Double killer David Fuller handed further four years in prison for sexual abuse of women’s bodies
Double killer David Fuller has been handed a further four years in prison for the “systematic” sexual abuse of women’s bodies at hospital mortuaries in Tunbridge Wells, Kent.
Fuller, 68, is already serving a whole life sentence for murdering Wendy Knell, 25, and Caroline Pierce, 20, in 1987 and been sentenced for the sexual abuse of the corpses of 78 women and girls at hospital mortuaries in Tunbridge Wells.
He appeared at the Old Bailey on Wednesday to be sentenced for a second tranche of offences against a further 23 dead women.
They include 12 counts of sexual penetration of a corpse and four counts of possession of extreme pornography between 2007 and 2020.
Opening the facts, prosecutor Michael Bisgrove said Fuller had abused the bodies of at least 101 girls and women, although 10 of the victims had not been identified and were unlikely ever to be.
Mr Bisgrove said: “The indictment reflects the course of conduct by Mr Fuller during his employment at two mortuaries during which he systematically and repeatedly abused the bodies of dead women and girls. He abused at least 101 women.”
In a televised sentencing, Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb handed Fuller four more years' custody, but added: "You will remain in prison until your death."
She said Fuller had first worked at the Kent and Sussex Hospital from 1989 and then as a maintenance supervisor at the nearby Pembury hospital until his arrest for the murders.
She told him: "I have no doubt that you were wary of the risk of attempting to commit sexual offences which might be detected due to the atmosphere of public alertness in the Tunbridge Wells area after what became known as the Bedsit Murders.
"This employment gave you access to the areas normally out of bounds to the public. You would pass through security by using your swipe card when mortuary staff went home from work.
"You were free to systematically and relentlessly sexually abuse the bodies of at least 101 women and girls, the youngest just nine and the oldest 100 years before her death."
She said some of the women were abused very soon after death, some even before their loved ones had visited them in the mortuary.
The judge said Fuller was never "disturbed or challenged" during the offending which amounted to a "habitual" breach of trust and invasion of privacy for his own sexual gratification.
She told him: "You have no regard for the dignity of the dead."
The daughter of one of the victims described in court how she felt when she found out about the abuse of her mother, saying: “The pain and emotional upset seared through my body like a knife.
“He took advantage of her helplessness in death where we were unable to protect her.”
Addressing the defendant in the dock, she said: “David, I want you to know how much damage you have caused, how your sick and twist behaviour has damaged families like mine.
“I’m pleased you are now being held accountable for what you did only seven hours after she died.”
Detective Superintendent Ivan Beasley added: "Our absolute and unequivocal priority from day one has been ensuring justice for every single victim violated by Fuller’s systematic and unimaginably depraved offending.
"Today’s sentencing will mean little to this abhorrent individual, who throughout our investigation has demonstrated no remorse and only a capacity for self-pity.
"His crimes have led to immeasurable suffering and inconceivable trauma to the lives of hundreds of daughters, sons, parents and other loved ones of all those he abused.
"This has been an unparalleled investigation for Kent Police in terms of the scale and unique challenges faced by our officers and staff.
"I’m immensely proud of their collective determination to ensure no stone remained unturned and that every conceivable enquiry and fragment of information connected to Fuller, stretching back more than 40 years, has been fully investigated.
"There is no evidence to connect him to any further mortuary offences and I do hope that now these enquiries have finally drawn to a close that all those affected by Fuller’s crimes can take some comfort, knowing that he will spend the rest of his life in prison."
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