Barbara Pinder

Barbara Pinder stabbed and strangled at her flat at 24A Prince of Wales Mansions, Prince of Wales Drive, Battersea sometime between 26 and 28 October 1984.

A 35-year-old man was convicted of her manslaughter in 1990, but his conviction was later quashed after it was heard that he had been a serial confessor.

He had been convicted of manslaughter of both Barbara Pinder and Henrietta Osborne. Henrietta Osborne was murder in 1985. He had confessed to 12 murders, including the murder of Hilda Murrel.

His confessions were only made after he was arrested on other less serious arson charges. It was noted that the body of Henrietta Osborne had been burned after she was murdered.

At his trial he had claimed that he had felt guilty for all eight murders. His defence said:

It was noted that he was not charged with any of the other attacks between 1979 and 1986 owing to insufficient evidence. He had previously been charged and convicted of wasting police time after confessing to the murder of Carol Lannan in Dundee in 1979. when he was asked how he felt about Carol Lannan's murder being unsolved and of having been convicted of wasting police time, he said:

The man had been a hotel worker.

Barbara Pinder had been a grandmother and a talented musician and classical music lover. 

She was also noted for having been one of a few women editors of technical magazines, having been the editor of the aviation magazine Wings as well as other scientific publications.

She was found dead in her bedroom on 28 October 1984, having been stabbed 45 times with 'great ferocity'. She was also thought to have been beaten or kicked about the head and strangled with one hand. The police were called by her son after he felt something was wrong after Barbara Pinder failed to make her usual Sunday call to him at his Bristol flat.

The police said that they believed that she had answered the door to her killer. She had lived alone at her flat.

A detective said:

The police said they were particularly anxious to trace three men who were seen entering the Mansions at 11.45am on 26 October 1984, and released a photofit of one of them. The man was described as being:

• About 5ft 9in tall.
• Aged 35 to 40.
• Brown wavy hair.
• Wearing a red jumper.

He was said to have been accompanied by an older man, said to be:

• About 5ft 7in tall.
• About 45 years old.
• Wearing blue overalls.

As well as a much younger man:

• Aged between 20 and 30.

The men had been carrying tools and had said that they were there to mend the roof.

A detective said:

Barbara Pinder had been a regular churchgoer and a member of the Delius Society.