Patricia Anne Hall

Patricia Anne Hall vanished and has not been seen since Sunday 27 January 1992.

Her husband was tried for her murder but found not guilty.

He had been recorded admitting murdering her in a conversation with an undercover policewoman, but the evidence was found to have been unreliable by the judge as well as having breached the rules governing questioning individuals. However, after the trial the judge made the recording public.

The recording was made by a policewoman who had befriended Patricia Hall's husband after Patricia Hall vanished through a lonely hearts' club. It was heard that Patricia Hall's husband had fallen in love with the undercover policewoman and made the confession to her whilst she was wearing a hidden recorder.

The undercover policewoman had met Patricia Hall's husband six times over a four-month period between November 1992 and February 1993.

In the confession he was heard to admit to strangling Patricia Hall and of then disposing of her body in a waste incinerator.

It was heard that Patricia Hall was about to commence divorce proceedings shortly before she vanished. The court also heard that Patricia Hall's husband feared losing his two sons and his business if Patricia Hall divorced him.

At his trial, Patricia Hall's husband said that he had made up the story of killing his wife because he had a strange sense of humour. He added that he knew the woman was a policewoman and that he wanted to trick her.

Patricia Hall had a history of mental problems and had previously been treated at a psychiatric hospital.

Patricia Hall's husband said that Patricia Hall left home in the middle of the night in the family car after an argument. The car was later found about a mile from their house in Pudsey, Leeds.

Patricia Hall's body has never been found and her bank accounts were not touched.

A documentary about the case was made by Channel Four and was called Coppers. It aired in September 1999.

Patricia Hall's husband was later convicted for assault with intent in May 2001 after he attacked one of his neighbours who had been a witness in the murder trial and was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment.