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Parents describe moment they were told daughter's body was abused by David Fuller

  • ITV Meridian reporter Kit Bradshaw has been speaking exclusively to the parents of one of Fuller’s victims.


The parents of a woman whose body was abused in a hospital mortuary by double killer David Fuller have described the moment they were told what had happened to their daughter.

‘Miles’ and ‘Helen’s’ daughter, ‘Sarah’, was in her thirties when she took her own life in 2017.

The couple have asked to remain anonymous - so we've disguised their voices and aren't using their real names. 

Police arrived at their home in Kent last year to tell them the devastating news that 'Sarah' was one of more than 100 victims that David Fuller abused whilst working as a hospital electrician.

"When the police knocked on the door, I thought 'my god, what have we done?'", Miles said.

"Maybe Helen had done something wrong, and then they sat us down and told us what had happened."


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"We couldn't believe it, because it had been five years, and we were just coming through the tunnel, hoping that life was going to get better.

"It totally reversed everything."

Helen says hearing what police had to say didn't feel real.

"We were sitting down, not able to take in what they were actually saying to us.

"You have to try and deal with your guilt. I was told 'don't go to the mortuary, it's safe, it's secure - it's not the right time to go and it would be too upsetting for you.'

"I felt I should go, so that's made it worse for me, because I've had to deal with the fact that I didn't go.

"I might have been there and averted something, but I'll never know now."

David Fuller abused at least 102 girls and women, aged nine to 100, at the hospitals where he worked.

David Fuller, 67, was jailed for life in December 2021, for beating and strangling Wendy Knell, 25, and Caroline Pierce, 20, to death before sexually assaulting them in two separate attacks in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, in 1987.

He was also handed an additional 12 year prison sentence after he was was found to have filmed himself abusing at least 102 corpses over 12 years.

Miles and Helen held a private funeral for their daughter and allowed friends and family to visit Sarah in the chapel, something Helen says now haunts her.

"When we finally got Sarah back, I'd organised a chapel so everyone could say goodbye to her.

"I can't think of anything worse to put her through, that after being abused, I let everyone just go and look at her. All sorts of things haunt you."

An Independent inquiry into how David Fuller was able to commit his crimes will focus on Tunbridge Wells Hospital.

An independent inquiry, announced by the Government will focus on how David Fuller was able to commit his crimes in hospital mortuaries and will focus primarily on Tunbridge Wells Hospital.

Families of Fuller's victims launched legal action against the Government over the inquiry, saying they were unhappy with the fact the chairman, Sir Jonathan Michael, is a former NHS manager. That legal action was rejected last week.

Miles and Helen say they have yet to be contacted by Sir Jonathan Michael and are calling on the Government to launch a full public inquiry into Fuller's crimes.

"The current inquiry won't get the answers we want because the flaws won't be revealed.

"You mean to tell me that no-one in twenty years had ever reported their concerns?

"The whole system needs to change. If certain individuals are at fault or to blame, then name and shame them."

The inquiry says it welcomes any approach from anyone who has relevant evidence to provide, or who believes they may have relevant evidence but is unsure how relevant it is.

Such persons are encouraged to make contact with the Inquiry at contact@fuller.independent-inquiry.uk or on 020 7972 1444.

If you are in need of emotional support you can contact the charity Samaritans.