Gwynne Evans

Overview

Gwynne Evans was convicted for the capital murder of John Alan West, committed in the course of theft, and was executed by hanging on August 13, 1964.

Timeline

• 6 April 1964 — John Alan West returned to his home.
• 7 April 1964 — John Alan West was found dead at his Workington home after receiving severe head injuries and a stab wound to the chest.
• At about 3 a.m. — West’s next-door neighbour heard a noise in West’s house and observed a car disappearing down the street.
• 13 August 1964 — Gwynne Evans was executed by hanging at Manchester’s Strangeways Prison.

Background

John Alan West was a 53 year-old laundry van driver of Workington, Cumbria, England. He lived alone. He returned to his home on 6 April 1964.

Gwynne Owen Evans was born 1 April 1940 and died 13 August 1964. Peter Anthony Allen was born 4 April 1943 and died 13 August 1964. Gwynne Evans was 24 and Peter Allen was 21 when they were arrested. Evans lodged with Allen and his wife in Preston. Evans and Allen were described as both below average intelligence and both had criminal records.

Norma O'Brien was a 17 year old Liverpool factory worker. She told police that in 1963, while staying with her sister and brother-in-law in Preston, she met a man called 'Ginger' Owen Evans. She also confirmed that she had seen Evans wearing the medallion.

The offence

John Alan West was found dead from severe head injuries and a stab wound to the chest.

During the trial, the charge against Gwynne Evans and Peter Allen was capital murder because West’s murder had been committed in the course of theft. The judge asked the jury to decide if the murder had actually been committed by one of the two men alone, in which case the other would only be found guilty of non-capital murder at the most. The jury found both men equally guilty.

Both men were sentenced to death by hanging.

Investigation

A neighbour was awoken by a noise in West's house at about 3 a.m. and observed a car disappearing down the street. The neighbour called the police, and West was found dead.

In West’s house, the police found a raincoat with a medallion and an Army Memo Form in its pockets. The medallion was inscribed “G. O. Evans, July, 1961” / “G.O. Evans, July, 1961”. The Army Memo Form had the name “Norma O’Brien” / “Norma O'Brien” on it, together with a Liverpool address.

Arrest

Within 48 hours after West’s murder, Gwynne Owen Evans and Peter Anthony Allen were arrested and charged with the crime. Gwynne Owen Evans and Peter Allen were arrested together.

Gwynne Evans was found to have a watch inscribed to West in his pocket. Both had criminal records.

Trial

Gwynne Owen Evans and Peter Anthony Allen were tried together at Manchester Crown Court in June 1964.

During the trial, the judge asked the jury to decide if the murder had actually been committed by one of the two men alone, in which case the other would only be found guilty of non-capital murder at the most. The jury instead found both men equally guilty, and both were sentenced to death by hanging.

Sentencing

Both Gwynne Owen Evans and Peter Anthony Allen were sentenced to death by hanging.

Appeals

No appeal information appeared in the provided material.

Outcome

Gwynne Owen Evans was hanged at Manchester’s Strangeways Prison at 8.00 a.m. on 13 August 1964 by the executioner Harry Allen.

At the same time, Peter Anthony Allen was hanged at Liverpool’s Walton Prison by Robert Leslie Stewart.

These were described as the final two hangings in Britain.

Aftermath

The material described the executions on 13 August 1964 as the final two in Britain, with the last entry in England’s copious annals of execution. It also described that hangings had slowed to a crawl in Britain, and that death sentences continued to be handed down before the death penalty was suspended and then permanently suspended later. Subsequent people were said to have been sentenced to death but to have been reprieved.

The material also stated that “Evans’ executioner, Harry Allen — no relation to Peter Anthony Allen — also conducted the last hanging in Scotland.”