Nicholas Vernage

Parties and identities

• Nicholas Vernage (26) murdered Sgt Alan King and also killed Lorna Bogle and Javaid Iqbal.
• Sgt Alan King (41) was a police officer from Chingford, with 22 years in the role, and he died after confronting Vernage in Walthamstow.
• Monica King was Sgt Alan King’s wife.
• Lorna Bogle (21) was Vernage’s girlfriend.
• Javaid Iqbal (37) was a part-time mini-cab driver.
• PC John Jenkinson (26) was a police constable who was stabbed.
• PC Simon Castrey (27) was a police constable who was stabbed.
• Terry Kirby was the author of an article included in the case material.
• Chief Superintendent Stainsby commented on Sgt King’s career.
• Detective Superintendent Douglas Harvey led the inquiry.
• Peter Grenfell (29) was Vernage’s accomplice described as a petty crook and furniture shop assistant.
• John Vernage was Vernage’s elder brother and was jailed for rape during robberies (as described in the material).

Timeline

• July 1987 — Nicholas Vernage was convicted of conspiring to rob and burgle north London pubs and was sentenced to seven years.
• October 1987 — Nicholas Vernage was said to have been arrested and imprisoned for a series of robberies in 1987.
• last October — Vernage was released from prison and Sgt Alan King was the first officer he encountered after his release.
• October 28 — Vernage burgled a house in Woodford Green.
• November 14 — Vernage struck again in the same area in Woodford Green.
• a week later — Vernage went to the home of his girlfriend Lorna Bogle in West Avenue Road, Walthamstow.
• Three days later — Vernage struck again at Javaid Iqbal’s home.
• last October — Vernage was carrying out a burglary in Higham Hill Road, Walthamstow, when he was disturbed by Sgt King; Sgt King was stabbed eight times and subsequently died.
• on the same day — Vernage was arrested when two other policemen spotted his car in Norwood, south London; the policemen were stabbed but survived.
• Tuesday, 8 December 1992 — The material reports that Vernage began a combined five life sentences for three murders and two attempted murders.

Background

• Sgt Alan King was described as having joined the force in 1969, leaving behind a wife and four children.
• Chief Superintendent Stainsby said: “When you look at his career profile, it has the stamp of someone who always wanted to be a police officer.”
• Chief Superintendent Stainsby also said: “Here is a guy who could have turned his hand to anything, There is not a thing he would not have measured himself up against.”
• Chief Superintendent Stainsby said: “The tragic circumstances of his death sum up the man.”
• Chief Superintendent Stainsby said: “He saw something going on and got out of his car to deal with it without a thought for anything else.”
• The material described Vernage as previously convicted and imprisoned for robberies in 1987.
• People who came into contact with Vernage during his time in prison said that he “entered prison a tearaway” but “left a changed man with an obsessive hatred of the police.”
• The material stated that Vernage had previously boasted of his “war against the police.”
• It was stated that Vernage “developed a hatred of police officers,” including claims that he would shout obscenities and threats when he saw a police programme on television and would thump down on a photograph of a police officer “in a stabbing motion.”
• The material included Vernage’s alleged statement to fellow inmates:

  “All I want is to kill all coppers. Whatever police officer gets in my way they are going to get it. I'll put them to sleep, I want a right war with the police.”

• The material also described Vernage as a habitual criminal who specialised in violent robbery and burglaries, usually brandishing a knife.

The offence

Burglary and murders

• Vernage’s spree included:
  • A burglary in Woodford Green on October 28.
  • Another burglary/strike in the same area on November 14.
• The material stated that Vernage went to the home of his girlfriend Lorna Bogle in West Avenue Road, Walthamstow a week later.
• The material stated that Vernage was wearing a balaclava and was armed with a knife when he murdered Lorna Bogle by stabbing her 21 times in the hands, back and chest.
• Three days later, Vernage burgled the flat of Javaid Iqbal on Napier Road, Leytonstone.
• Javaid Iqbal was described as a black belt judo expert and he died from “a single stab wound to the chest.”
• The material stated that the killing spree ended with the murder of Sgt King.

Murder of Sgt Alan King

• Vernage was carrying out a burglary in Higham Hill Road, Walthamstow when he was disturbed by Sgt King.
• The material stated that as Sgt King tried to investigate, he was stabbed eight times by Vernage.
• The material stated that Sgt King subsequently died.
• The material stated that Vernage kept a picture of police officers in his house which he regularly attacked with a screwdriver.

Stabbings of two police officers after the murder

• The material stated that on the same day as Sgt King’s death, Vernage was spotted by two other policemen in Norwood, south London, and they were stabbed but survived.
• The material stated that Vernage stabbed PC John Jenkinson in the neck and stabbed his colleague PC Simon Castrey five times in the neck and face.
• The material stated that PC Jenkinson believed he was dying from his wounds and hung on to Vernage’s car keys, preventing escape in the car.
• The material included a quotation from PC Jenkinson:

  “I knew I was dying - quite simply from the wound inflicted I knew unless I received hospital treatment very quickly I would be dead.”

• The material also included a quote about what would have happened had Vernage not been caught:

  “heaven knows what he would have carried on doing”

Additional details about the spree and co-offender

• The material stated that Vernage teamed up with an old acquaintance, Peter Grenfell (29), described as “a petty crook and furniture shop assistant,” and they burgled another house together.
• The material stated that on 28 November the men were staying at the flat of a friend in Walthamstow.
• The material stated that Vernage was worried that stolen goods in the car outside would attract a “light-fingered local” and decided to bring them into the flat.
• The material stated that Vernage was spotted by Sgt King, and Sgt King boxed the Cortina in and approached Vernage.
• The material stated that Vernage turned on Sgt King and stabbed him “four times in the front and four times in the back.”
• The material stated that Sgt King flagged down a passing motorist and was trying to get into the passenger seat when Vernage ran back down the road to stab the officer again.
• The material included Grenfell’s account of watching the stabbing:

  “like a lunatic” “He was laughing about it. He thought it was funny. I've had my own psychiatric problems but I couldn't make this madman out.”

• The material stated that the following morning the men drove to south London, parked in a road in Thornton Heath, and went to sleep in the car packed with stolen property and with Vernage’s jeans soaked in Sgt King’s blood, in the boot.

Investigation

• The material stated that police dogs following a trail of blood found Vernage crouching in a garden shed, “his knife raised and yelling ‘You'll get some of this.’”
• The material stated that he was hit with a truncheon and disarmed.
• The material stated that while awaiting trial, Vernage pulled out the metal frame used to hold his injured arm in position and hid it as a possible weapon.
• The material stated that police believed he planned to use another piece of metal from the sole of his trainers to escape.
• The material stated that he also covered his body in baby oil to make capture difficult.
• The material included the quotation from police dogs finding him:

  “You'll get some of this.”

Arrest

• The material stated that Vernage was arrested when two other policemen spotted his car in Norwood, south London, on the same day.
• The material stated that the two policemen were stabbed, but survived.

Trial

• The material stated that Nicholas Vernage listened in court as the prosecution relayed “a shocking account of his month-long spree of burglary and killing.”
• The material stated that when the judge handed down five life sentences for murder and other violent offences, the cop killer wished him a “Merry Christmas”.
• The material included a quotation tied to the courtroom:

  “Merry Christmas”

• The material reported the widow’s reaction at the time of sentencing and included her quotations.

Sentencing

• Vernage was sentenced to life in prison in 1992.
• The material stated that the judge handed down five life sentences for murder and other violent offences.
• The material stated that Vernage began a combined five life sentences for three murders and two attempted murders.
• The material stated that the widow Monica King believed jailing Vernage for life was not enough and she believed he should have been executed.
• The material included Monica King’s quotations:

  “He is still alive and my husband is dead.” “I know that nothing can ever bring Alan back but for me no sentence that our courts are allowed to impose could ever be enough,” “Yes.” “He died doing the job he loved.”

• The material also included Monica King’s comments about police being armed:

  “But Mrs King said she did not believe police officers should be armed.”

• The material stated that Mrs King said she believed Vernage was responsible for the deaths of both her parents.
• The material included details of Monica King’s mother and father:
  • Her mother, 77, died in May from a long-term illness.
  • Her father, aged 75, died in September from a heart attack.

Appeals

• No appeals were described in the provided material.

Outcome

• The material stated that Vernage began the combined five life sentences in 1992.
• The material stated that both were still off work from their injuries: PC John Jenkinson and PC Simon Castrey.

Aftermath

• The material stated that the killing of Sgt King sent shockwaves throughout Waltham Forest.
• The material stated that members of the public stacked flowers outside Chingford and Walthamstow police stations.
• Monica King paid a tribute and the material included her quotations:

  “He was a good copper and a professional in everything he did.” “He was a people's policeman and loved being out in the community and not stuck behind a desk.”

• Detective Superintendent Douglas Harvey commented on Vernage:

  “I don't think he just wanted to kill police officers, he was anxious for confrontation wherever he could find it. He wanted to become a lifer.”

• Detective Superintendent Douglas Harvey also said:
• The material included a quotation from Monica King about rebuilding and public support:

  “The one good thing is the knowledge that so many members of the public are 100 per cent behind our police and feel horror that this kind of thing can happen.” “All that any of us can now do is to try and rebuild our lives as best we can and hope that there proves to be some truth in the saying that time heals.”

• The material stated that after his death Sgt King’s wife Monica King paid tribute and that Sgt King would have been 51 this year.

Other details

• The material stated that before attacking Sgt King, Vernage had killed two other people the previous week.
• The material stated that later the same day, Vernage stabbed two other police officers in south London: PC John Jenkinson and PC Simon Castrey.
• The material stated that Sgt King died when he confronted Vernage in Walthamstow, north- east London.
• The material stated that the couple had been married for 19 months, and both had grown-up children from previous marriages.
• The material stated that Vernage was described as “26” in one account and “27” and “Vernage, 27, of Hackney, east London” in another account.
• The material stated that Vernage was of All Saints Tower, Leyton.
• The material stated that Vernage had stolen a Ford Cortina.
• The material stated that at both scenes, Vernage left the prints of his training shoes in blood.
• The material stated that after his release, within days, Vernage burgled four houses, armed himself with a “heavy lock-knife with a 3 1/2in blade,” and stole a Ford Cortina.
• The material stated that on 21 November, Vernage burst into the home of Lorna Bogle in West Avenue Road and after accusing her of deserting him because she had not visited him in prison, he stabbed her 16 times, killing her, and stole cash, jewellery and a passport.
• The material stated that after his arrest at Edmonton Police station he scrawled on the cell wall:

  “Sgt King was killed, stabbed to death in red, boiling and unbearable blood.”

• The material included an additional quoted remark made by Vernage during the arrest:
• The material stated that Vernage had convicted history including:
  • conspiracy to rob and burgle north London pubs with a sentence of seven years in July 1987.
  • a description that “John Vernage, his elder brother, was jailed for 17 years for raping a publican's wife and a barmaid during their robberies.”