Alfred Highfield

Alfred Highfield was convicted of the murder of his ex-girlfriend Edith Poole 19.

They had been seeing each other for 6 years and were engaged to be married with a wedding date set for August 1900. However, they had an argument and Edith Poole refused to see him anymore.

However, Alfred Highfield was still friends with Edith Poole's family and they invited him around on 13 May 1900 for tea where he asked Edith Poole to go back with him, but she refused.

After tea they all went out for a walk with Alfred Highfield and Edith Poole walking together at the back of the group.

However, as they walked along Great Queen Street, near Lincoln's Inn Fields Alfred Highfield attacked Edith Poole with a razor and cut her throat.

Her family turned around to see Alfred Highfield kneeling over Edith Poole and pulled him off.

Edith Poole was taken to hospital but died on 22 May 1900.

When Alfred Highfield was arrested he said 'I know what I have done. I don't care if I die for it'. However, he later claimed that he had pulled the razor out to cut his own throat and that he had accidently cut her throat whilst she struggled to stop him cutting his own.

He was sentenced to death with a recommendation to mercy but executed about 8 weeks after killing Edith Poole.