Retired detective warns Blackburn murderer 'will kill again' (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Retired detective warns Blackburn murderer 'will kill again'

11:30am Friday 7th September 2012 in News By Dan Clough, Reporter

THE detective who secured the confession of notorious murderer Anthony Entwistle has warned he will kill again if released.

Retired Harry Court said Entwistle, who raped and murdered Blackburn 16-year-old Michelle Calvy in 1987, should never be allowed out of prison.

He fears the 62-year-old, who is eligible for parole later this year, will not be able to stop his ‘insatiable sexual drive’ and would be a risk to women.

Entwistle has served 25 years of a life sentence and had initially been told told he would never be released because of his terrible crime.

As a detective constable in Blackburn, Mr Court was pivotal in securing the conviction of Entwistle for rape and five indecent assaults in 1980. Six years earlier he had also been jailed for four rapes.

After Entwistle was pulled in for questioning over Michelle’s death, he asked to speak to Mr Court.

He then confessed to hurting Michelle, dumping her body in Tockholes and burning her clothes. She was killed 17 days after he had been released from prison for the 1980 rape.

Mr Court said he was certain Entwistle would attack more women if he was released by the parole board.

He said: “I dealt with him for a number of rapes and attacks on women.

“I got to know him very well. He opened up to me and trusted me.

“I probably knew him better than anyone else.

“He told me what motivated him sexually. He had an insatiable sexual drive.

“On one occasion he attacked a woman and within two hours he was out looking for another victim.

“Within a couple of weeks of being released from prison back in 1987, he couldn’t stop himself from attacking Michelle Calvy.

“I know if he is released he will attack another female within a very short space of time.”

Mr Court said he developed something of a ‘rapport’ with Entwistle during the earlier case.

After Entwistle was arrested for Michelle’s murder he had initially denied any involvement in the crime.

But after two days in custody he asked to speak to Mr Court and admitted what he had done.

He was later found guilty of raping and strangling Michelle after a trial in which Mr Court gave evidence.

Mr Court said: “On April 16, 1987, Entwistle said he wanted to speak to me after he had appeared in magistrates’ court.

“We talked for a while but I could see he was hiding something. I said ‘look Tony, did you do it?’

“He broke down in tears and admitted everything. But he said he hadn’t tried to kill her.

“He said he was trying to comfort her. I don’t believe that for a second.”

Entwistle then took Mr Court to where he had first seen Michelle, where he raped her and where he dumped her body.

He also showed him the site where he had attempted to burn her clothes, near Pickup Bank.

Mr Court said on the face of it Entwistle was a very clever man who didn’t seem evil. He said: “He was an intelligent, articulate man. His dad was chief fire officer for Blackburn.

“He was a pretty amenable type of fellow.”

Mr Court said he had once been to visit Entwistle in prison after retiring from the police in 1993 as a Detective Constable.

He said: “He asked to see me as he had heard a hypnotist could put him in a trance to help him recall details from Michelle’s murder.

“It was blatantly obvious to me then that he was mad as a hatter.”

Mr Court has also received letters written to him by Entwistle, detailing some of the rapes he committed in gruesome detail.

The letters describe offences in Livesey Branch Road in Blackburn, Little Harwood, Bolton Road in Darwen, Hodder Grove in Darwen, Burnley, Intack in Blackburn and Ribchester.

Describing one incident he said: “I left the rope in my pocket ... I didn’t want her to start screaming like the others.

“I went up behind her, put it round her neck and told her not to scream.”

Until three years ago Entwistle was one of 35 killers, including Ian Brady, who were told they would never be released from prison.

But a review by High Court judge Mr Justice Davis found he should be eligible for consideration for parole after serving 25 years.

Last month Michelle’s family launched a petition to keep him behind bars for the rest of his life.

Her brother Paul, 42, said: “We are really grateful to all these people who have come forward.

“All the publicity the case has got is really helping our cause.”

To sign the petition, visit http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/36769 or click the related link (above, right).

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