Man who retracted confession jailed for 1980 murder

A man who confessed to a murder he committed more than 40 years ago but went on to deny it has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 19 years.

Anthony Bird, 42, was found naked with his wrists bound at his flat in Kensington Gardens Square in June 1980.

His murder remained unsolved for decades, until John Paul walked into Hammersmith police station in May 2021 and confessed to the killing.

Paul, 61, then denied murdering Mr Bird but was convicted at the Old Bailey.

During the trial, the prosecution told the court how Paul had turned up at Hammersmith police station and said he wanted to report a murder from 1980.

Jurors heard he told an officer: "He (Bird) approached me and just spoke to me and just talked me into having sex with him.

"He took me back to his place. I tied him with cord. I think the cord was black, I'm not sure. I tied him with a cord, his ankles, his hands, his arms, on the bed naked.

"There was a piece of wood. I used the piece of wood to batter him."

However, Paul, from Maida Vale in west London, went on to deny murder and an alternative charge of manslaughter.

It was claimed his confession to the killing was not reliable and that even if he was responsible, he did not intend to cause Mr Bird really serious harm.

Sentencing him on Friday, Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb said that Paul had been propositioned for sex by Mr Bird, but that it was his intention to steal from him.

Paul had then tied the victim up at his flat, leaving him "helpless, defenceless and vulnerable", before hitting him with a piece of wood.

"It was merciless and motivated by a wish to take that which did not belong to you," the judge said.

Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb added: "I have no doubt this was a murder done for gain. You decided he was a target you could exploit."

A victim impact statement was read on behalf of the Bird family by Gillian Bird, the victim's sister-in-law, who said the family had been left "devastated, shocked and traumatised".

"Now, 42 years on, we can have some peace of mind knowing the perpetrator has been found guilty and convicted of this heinous crime.

"Having seen him in the dock we would like to say we feel no hatred towards him and feel sorry for him, having some sympathy for him in his current circumstances," she said.

In mitigation, defence barrister Tana Adkins KC said Paul had developed paranoid schizophrenia since the offence and had told a nurse that he "could not live with the guilt".