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Roger Wilson

Age: 46

Sex: male

Date: 5 Mar 1992

Place: Sharsted Street, Kennington

Roger Wilson was shot in the head as he went up the steps to his home in Sharsted Street, Kennington at about 9pm on 5 March 1992.

He had just got home in his black Mercedes car and had got out and was going to his door.

It was thought that he had been shot with a .38 magnum revolver, which was described as being a 'big and very powerful handgun'.

After the shooting, Roger Wilson was taken to St Thomas' Hospital where he died at 10.25pm.

The man that carried out the murder was described as being about 30 with light red hair and about 5ft 6in tall. He was seen to get away on a motorcycle.

A radio operator for a courier firm was charged but the results are not known.

Roger Wilson's murder was linked to the murder of Donald Urquhart although two men were convicted in relation to Donald Urquhart's murder in 1994 and 1995. It was noted that Donald Urquhart, who was shot by a man on a motorcycle on 2 January 1993, had been a director of Elstree Golf Club in Hertfordshire and that Roger Wilson had also been a director. Donald Urquhart, who was described as a property dealer was said to have had numerous business interests.

The radio operator was the third person(s) to be charged with the murder.

The first people charged with Roger Wilson's murder were his wife and his wife's lover. However, the charges against them were later dropped.

Two other men were then charged with Roger Wilson's murder, but the case was disproved.

Later, the radio operator, along with another man were charged with Roger Wilson's murder, however, when it was heard that when the radio operator confessed to the murder whilst on remand, the other man that was charged along with him was released and the radio operator was tried alone.

The man that shot Roger Wilson was said to have been wearing a red crash helmet and to have escaped on a 400cc Honda motorcycle. The motorcycle was later found and determined to have been bought two days earlier through the small ads newspaper Loot, for £250. The motorbike was found abandoned shortly after the murder on a ramp in a garage on fire. However, a man that had driven into the garage saw the motorbike on fire and put it out.

The police later found a plastic bag under the motorcycle that contained a wax jacket, a red motorcycle helmet and black fingerless gloves which were later found to have belonged to the radio operator tried for the murder. The police also found traces of gun powder on one of the black fingerless gloves.

It was heard that the radio operator tried had confessed to the murder whilst on remand to several people and to have said that it was a 'family affair'. However, it was noted that it was not proven that Roger Wilson's family were involved with his murder.

At his trial it was heard that the radio operator had bought the 400cc Honda motorcycle two days before for £200 in cash and then to have afterwards dumped it in the underground car park in Fleming Road, Kennington and set it on fire before fleeing.

After the items found with the burning motorcycle were found to belong to the radio operator, the radio operator admitted to buying the motorcycle, but in court said that it was for an 'acquaintance to do a job'. He said that he bought the motorcycle for the acquaintance and had also lent him the gear but said that he was too afraid to reveal the identity of the acquaintance.

No further details of the radio operator's trial are known.

Roger Wilson had run an off-licence in Braganza Street, Kennington, and was married with a daughter and a step-daughter.


*map pointers are rough estimates based on known location details as per Place field above.

see www.courtnewsuk.co.uk

see Mackay Elliott, Angela Christopher. "Motorcycle assassin linked to killing of London shop owner." Times, 8 Jan. 1993, p. 6.

see "Family offers reward." Times, 11 Jan. 1993, p. 2.

see South Wales Echo - Friday 06 March 1992