Edward Alexander CRrowley

Parties and identifiers

• Defendant: Edward Alexander Crowley (also described as “Edward Alexander CRrowley” in the scraped text), 52. He was described as unemployed and of no fixed address, and was in custody.
• Birth name: Henry Allen Bibby, born in Middlesbrough in 1948.
• Victim: Diego Pineiro-Villar (also spelled Diego Piniero-Villar), 12 years old. He lived with his Spanish mother in nearby Charing Cross Road.
• Victim (other): A 15-year-old boy in Covent Garden who was injured. This boy’s injuries were said not to be life-threatening.
• Relative: Diego’s mother (Spanish mother).
• Relative: Diego’s step-father, Juan Fernandez.
• Relative: Diego’s elder step-brother, also taken to a south London hospital.
• Relative: Diego’s stepbrother Roberto, 15.
• Witnesses/participants around the incident: shopkeepers and restaurant owners intervened.

Timeline

• 1998 — Edward Alexander Crowley changed his name by deed poll to Edward Alexander Crowley.
• June 1999 — Residents reported seeing Crowley approach children at Phoenix gardens.
• September 1999 — Crowley went to Holborn police station to confess he was having a relationship with a 12-year-old boy, which he described as “loving but not primarily sexual”; he then retracted the claim.
• November 2, 1999 — A message painted on the swing seats was dated “November 2 1999” and read: “Always cheat others before they cheat you - if they are clever enough. I wasn't and I wouldn't want to be.”
• November 3, 1999 — Crowley was arrested on suspicion of indecently assaulting Diego, but was released almost immediately for lack of evidence.
• December 6, 1999 — Crowley went to Canada Blanch, the independent school Diego attended in west London, and painted messages across three doors.
• December 7, 1999 — Crowley appeared before Marylebone magistrates to plead guilty to causing criminal damage; he was given a two-year conditional discharge and released.
• After December 7, 1999 — Crowley was charged with harassment and remanded in custody by Highbury magistrates for mental health assessment; a forensic psychiatrist concluded he was “dangerous and should be detained”.
• March 20 (year not specified in the source) — The CPS admitted the case was not ready to go to crown court for trial; district judge Dorothy Quick granted Crowley bail on strict conditions.
• A week later (after March 20) — A charge of gross indecency was dropped a week later; Crowley was ordered not to contact Diego, attend Diego’s home or school, or go to Phoenix gardens; he was also to report daily at a police station, though this was relaxed after two weeks.
• May 7 (year not specified in the source) — Crowley confronted Diego and Roberto at about 8pm as they passed Phoenix gardens; Crowley was armed with a kitchen knife, slashed the older boy, and stabbed Diego more than 20 times; Diego was pronounced dead on arrival at St Thomas's hospital.
• February 12, 2001 — Judge Neil Denison sentenced Crowley to life imprisonment.

Background

Edward Alexander Crowley was described as a drifter four times his age, nearly two years before the killing, and as a loner who haunted Phoenix gardens in central London where he first spotted and befriended Diego. Diego’s mother said her son took pity on Crowley when other children started throwing stones at him. Crowley bought Diego gifts and treats such as hamburgers, and the relationship began with conversations by the swings and trips to play games at a local arcade, followed by visits to swimming baths.

Crowley’s adult life included long-term joblessness and drifting. His medical records showed he had tried to commit suicide by drugs overdose on at least seven occasions. In London leading up to the murder, he had lost his abode and became dependent upon church communities in central London for sustenance, and earlier he had declared that priests in Westminster Abbey had exorcised him.

The Guardian described a history of mental illness and an obsession with the occult. Police and the Guardian said Crowley’s fascination with the occult can be traced from 1998, when he changed his name by deed poll to Edward Alexander Crowley, apparently in honour of Aleister Crowley. Aleister Crowley was described as having been born Edward Alexander Crowley and having died in 1947. A website quote was found by police: “A male child of perfect innocence and high intelligence is the most satisfactory and suitable victim.”

Crowley was also described as having previously been diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic in 1972 and as having attempted suicide on at least eight occasions (the scraped material contains both “at least seven occasions” and “at least eight occasions”). After moving to London in 1994, he lost contact with his parents; his father died and his mother was said to live in a home.

Police discovered after the murder that Crowley’s name was not Crowley. He was said to have been born Henry Allen Bibby in Middlesbrough in 1948.

The offence

Victim Diego Pineiro-Villar (12)

On the evening of May 7, Diego’s step-father asked Diego and his stepbrother Roberto to run an errand. As they passed Phoenix gardens at 8pm, they were confronted by Crowley, who was armed with a kitchen knife. The older boy was slashed, and Diego managed to dial 999 on his mobile phone. The operator only heard screams as Diego was stabbed more than 20 times. Diego was pronounced dead on arrival at St Thomas’s hospital.

Diego died from multiple stab wounds despite frantic efforts to save him by paramedics.

Injured 15-year-old boy

Crowley slashed the older boy and turned on Diego. The 15-year-old boy’s injuries were said not to be life-threatening. The scraped material also stated that the injuries included stabbing.

Investigation and police actions

People nearby including shopkeepers and restaurant owners intervened to help the boys at the time of the attack.

After the murder, police began to unravel Crowley’s past and his fascination with the occult. Police discovered that his name was not Crowley, and that he had changed his name by deed poll in December 1998.

Police and the Guardian described messages connected to the incident as having been found at Phoenix gardens, including messages painted with correction fluid on the swing seats. The scraped material included two messages and a third address:

• “I will always love you, Diego,”
• “Please forgive me for everything. I couldn't stand the pain. One day you'll know how much you hurt me. How much I need you.” Another message dated “November 2 1999” read: “Always cheat others before they cheat you - if they are clever enough. It was addressed to “Bravo, mi chico Latino”.

The Guardian also described that officers found a piece of folded paper in Crowley’s bag after the murder. It was covered in references to child sacrifice in religion, black magic and classical myth, and the Latin words were at the top of the page: “Delendus est D.Piniero - Piniero must be destroyed”

The scraped material described that a diagram found in his possession afterwards was headed “D Piniero is to be destroyed” in Latin, and that there were also diagrams relating to sacrifices.

Prior police contact and arrests

Officers were said to have been contacted after Diego’s mother became suspicious in summer 1999. Residents were concerned about Crowley hanging around the boy and informed police.

Crowley came to police attention in June 1999 when residents reported seeing him approach children at Phoenix gardens.

In September 1999, Crowley went to Holborn police station to confess he was having a relationship with a 12-year-old boy, which he described as “loving but not primarily sexual”, and he retracted the claim.

In November 1999, Crowley was arrested on suspicion of indecently assaulting Diego, but released almost immediately for lack of evidence.

In December 1999, Crowley went to Canada Blanch, and painted in Spanish and English across three doors. The message across three doors was: “Why did you cheat me Diego? Why all the lies? I should hate you but I don't. Alex.”

Crowley was arrested outside the school and appeared before Marylebone magistrates the following day to plead guilty to causing criminal damage. He was given a two-year conditional discharge and released back on the streets.

Arrest

Crowley remained in custody after being charged with the murder of Diego. Prior to the murder, Crowley was arrested multiple times, including:

• November 3 (year not specified in the source) — arrested on suspicion of indecently assaulting Diego; released almost immediately for lack of evidence.
• December 6 (year not specified in the source) — arrested outside Canada Blanch after painting messages across three doors.
• After the Canada Blanch incident — the scraped material described that he appeared before Marylebone magistrates the following day and pleaded guilty to causing criminal damage.

After the June 1999 report and later contact with police, Crowley was also described as having been remanded in custody for psychiatric assessment in December 1999.

Trial

Crowley was described as due to appear at Highbury Magistrates Court after being charged. He was described as being charged with:

• the murder of 12-year-old Diego Pineiro-Villar in Covent Garden, London on Sunday (the Sunday timing was included with the 10 May 2000 article), and
• the attempted murder of a 15-year-old in Covent Garden.

A charge of gross indecency was dropped a week after bail was granted.

The CPS admitted on March 20 (year not specified in the scraped text) that the case was not ready to go to crown court for trial. Despite police objections, district judge Dorothy Quick granted bail on strict conditions.

The scraped material described that Crowley was arrested and remanded for mental health assessment; it said a forensic psychiatrist in prison concluded he was “dangerous and should be detained”.

Defence counsel remarks

Crowley’s counsel, Edward Fitzgerald, said: “This offence occurred against a background of a relationship of deep affection. There was no sexual content, but when Diego rejected him, he found it impossible to accept.” “He simply could not stop thinking about him.

Man gets life for Diego's murder DailyMail.co.uk

Sentencing

Crowley was sentenced to life imprisonment by Judge Neil Denison (Common Serjeant of London). The sentencing was described as occurring after objects and abuse were thrown in court by Diego’s mother and other relatives.

The scraped material included the judge’s comment refusing to have Diego’s mother brought back into court: Judge Neil Denison said he was not having them back into court “as there will, perhaps understandably, only be a repetition of this conduct”.

It also included the judge’s sentencing statement about beliefs and the killing: “Whether your own beliefs had anything to do with the obsession or the killing I do not know, but you deliberately took the life of an innocent 12 year old..”

The scraped material said Crowley admitted killing Spanish schoolboy Diego Piniero-Villar and the boy suffered more than 30 stab wounds during a premeditated frenzied attack.

Appeals

No appeal information was included in the scraped text provided.

Outcome

Crowley received a life sentence on February 12, 2001.

Aftermath

Court outburst

Diego’s mother, Angeles Villar-Fernandez, was dragged from the Old Bailey after she hurled objects and abuse at Crowley. The scraped material also said that with other relatives she threw water, plastic containers and court files at Edward Crowley, 52.

After sentencing, Diego’s sister Teresa called for the death penalty and said: “I wanted to kill him myself when I saw him in court. I feel the law is not good enough for child murder. It should be the death penalty for this man.”

Mourning and tributes

Floral tributes were placed below a sign reading “Rest In Peace” which was nailed to a tree at the location of the incident. Two messages attached to bouquets read: “You didn't deserve to die like this, we hope you are at peace now” “Our sympathy”

A two minutes’ silence was held at Diego’s Spanish school, Canada Blanch in Ladbroke Grove, west London, this afternoon. An official day of mourning was described with lessons cancelled and a religious service instead.

Relationships and contacts mentioned in the background

The scraped material described that Crowley and Diego’s relationship involved play-fights in which Crowley licked his ear and tickled his navel. Police were said to have never found any evidence that Crowley abused Diego. It also said that Diego appears to have kept their friendship a secret until the summer of 1999, when his mother became suspicious and contacted police. It stated that by that time the boy was unhappy with Crowley’s attentions and gave no evidence of sexual abuse.

Crowley said the relationship became “flirtatious but not sexual”.

Other details

• The attack location was described as Phoenix gardens in central London and Covent Garden, London.
• The time of the attack was described as about 8.10 on Sunday evening.
• A message painted in Spanish and English across three doors at Canada Blanch included the name “Alex.” and was: “Why did you cheat me Diego? Why all the lies? I should hate you but I don't. Alex.”
• Crowley was ordered not to contact Diego, attend the boy’s home or school, or go to Phoenix gardens, and to report daily at a police station, which was relaxed after two weeks.
• Neither police nor social services were said to know where Crowley was, and Crowley was described as not on medication and not under supervision from social services.
• The scraped material described the father (Juan Fernandez) escorting Diego to west London, and also described that Diego was given a police mobile phone enabling him to dial 999.