British Executions

William Shelley

Age: 57

Sex: male

Crime: murder

Date Of Execution: 5 Aug 1931

Crime Location:

Execution Place: Pentonville

Method: hanging

Executioner: Robert Baxter

Source: http://murderpedia.org/male.S/s/shelley-william.htm

William Shelley (Moosh) and Oliver Newman (Tiggy) murdered Herbert William Ayres (Pigsticker) 45 who they battered to death at Scratchwood Sidings, Between Mill Hill and Elstree on 29 May 1931.

They said that they had caught him stealing food and beat him up to teach him a lesson. They had used an axe that had caused a skull fracture that was later found in their shack. When they realised he was dead they buried him in the rubbish tip at Scratchwood Sidings. Herbert Ayres was found 3 days later by a man walking past who saw an arm poking out. When they buried him they set fire to the rubbish, but the fire contract the muscles in his arm which then protuded out of the rubbish.

Police identified Herbert Ayres from a tatto and then found someone who told them that he had last seen him having a fight with Moosh and Tiggy.

Before they were executed William Shelley boasted that there were 5 more bodies in the rubbisg tip.