Thomas McDowell

Case record: Thomas McDowell

Background

Thomas McDowell (born 1977) was a convicted British murderer.

McDowell was born in Ballymena, Northern Ireland, and later moved to London, England.

McDowell grew up after suffering child abuse and developed a sense of hatred towards homosexuals. The trial also heard evidence that he had a personality disorder.

McDowell admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility and was sentenced to life imprisonment.

As a boy, McDowell was known by the nickname “Tonto”. In recent months, he signed off letters from prison by the more sinister moniker, “Tommy The Hacksaw”.

McDowell was taken to Rampton Hospital to serve the first part of his sentence. He was also described as one of around 30 prisoners currently in the prison system who had been recommended for lifelong imprisonment.

In February 2007, it was reported that the European Court of Justice was reviewing such sentences to determine whether they amounted to a violation of human rights. The review had yet to be completed. If lifelong imprisonment was outlawed, McDowell and all other prisoners serving such sentences (in the UK and the rest of Europe) would have their cases recalled to court for new minimum terms to be set.

The offence

McDowell murdered Andreas Hinz, 27, a homosexual German-born trainee rabbi.

Andreas Hinz was murdered in Camden on 3 July 2002.

McDowell strangled Andreas Hinz before cutting up and dismembering his body. Hinz’s body was sawn-up, stuffed into black bags, and dumped in St Pancras Way, Camden Town. The body parts were later found when uncollected rubbish attracted flies.

The trial heard that the body had been cut up with a razor and a rip-saw. A razor and rip-saw were borrowed from a drop-in centre.

The trial heard that McDowell and Andreas Hinz had gone back to McDowell’s flat after a meeting in the popular gay pub The Black Cap in Camden High Street, Camden Town.

McDowell admitted killing Andreas Hinz but pleaded guilty to manslaughter. He denied, on mental health grounds, the more serious charge of murder, which led to a two-week jury trial.

Investigation

Detectives began trawling missing person databases and checking unsolved cases for people who may have come into contact with McDowell. They had not ruled out the possibility that he may have struck on other occasions.

Residents living in flats neighbouring McDowell’s former home at Caulfield Court in Baynes Street, Camden Town described the block as having a past plagued by junkies and crime.

A resident said that an all-hours crack house had been operating from the building until it was finally shut down by police six months ago.

Former train driver Nigel Newman, 52, said:

“People think that if you live here you must be up to something. One of the flats was a crack house. It didn’t bother me but other people in the block got annoyed with everyone coming in. And there were always people trying to get in.”

Another resident, Neil Carroll, 46, added:

“People used to come around ringing all the buzzers all day and night. I ended up turning my buzzer off at night. People would come round and say they had forgotten their keys and get let in and end up taking drugs in the stairwell.”

The North London Strategic Health Authority and Camden Council were running a behind-closed-doors probe into care and treatment received by serial murderer Anthony Hardy, who lived half-a-mile from McDowell. They were unable to confirm any involvement with Andreas Hinz’s killer.

The New Journal learned that drug addicts targeted vulnerable residents living in the block of flats where Hinz’s body was sliced into six parts.

Other details

Caulfield Court, managed by the Irish Centre Housing Limited, was built a decade ago and officially opened by then Irish President Mary Robinson.

Camden Council lost nomination rights to rooms after a dispute over interviews for places.

Antonia Watson, Director of Irish Centre Housing Limited, denied there had been a crack house at the building. She said:

“Improvements have been made. Most of the tenants that live there now are new. “It is permanent accommodation, referred from other agencies. There was nothing that we could have done to prevent this awful case. Thomas McDowell would have been interviewed but there was no history of violence. There were no signs. I do not know whether he was taking any medication. He was only with us for a short time, about four months. It has been upsetting for tenants and staff and our thoughts go out to Andreas Hinz’s family.”

Several residents were working to get their lives back on track after relationship breakdowns, homelessness or alcohol addiction.

Trial

At McDowell’s trial, it was revealed that he had been abused as a child and had grown up with hatred towards homosexuals, as well as suffering from a personality disorder.

At the murder trial:

• McDowell admitted killing Andreas Hinz and pleaded guilty to manslaughter.
• McDowell denied the more serious charge of murder on mental health grounds.

The court heard that McDowell talked about sleeping on his mother’s grave, even though she was still alive and in contact with her son.

McDowell’s mother, Linda Hamilton, said:

“Thomas would never even have killed a fly when he was younger. The only way he could have done it is through illness. My son is not a monster.”

Leading psychiatrist Dr Philip French, from St Mary’s Hospital, told the murder trial:

“If McDowell is a controlled psychotic who deliberately lured Hinz to his flat and to his death then his responsibility is not diminished. I believe he is that controlled psychotic who did lure Hinz to his death and meant to kill him.”

After a jury had taken just three hours to dismiss McDowell’s case, Judge Geoffrey Rivlin, QC, said:

“No one could fail to sympathise with the fact that you had an appalling childhood, during which you were badly abused by a man who was subsequently sent to prison for that abuse.”

Judge Rivlin also said:

“I must also have regard to the appalling consequences of this crime in which you needlessly robbed a young, gifted, kind and gentle man of his life and devastated his family and friends. The jury have had no difficulty in agreeing that you are and were a controlled psychopath and that you present a very great and continuing danger to those who happen to come into contact with you, in particular homosexuals as Mr Hinz was.”

Sentencing

McDowell was sentenced at Southwark Crown Court on September 30, 2004.

McDowell’s sentence was described as a “whole life sentence,” effectively a “life means life” jail term.

Passing sentence, Judge Geoffrey Rivlin, QC, told McDowell:

“I do not know whether it will ever be thought safe to release you into the community.”

Judge Rivlin accepted that McDowell had suffered abuse at the hands of a man who was later jailed. Judge Rivlin said it was not McDowell’s fault he had developed a serious personality disorder, but the judge said McDowell remained a danger, particularly to homosexuals.

Judge Rivlin said:

“There are features of this case which, in my judgment, make it one of the more serious and which, first and foremost, calls for the protection of the public. ”

Judge Rivlin told McDowell:

“You are a dangerous psychopath. There are no two ways about it,”

McDowell was emotionless in the dock during sentencing and was taken to Rampton Hospital to serve the first part of his sentence in the personality disorder unit.

McDowell’s devastating mother, Linda Hamilton, told the Belfast Telegraph:

“It is very difficult to know what to say to him. I will just be telling him that he is still my child and that I love him, whatever he has done.”

The judge also spoke of doubt as to whether it would ever be thought safe to release McDowell back into the community and recommended that he should never be released.

Outcome

The jury found McDowell guilty of murdering Andreas Hinz.

McDowell was sentenced to life imprisonment on September 30, 2004, with a whole life order.

Aftermath

Rabbi Michael Shire, vice-principal of the Leo Baeck College in Finchley, where Andreas Hinz was studying, said:

“His loss will continue to be felt by fellow students, faculty and congregants alike. The loss to his family is inestimable.”

Rabbi Shire said the court case had been a harrowing reminder of the events of July 2002.

The case included details of Andreas Hinz’s life:

• Andreas Jonathan Hinz became known for meticulous theological studies and investigations into hidden meanings in ancient texts.
• He researched his own family tree, learned he had Jewish ancestors, and decided to follow Judaism.
• He became a familiar face in the European branch of the Union of Progressive Jews.
• He regularly organized trips for followers under the “Young and Jewish” project with membership in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
• Although often described as quiet and unassuming, he was known for passionate, confident lectures at conferences.
• In 1993 he helped form two firms in Osnabrück, Germany; one was a marketing group and the more successful was Secolo-Verlag, a book publishing firm known for awards for design and presentation, with books on Judaism.
• In 2000 he came to England to begin training to become a rabbi at the Leo Baeck College near his rented home in Windermere Avenue.
• He was openly gay and involved himself in London Jewish Gay and Lesbian groups, with members later attending his memorial service.
• His sexuality was known within the college and he was attached to the Belsize Square Synagogue in Belsize Park.
• He continued lectures on Wednesday nights at the synagogue, drawing healthy audiences with his lively and warm teaching style.

A high achiever at Wuppertal University in Germany during the 1980s, Andreas Hinz was in his second year of rabbinical training when he was murdered.

His memorial service and the mourning for his loss were described as continuing.

People mentioned

• Thomas McDowell (born 1977), defendant
• Andreas Hinz (27), victim; German-born trainee rabbi
• Linda Hamilton, McDowell’s mother
• Judge Geoffrey Rivlin, QC, sentencing judge
• Dr Philip French, psychiatrist
• Rabbi Michael Shire, vice-principal of the Leo Baeck College in Finchley
• Anthony Hardy, mentioned in relation to a separate probe
• Nigel Newman (52), witness/resident; former train driver
• Neil Carroll (46), resident
• Antonia Watson, Director of Irish Centre Housing Limited
• Mary Robinson, mentioned as opening Caulfield Court