Brian Chandler

Brian Chandler murdered Martha Annie Dodd 83 at 4a Victoria Road, Darlington on 11 June 1958.

He had been to her home the previous day with a friend to see if there was anything worth stealing knocking on her door in the pretence of looking for work. She had told the friend that she might have some the next day whilst Brian Chandler stole a bicycle.

He then went back the following day alone, beat her to death and stole $4 after which he met up with his friends and told them that he had killed a woman. When arrested he first said that when he went to her home she had given him a bucket with a hammer in it and said she would pay im 3/- and hour and that when he refused that rate she had attacked him with the hammer and he had acted in self defence. He later changed his story saying that when he arrived at her home he had found her dead and saw a friend of his standing over him.

see Northern Echo

see National Archives - PCOM 9/2094