Case study: the Derek Bentley case

What were the facts of the case? 

  1. Derek Bentley was 18 years old but had the mental age of a 10 year old.  

  1. He befriended Christopher Craig, who was 16 years old.  

  1. In Nov 1952, Bentley and Craig attempted to burgle a warehouse. Craig had a gun with him, and Bentley had a knuckle duster.  

  1. Neighbours spotted the burglary and called the police.  

  1. A police officer ordered Craig to hand over the gun. Bentley shouted ‘let him have it, Chris’, and Craig fired the gun, injuring the officer.  

  1. Another officer, PC Sidney Miles, then arrived and was shot in the head by Craig.  

  1. Craig and Bentley were both charged with murder under the principle of joint enterprise. They were found guilty.  

  1. Craig could not be hanged because he was under 18. Bentley was hanged.   

 

Public reaction 

  1. On the night of Bentley’s execution, 5000 protestors demonstrated outside Wandsworth Prison.  

  1. The case was publicised via books, films and songs.  

  1. The Bentley family campaigned for over 40 years, and Bentley was eventually pardoned in 1993.  

  1. 200 MPs supported a parliamentary motion calling for Bentley’s reprieve, but the sentence had been carried out before there was time to debate it.  

  1. The Bentley case was one factor that led to growing calls for the abolition of the death penalty.