Case Study 7: The Derek Bentley case Flashcards
What were the following events leading to Derek Bentley’s trial?
Bentley and his 16 year old friend, Christopher Craig, decided to burgle a warehouse. However, the police were on the roof so there was no escape.
What weapons were Bentley and Craig carrying?
Craig was carrying a gun and Bentley was carrying a sheath knife (which he didn’t use).
What happened to Bentley and Craig after the police had caught them?
Christopher Craig fired his gun, injuring Detective Fairfax. Bentley later shouted ‘Let him have it, Chris’ before Craig shot and killed a police officer. After Craig ran out of bullets, he jumped off the roof and broke his back.
How old was Derek Bentley at the time of his arrest?
He was aged 19, but due to his learning disability, he had a mental age of a 10 year old.
What was the outcome of the trial that took place?
Bentley and Craig were both convicted of murder. Craig was sentenced to 10 years in prison as he was under 18, but Bentley faced death by hanging.
What was the parliament’s reaction to Bentley being sentenced to death?
There was a motion in Parliament to reprieve Bentley’s sentence that was supported by 200 MPs. However, the Home Secretary refused.
What was the public’s reaction to Bentley being sentenced to death?
On the day Bentley was hanged in January 1953, there was a public outcry with over 5,000 protesters outside the prison chanting ‘murder’.
Why was Derek Bentley’s case so significant?
It highlighted how the vast differences in punishment for murder as some were imprisoned while others were hung. Combined with other controversial cases it increased the number of people critical of the death penalty.
What happened to the case later on?
Bentley was pardoned and in 1998, his conviction for murder was overturned.
