Colin Pitchfork (born March 1960, Newbold Verdon, England)^[1] is a British criminal, the first convicted of murder based on DNA fingerprinting evidence, and the first to be caught as a result of mass DNA screening. Pitchfork raped and murdered two girls, the first in Narborough, Leicestershire, in November 1983, and the second in Enderby, also in Leicestershire, in July 1986. He was arrested on 19 September 1987, and sentenced to life imprisonment on 22 January 1988, after admitting both murders.

Pitchfork lived in Newbold Verdon, attending school in Market Bosworth and Desford, until his marriage in 1981,^[2] after which he lived in Littlethorpe.

Crimes[link]

On 21 November 1983, 15-year-old Lynda Mann left her home to visit a friend's house. She did not return. The next morning, she was found raped and strangled on a deserted footpath known locally as the Black Pad. Using forensic science techniques available at the time, police linked a semen sample taken from her body to a person with type A blood and an enzyme profile that matched only 10 percent of males. With no other leads or evidence, the case was left open.

On 31 July 1986, another 15-year-old girl, Dawn Ashworth, took a shortcut instead of taking her normal route home. Two days later, her body was found in a wooded area near a footpath called Ten Pound Lane. She had been beaten, savagely raped, and strangled to death. The modus operandi matched that of the first attack, and semen samples revealed the same blood type.

The prime suspect was a local 17-year-old youth, Richard Buckland, who revealed knowledge of Ashworth's body, and admitted the crime under questioning, but denied the first murder. Alec Jeffreys, of the University of Leicester, had recently developed DNA profiling along with Peter Gill and Dave Werrett of the Forensic Science Service (FSS) and detailed the technique in a 1985 paper.

Gill commented:

I was responsible for developing all of the DNA extraction techniques and demonstrating that it was possible after all to obtain DNA profiles from old stains. The biggest achievement was developing the preferential extraction method to separate sperm from vaginal cells – without this method it would have been difficult to use DNA in rape cases.

Using this technique, Jeffreys compared semen samples from both murders against a blood sample from Buckland which conclusively proved that both girls were killed by the same man, but not Buckland. The police then contacted the FSS to verify Jeffreys' results and decide which direction to take the investigation. Buckland became the first person to have his innocence established by DNA fingerprinting.

Jeffreys later said:

I have no doubt whatsoever that he would have been found guilty had it not been for DNA evidence. That was a remarkable occurrence.

The Leicestershire Constabulary and the FSS then undertook an investigation in which 5,000 local men were asked to volunteer blood or saliva samples. This took six months, and no matches were found.

Later, a man named Ian Kelly was heard bragging that he had obtained £200^[3] for giving a sample while masquerading as his friend, Colin Pitchfork, a local baker. On September 19, 1987 Pitchfork was arrested at his home in Haybarn Close, in the neighbouring village of Littlethorpe and a sample was found to match that of the killer. During subsequent questioning, Pitchfork admitted to flashing females over 1000 times, a compulsion that he had started in his early teens. Flashing led to sexual assault and then to strangling his victims in order to protect his identity. He pleaded guilty to the two rape/murders in addition to another incident of sexual assault that he had committed. Pitchfork was preparing to move to Littlethorpe at the time of the murder of Lynda Mann, and resided at Haybarn Close in Littlethorpe at the time of the murder of Dawn Ashworth. He was sentenced to life imprisonment and concurrent terms for rape and murder, but with no minimum sentence (thus, presenting the opportunity for release after ten years).

Appeal[link]

On 14 May 2009, after an initial adjournment on 30 April 2009, Pitchfork’s legal appeal was heard at the Royal Courts of Justice in London. He won a two-year reduction in his original sentence of a minimum 30 years' imprisonment. As a consequence, Pitchfork will now be eligible for release in 2016. The Lord Chief Justice Lord Judge stated, however, that "he cannot be released unless and until the safety of the public is assured." The court heard that Pitchfork is now educated to degree level and had become expert at the transcription of printed music into Braille, hoping one day to be able to help the blind. This evidence was presented by his legal representatives as evidence of the development of his character while incarcerated.

In April 2009, a sculpture that Pitchfork had produced in prison was exhibited at the Royal Festival Hall. Following outrage in The Daily Mail, it was removed from display.^{[4] [5]}

See also[link]

• Jack Unterweger

References[link]

General

• Joseph Wambaugh (1989) The Blooding ISBN 0-688-08617-9 - An account of the crimes

Specific

External links[link]

• "Colin Pitchfork". Forensic Science Service
• "Why Lynda's killer must not be freed". www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk, March 21, 2009

Colin Stetson, mœrs festival 2010

Colin Stetson, born in Ann Arbor, Michigan and currently based in Montreal, Quebec, is a bass saxophone player and touring member of Arcade Fire, Bell Orchestre and Bon Iver. In addition to saxophone, he plays clarinet, bass clarinet, french horn, flute, and cornet.

Stetson has performed and recorded with dozens of artists, including Tom Waits, Arcade Fire, TV on the Radio, Feist, Bon Iver, My Brightest Diamond, Laurie Anderson, David Byrne, Jolie Holland, Sinéad O'Connor, LCD Soundsystem, Fats Waller,The National, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Angelique Kidjo, Kevin Devine, Beanie Burnett, and Anthony Braxton.

His first solo album, New History Warfare, Vol. 1, was released in 2008. His latest album, New History Warfare Vol. 2: Judges, was released by Constellation Records in early 2011. On June 16, the album was named as a longlisted nominee (one of 40) for the 2011 Polaris Music Prize.^[1] On July 6th, the album was named as a shortlisted (one of 10) nominee for the 2011 award. Stetson was chosen by Jeff Mangum of Neutral Milk Hotel to perform at the All Tomorrow's Parties festival that he curated in December 2011 in Minehead, England.^[2]

Discography[link]

• New History Warfare Vol. 1 (2008)
• "New History Warfare Vol. 2: Judges" (2011)
• Those Who Didn't Run EP (2011)

References[link]

External links[link]

• Colin Stetson

Colin James Hay^[1][2] (born 29 June 1953) is a Scottish-Australian musician, who made his mark during the 1980s as lead vocalist of the Australian band Men at Work, and later as a solo artist. Regarding his solo career, Hay stated, in 2011: "I feel like it’s been building for the last fifteen, or so, years that I’ve been touring. It’s slow and steady. It’s been word-of-mouth. People see the show, like it, and tell their friends. It feels very organic."^[3]

Hay's music has been frequently used by actor and director Zach Braff in his work, subsequently leading to a career rebirth in the mid-2000s.^[4] Commenting on his younger fanbase, Hay noted, "Most of them have an idea about Men at Work, but that's the subplot. They picked up on me since Scrubs, they're young enough they never heard of Men at Work. But I've found if people discover you they discover everything about you."^[5]

Early life and Men at Work[link]

Hay was born in Kilwinning, North Ayrshire, Scotland, but moved to Australia at the age of 14 with his family.^[6]

In 1978, Hay met Ron Strykert and the men began playing acoustic music as a duo. Hay and Strykert formed the band Men at Work, adding Jerry Speiser (drums), John Rees (bassist) and Greg Ham (flautist/saxophonist). The group released their debut album Business as Usual in 1981.

Hay joined as guest vocalist with The Incredible Penguins in 1985, for a cover of "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)", a charity project for research on Fairy penguins, which peaked at #10 on the Australian Kent Music Report in December.^[7][8]

Later career[link]

Following the breakup of Men at Work in 1985, Hay released several major label solo albums, including Looking for Jack (Columbia) and Wayfaring Sons (MCA), to fluctuating commercial success. In 2011, Hay commented on his early solo career, stating, "After Men at Work, for the better part of a decade, I was stumbling around being unfocused. It was pre-internet, I really had to try to find my audiences by going out on tour. Men at Work really didn't build a foundational audience. We came in as a pop band with enormous radio success; once that goes away and the band breaks up the audience tends to go away with it. You're left with what you want to make of it. When you start out doing those tours, you start again [and] you tend not to attract a very big number of people. I'd play to a hundred people or sometimes less."^[5]

In 2004 he contributed to the Garden State soundtrack with his solo song "I Just Don't Think I'll Ever Get Over You".

In addition to recording, Hay also established his own recording label, Lazy Eye Records,^[9] named for his own divergent strabismus (lazy eye) condition, and has made appearances in cult movies such as Cosi and television shows, such as The Larry Sanders Show, JAG, and The Mick Molloy Show. Hay also appeared on television in the NBC show Scrubs, which along with episodes of ABC's What About Brian, NBC's The Black Donnellys, CBS's Cane, and the BBC hospital drama Casualty, have included performances of some of his previous songs.

In December 2005, Hay and Heather Mills digitally re-released "My Brilliant Feat" as a charity single as a tribute to the late football (soccer) player George Best, who died on 25 November of that year. Proceeds were forwarded to the Donor Family Network, supporting organ donor families and promoting organ and tissue donation. The single is available on iTunes with a bonus music video tribute to Best.^[10][11]

In 2006 Hay provided his voice for one of the characters in animated movie The Wild. He has also been a member of Ringo Starr's eighth and tenth All-Starr Bands. He continues to perform regularly, including playing some folk venues.

On 13 February 2009, former Men at Work band member Ron Strykert was arrested for allegedly making death threats against Hay.^[12][13]

Hay contributed music to the TV series Scrubs in the course of a number of episodes, including on-camera performances. In Episode 1 of Season 2 he performs an acoustic version of the Men at Work-hit "Overkill" and he also makes an appearance in "My Hard Labor"

Hay released his 10th album, "American Sunshine", on 18 August 2009 on Compass Records.

In 2009, Hay's former group, Men at Work, were named in a lawsuit alleging copyright infringement by Larrikin Music, which owns the rights to the "Kookaburra" song. Larrikin Music claims that part of a flute riff from the band's 1981 single "Down Under" was copied from "Kookaburra" originally written by a music teacher, Marion Sinclair, who died in 1988. In February 2010, a court ruled in favour of Larrikin Music. Although the petition from Larrikin Music requested 40% to 60% of royalties dating back to 1981 and future royalties, in July 2010 a judge awarded the plaintiff only 5% of royalties dating back to 2002 and the same amount of future royalties.^[14]

In May 2009, Hay performed at the Artist for the Arts Foundation benefit at Barnum Hall, Santa Monica High School, Santa Monica, California. Performing alongside Curt Smith (Tears for Fears) Fee Waybill (Tubes) and Venice and over 70 members of the Santa Monica High School Orchestra and Girls Choir, the benefit helped to provide funds for the continuation of music education in public schools. In August 2010, Hay performed in Missoula, Montana with a Los Angeles Roots rock band named Patrolled By Radar.^[15]

Solo discography[link]

• Looking for Jack (1987)
• Wayfaring Sons (1990)
• Peaks & Valleys (1992)
• Topanga (1994)
• Transcendental Highway (1998)
• Going Somewhere (2000)
• Company of Strangers (2002)
• Man @ Work (2003)
• Are You Lookin' at Me? (2007)
• American Sunshine (2009)
• Gathering Mercury (2011)

Acting[link]

After Men at Work Hay has also performed in a number of films and TV shows, usually in small roles.

• The Uninvited (2008) as Nick
• The Wild (2006) as Fergus Flamingo (voice)
• Scrubs (TV series) (2002, 2007, 2009)

Episode – My Overkill as Troubador (Performing "Overkill")

Episode – My Hard Labor as Troubador (Performing "Down Under")

Episode – My Finale as Troubador (Cameo)

• The Country Bears (2002) (singing voice - uncredited)
• The Mick Molloy Show (TV series)

Episode #1.4 (1999) as Gay Builder

Episode #1.2 (1999) as Artist

• The Craic (1999) as Barry
• Heaven's Burning (1997) as Jonah
• JAG: Judge Advocate General (TV series)

Episode - Trinity (1997) as Miles

• Cosi (1996) as Zac
• Blue Heelers (TV series)

Episode - Shadow Man (1995) as Brad Fielding

Episode - Theft (1994) as George Patterson

• Raw Silk (TV movie) (1988) as Parker
• Wills & Burke (1985) as Publican

Personal life[link]

Hay is married to singer Cecilia Noël, who often provides backup vocals at his shows.

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official website
• Brazilian fan site
• Colin Hay at the Internet Movie Database
• Colin Hay at Allmusic.com
• Colin Hay on Myspace
• Interview with and performance by Hay on public radio program and podcast The Sound of Young America