Frederick Reynolds

Frederick Reynolds murdered his ex-girlfriend Sophie Lovell 18 whose throat he cut at Willow Walk, Bermondsey, London on 10 September 1906.

Frederick Reynolds and Sophie Lovell had been engaged to each other but Sophie Lovell broke off the engagement. Whilst Sophie Lovell was later walking out with another man he came up to her and cut her throat. She died almost instantly.

When he was arrested and told that Sophie Lovell was dead he said 'If that is so I will tell you how it happened'. He then made a statement saying 'I threw the knife over a garden'. When shown the knife he said 'Yes, that's the one I did it with. I will take my punishment for it'.

Sophie Lovell's boyfriend said that he and Sophie Lovell had been walking along Willow Walk when Frederick Reynolds came along and started to quarrel with Sophie Lovell. He said that Frederick Reynolds then left them temporarily but he heard someone coming up behind them and then when he turned he saw Frederick Reynolds strike Sophie Lovell three blows, one in the back of the neck and two in the face.

The boyfriend said that he didn't know what to do and lost his nerve. He said that he tried to get hold of Frederick Reynolds as he knelt over Sophie Lovell but couldn't and when he felt himself fainting he staggered out into the road to call for help.

He said that he then saw Frederick Reynolds cutting Sophie Lovell's throat as she lay on the ground crying out 'Oh! Oh!'.