Voice Of Wales  Celebrating British History 365

On this day in...

1958: Peter Manuel, one of Scotland's most notorious serial killers, was arrested after a two-year reign of terror that left nine confirmed victims dead. However, it is believed he may have claimed as many as eighteen lives. Born in the United States to Scottish parents, Manuel moved to Scotland as a child and exhibited troubling behaviour from an early age, which later escalated into violent crimes.

Between 1956 and 1958, Manuel committed a series of brutal murders, primarily targeting women. His calculated and ruthless crimes shocked the nation, with one of his most infamous acts being the murder of the Smart family in Uddingston. On that tragic night, he killed a husband, wife, and their ten-year-old son in their home. Despite his attempts to outwit investigators, his overconfidence and erratic behaviour led to his capture.

Manuel’s trial was as chilling as his crimes. He dismissed his defence lawyer and represented himself, showing no remorse and relishing the attention. Convicted of seven murders, Manuel was sentenced to death and executed by hanging at Glasgow’s Barlinnie Prison on 11th July 1958. He was one of the last people to be executed in Scotland before the death penalty was abolished.

Peter Manuel’s case remains a dark chapter in British history, remembered for the horror it brought and the insight it provides into the mind of a serial killer.