radio 1 DJ Chris Denning dies in prison aged 81

Disgraced DJ Chris Denning has died aged 81-years-old, while serving a prison sentence for sexually abusing children.

Denning rose to fame in the 1960s on BBC Radio 1, alongside prolific paedophile Jimmy Savile.

Denning died of osteomyelitis, a bacterial infection in the bone caused by Type 2 Diabetes in Bedford Hospital on 24 June 2022, according to the coroner.

His death only came to light this week after the prison and probation ombudsman published a report on an investigation into his death.

The disgraced DJ pleaded guilty to 21 historical child sex offences as part of a police investigation into the Walton Hop - a teen disco which ran from 1958 until 2001 at the Cecil Hepworth Playhouse, in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey.

The prolific predator was sentenced to 13 years in prison at Southwark Crown Court in 2016 for abusing 11 boys.

He had admitted 21 sexual offences, including indecent assault and inciting boys to commit acts of gross indecency.

He was already serving 13 years behind bars for a string of sexual assaults against 24 victims, including one allegedly at Jimmy Savile’s house from the 1960s to 1980s.

Some of his victims were as young as eight and he took some of the boys to London on several occasions where he introduced them to other celebrities, including Gary Glitter.

Judge Alistair McCreath said the effect on the victims, now grown men, has been “devastating” and branded the disgraced DJ “utterly depraved”.

Denning was transferred to HMP Littlehey on 3 October 2018.

On 12 July 2021, Mr Denning was admitted to Bedford hospital for treatment relating to his Parkinson’s Disease.

He lived out his final days at HMP Bedford, where he could receive necessary 24-hour health and social care.

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