The Stirland killings: How a community will never forget the double tragedy

In Radio St Peters, on the Lincolnshire coast, the solar is shining and seagulls swirl overhead as neighbours stand and chat in the road exterior their seaside bungalows.

The cul-de-sac is residence to small chalet-style houses simply a brief stroll from the promenade in Trusthorpe.

Today Radio St Peters is an oasis of calm.

But that was not as soon as the case.

Nearly 17 years in the past, a bungalow on this road was the scene of the double execution homicide of former Carlton couple John and Joan Stirland.

Police had swarmed the space, taped off the crime scene and forensic groups had been on their arms and knees conducting fingertip searches of the floor for clues after gunmen – who haven’t been caught – parked their getaway automobile on the kerb close to the Stirland’s residence and openly walked throughout the garden into the home.

Mr Stirland, in shorts and no high, was on the sofa when he was shot. His spouse was in a bed room when she was killed.

The getaway automobile was pushed alongside winding again roads and deserted and set on fireplace a few miles away. Setting it on fireplace, the two killers had modified to a different car.

Three males had been convicted of conspiring to homicide the Stirlands.

A court docket was to listen to how the execution of the couple was a bitter response to the demise of a younger man in Nottingham referred to as Jamie Gunn. Jamie was the nephew of Bestwood crime lord Colin Gunn.

The household held Mrs Stirland’s son, Michael O’Brien, chargeable for Jamie’s demise after he witnessed his greatest pal, Marvyn Bradshaw, shot lifeless in entrance of him. The official reason behind Jamie’s demise was pneumonia.

Mrs Stirland’s son Michael O’Brien was later convicted of Mr Bradshaw’s homicide.

His imprisonment left his mom and stepfather as the solely remaining targets for a revenge assault by Gunn and different members of the Bestwood Cartel crime gang.

And the conspiracy was hatched to kill O’Brien’s mom and step-father who had fled Nottingham for Lincolnshire.

John and Joan Stirland

It’s now practically twenty years since the homicide plot however the shadow – of Colin Gunn and the horrible occasions which occurred right here – nonetheless hangs over the space and lots of refuse to talk about it or what occurred right here or point out the title “Gunn”.

Pat Levett, 77, of Radio St Peters, stated she was mowing the Stirland’s garden on the Sunday they had been killed. She did not hear any photographs and found later what had unfolded.

Mrs Stirland normally gave them a drink once they had completed mowing however not on this heat summer time’s day in August 2004.

The killings additionally attracted a morbid curiosity with folks asking to lease the bungalow.

John Hatcher, 66, an property supervisor for a London-based property firm that rents out houses in Radio St Peters, stated the tragedy had additionally attracted folks having their photos taken exterior the property.

It lay empty for 2 years earlier than being rented out once more.

Town crier David Summers

Town crier David Summers

Town crier David Summers, 74, of Radio St Peters, has lived there for 3 years.

“I used to be informed the couple got here right here to get out of a unhealthy scenario the place somebody was searching for them”, he stated.

He enjoys the atmosphere of the space and being 100 paces from the sea.

“The folks listed below are very pleasant,” stated former funeral director Mr Summers.

Councillor Tony Howard, a district councillor for Mablethorpe on East Lindsey District Council, former mayor and a councillor on the city council for Mablethorpe, stated: “I bear in mind the shock of the complete factor. Initially, it’s the shock there was an incident in the first place.

“It was one shock after one other as the complete story got here to mild.

“For a very long time afterwards, the property was out of fee as a crime scene. Travelling in that course, you had been continually reminded of what had occurred. It was a very long time earlier than the police tape went away.”

Councillor Howard, who has been a resident in the space for practically 30 years, stated: “Being a resort as properly, you might be doing all of your greatest as a councillor to advertise the space and the way great it’s and, wow, that has occurred, we do not really need that on web page 23, not to mention the entrance web page.

Councillor Tony Howard

Councillor Tony Howard

“I believe that individual incident was definitely the solely double homicide I recall. It is a peaceable space, nearly forgotten space, fairly than a hub of prison exercise.”

Graham Cullen ran the Fairway pub, Mablethorpe, at the time of the killings.

He knew the Stirlands from Nottingham, the place he used to reside and he ran NG1 membership in Lower Parliament Street.

Michael O'Brien, the son of Joan Stirland

Michael O’Brien, the son of Joan Stirland

At the Fairway, the Stirlands would go in and have Sunday lunch. They used to enter Mablethorpe and they’d go spherical the pubs.

“They got here in twice a week,” he added. “They had been ever so good. I knew them as John and Joan.

“They got here into the pub on the Sunday they had been murdered.”

After studying later about the killings, he added: “I used to be shocked.”

Graham turned a councillor for Mablethorpe 16 years in the past and now runs The Louth pub, Victoria Road, Mablethorpe.

Robert Watson, a associate in Watson Home Hardware, Sutton-on-Sea, spoke of the police investigation.

Police in Mansfield Road

You can get the newest Nottinghamshire Live headlines straight to your inbox by subscribing to our e-newsletter.

Twice a day we’ll ship you our high tales, plus breaking information alerts as they occur, in a utterly free e mail bulletin.

To enroll simply head to this web page and choose “Nottinghamshire Live information” – or enter your e mail into the black field at the high of this story.

“It was chilling for native those who the Nottingham crime fraternity had reached out right here.

“We bear in mind it. We do not have a lot of murders spherical right here. Everyone was conscious of it. The bungalow in query was on the essential street between Sutton and Mablethorpe. You go previous it on the essential street.

Colin Gunn

Colin Gunn

“At the time, the bungalow was cordoned off. It was fairly a sight to see. Anyone driving previous now, the particular person wouldn’t have any concept of something occurring there, not except you realize the historical past of the property”.

Bobby Baldwin, of Snack Shack, on Mablethorpe promenade, stated gun crime in the space was fairly remarkable.

“Round right here you might have petty childhood vandalism crime. I’m not saying nothing ever occurs. If a crime occurs spherical right here, it’s main information. I moved right here from London. It’s a totally different lifestyle right here.”

One man, who requested to stay nameless, used to work at a caravan park the place he stated Colin Gunn’s household had a caravan and he had met Gunn a number of occasions.

He knew Gunn to say “good day” to in the pub to and “nothing too deep” and “simply on a regular basis dialog”.

“Unfortunately, his popularity proceeded him,” he stated. “I heard rumours and issues”.

He stated “nothing ever occurred in little previous Maplethorpe or Trusthorpe”.

“They used to name it God’s ready room, as a result of it was that quiet and the aged moved right here.”

* No-one was truly convicted of homicide over the killings. In 2006, Gunn – who was linked to the killing by CCTV and cell phone data – was sentenced to 35 years for conspiring to homicide the Stirlands, whereas John Russell, of Northcote Way, Bulwell, was jailed for a minimal of 30 years, and Michael McNee of no mounted deal with, was jailed for a minimum of 25 years, each for the similar offence.

Recommended For You