UK UK - Debbie Griggs, 34, (pregnant), Walmer, Kent, 5 May 1999

[Mrs Marple]

Murder accused 'dumped wife's body at sea'

'The jury was told two neighbours had seen Mrs Griggs' car being driven from the house at about 02:00 and again at 04:00 on 6 May.

The neighbours saw "someone in Debbie's car making two trips away from your home in the early hours of the morning on the night your wife disappeared," Mr Atkinson said.

"Where is it that you buried your wife?" he asked.

"I haven't buried my wife," Mr Griggs said.

"Or out to sea with her was it?" Mr Atkinson asked.

"No, it wasn't out to sea," Mr Griggs replied. "I have done absolutely nothing with her."'

I didn't realise he had access to a boat..

 

[Mrs Marple]

Murder suspect is 'caring and lovely'

A man accused of murdering his wife who disappeared from Deal 20 years ago has been described as caring, loving, loyal and generous by his second wife.

“He can be quite old-fashioned but I like that,” Debbie Griggs told Canterbury Crown Court.

 

[Amonet]

Murder accused 'dumped wife's body at sea'

'The jury was told two neighbours had seen Mrs Griggs' car being driven from the house at about 02:00 and again at 04:00 on 6 May.

The neighbours saw "someone in Debbie's car making two trips away from your home in the early hours of the morning on the night your wife disappeared," Mr Atkinson said.

"Where is it that you buried your wife?" he asked.

"I haven't buried my wife," Mr Griggs said.

"Or out to sea with her was it?" Mr Atkinson asked.

"No, it wasn't out to sea," Mr Griggs replied. "I have done absolutely nothing with her."'

I didn't realise he had access to a boat..

Those denials are quite telling. The first one "I haven't buried my wife" is a strong denial. The other two...not strong denials, more akin to answering the door to a police officer and immediately proclaiming "I never done nothing, guv!!!"

 

[Mrs Marple]

'I did not murder pregnant wife', husband tells trial jury

Can't seem to copy from this article.

 

[Mrs Marple]

Jury goes out in trial of husband accused of 1999 murder

 

[Mrs Marple]

So will they come back with a verdict before the Sarah Wellgreen trial. The first to come back with a guilty verdict will be the first in Kent to be convicted of murder without a body.

 

[Amonet]

'I did not murder pregnant wife', husband tells trial jury

Can't seem to copy from this article.

It's a loooong article!

Here's a few bits that I find interesting

Andrew Griggs told Canterbury Crown Court that one evening in May 1999 he fell asleep on the sofa but woke up to Debbie Griggs shouting at him before she stormed out.

She did not return the next day and he went looking for her and contacted friends, but became worried and phoned police to report her missing. There has been no trace of her since.

Four days later her white Peugeot 306 was found abandoned just over a mile away. The boot lining was missing and forensic examiners recovered blood containing her DNA from the vehicle.

There's also a lot of stuff in the article with AG saying that Debbie was suicidal, and some examples of marital fights where it sounds to me that AG wasn't being very nice to her, and she was showing anger at him including physical anger that was witnessed by other people.

 

[Mrs Marple]

Didn't take them much longer than the Sarah Wellgreen jury

Husband guilty of murdering missing Debbie

Her car - a white Peugeot 309 - was found abandoned days after her disappearance, 1.3 miles from their home in Cross Road, Walmer.

Prosecutor Duncan Atkinson QC explained Debbie’s blood was recovered from the vehicle.

He said the couple's relationship had become strained and sometimes violent after Debbie suspected Griggs’ alleged affair with the girl, forcing the pair to split.

Didn't know there was forensic evidence

Hopefully Debbie can rest in peace now.

 

[Mrs Marple]

And justice for the family

'Twenty years of anguish' at the loss of Debbie

Speaking from the steps of Canterbury Crown Court, Derek Cameron was relieved at this afternoon's verdict.

In a message to Debbie's recently deceased mother he said: "Mum, if you’re listening, we have finally got him."

 

[Mrs Marple]

Andrew Griggs guilty of murdering pregnant wife in 1999

More:

Griggs, of St Leonards in Dorset, was convicted of her murder and will be sentenced on Wednesday.

The court heard Mrs Griggs believed her husband was having a "sexual relationship" with a 15-year-old girl and would have been entitled to half of the family's fishmonger business if they divorced.

Giving evidence, the girl, now aged in her 30s, told jurors she had been groomed by Griggs while in a vulnerable position.

 

[Mrs Marple]

Also from above

Mrs Griggs's mother Patricia Cameron, who led the campaign, died in January, just weeks before Griggs was charged with murder.

 

[Legally Bland]

20 year minimum.

46. Andrew Griggs, for the murder of your wife Debbie Griggs, I sentence you to life imprisonment. You will serve a minimum term of 20 years less 10 days served on remand. When you have served that minimum term it will be for the Parole Board to decide whether and if so when it will ever be safe to release you. If and when you are eventually released you will remain on licence for the rest of your life, and liable to be returned to prison if you commit any further offence or breach the terms of your licence. You may go down.

Full sentencing remarks (I haven't read them yet):

https://www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/r-v-griggs-sentencing-301019.pdf

 

[jaejae]

Here is another report about this case:

The wife killer who escaped justice for 20 years

 

[Alyce]

20 year minimum.



Full sentencing remarks (I haven't read them yet):

https://www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/r-v-griggs-sentencing-301019.pdf

Thanks Legally.

I find it irritating ( for want of a better word ) that the Judge has to base the length of sentence on what would have been applicable at the time of the crime - 1999. Surely the fact that this man has got away with his crime for over 20 years and has enjoyed his life and freedom after depriving Debbie and her unborn child of theirs, should mean that his sentence could be higher.
I know it is only a minimum term reference but it would still have been good for Debbie's family to see him put away for life with no feasible possibility of living long enough to reach a parole date.

I also wonder what evidence they had - now - that was not available back then and which led to the conviction.

 

[Mrs Marple]

I'm not convinced they had more evidence. I think he was suspected all along. Perhaps upon review they decided to chance it with the CPS as similar convictions have been successful?

I share your frustrations with the sentencing. He took two lives that day and l'm not sure that's been properly acknowledged.

 

[Al Ka]

I also wonder what evidence they had - now - that was not available back then and which led to the conviction.

I have read in some early news articles just after his recent arrest that his arrest was possible due to recent change in law.

It peaked my interest but what law changed was not mentioned there and neither I have read or heard about any changes yet anywhere. Only new law I am aware of is Helen's Law (No Body - No Parole Law) but is not yet implemented. It will come into effect only sometime in spring of 2020.

Maybe someone here might know what law they might have referred to? I am intrigued as it might be used in many other "missing" person's cases.

 

[Amonet]

I'm not convinced they had more evidence. I think he was suspected all along. Perhaps upon review they decided to chance it with the CPS as similar convictions have been successful?

I share your frustrations with the sentencing. He took two lives that day and l'm not sure that's been properly acknowledged.

Very true I was focused on wanting him convicted as, from what I read, all signs seemed to point to him murdering Debbie.

Now he is convicted for his crime, my thoughts are with everyone he hurt, Debbie, the unborn baby, and all the people who loved them and needed them in their lives all these years.

 

[Mrs Marple]

I don't know about the law change but l read attitudes towards domestic violence has changed. Also the passage of time, Debbie not turning up, strengthened the case. I don't think it's a coincidence that the Sarah Wellgreen trial was going on at the same time. It may well have been a prompt to revisit and as one was accepted bu CPS, why not the other? I believe he was charged earlier this year so after BL was charged.

 

[CastlesBurning]

Kent's unsolved crimes and how science could finally unravel them

 

[Bluebear15]

I feel sorry for her boys. Him and his family have fed them a pack of lies imo

'Dad didn't murder mum - she's still alive'