Who was Barry Prudom and what happened to him? | The Sun

BARRY PRUDOM left the nation stunned during his two-week crime spree in the summer of 1982.

The killer was finally stopped when Eddie McGee, a former SAS instructor who Prudom has been a fan of, managed to track down his hideout.

Who was Barry Prudom?

Barry Prudom was an electrician who became a murderer.

He grew up in Leeds with his mother, who died in 1973.

In 1965, Prudom married a woman named Gillian Wilson and the pair went on to welcome two children together.

It has been reported that, in 1969, Prudom enlisted with the army's part-time volunteer Territorial force but was eventually rejected by the unit.

Read More on Crime

Inside the mystery of ‘Turkey’s Nicola Bulley’ who vanished on dog walk

My wife was a millionaire & hid a scandalous secret… I was blamed for her murder

In the 70s, Prudom moved to Saudi Arabia to work in the petroleum industry.

After his death, police revealed that Prudom's wife Gillian had left him while we was working in the Middle East.

Why was Barry Prudom Britain's most wanted man?

Prudom carried out several crimes in the lead up to his killing spree, including attacking a motorist with an iron bar in Wakefield in January 1982.

His offences began to escalate and in the summer of 1982 he became the subject of the largest manhunt in British history (at the time).

Most read in The Sun

TEMPERS FLARE

Tour operators dumped us in Rhodes despite raging wildfires, claim Brits

say goodbye

Coronation Street fans stunned as fan favourite quits the cobbles

CHARRED REMAINS

Shock before & after pics show 5-star Rhodes resort destroyed by wildfire

CHAR'S SHOCK

Pregnant Charlotte Dawson sobs after social services are called on her

He became a fugitive after killing PC David Haigh on June 17, 1982.

Prudom killed Haigh with a single gunshot to the head after he was pulled over at a picnic area near Harrogate.

Prudom, dubbed the Phantom of the Forest, proceeded to kill twice more during a two-week spree of violence in the North of England.

He shot civilian George Luckett on June 23 and Sergeant David Winter on June 28.

George's wife, Sylvia Luckett, was also shot by Prudom after he broke into their house.

She survived but was left with permanent brain damage.

While on the run, Prudom took several hostages and burgled people's homes.

He also attempted to kill PC Ken Oliver. 

Prudom, who was 37 at the time, evaded the authorities for a fortnight.

Over one thousand officers and multiple helicopters were involved in the search.

Prudom was was only caught when a former SAS soldier and tracking expert, Eddie McGee, joined the police's efforts.

After Prudom's death, it was revealed that he had previously attended survival courses run by McGee.

He has also extensively studied a manual on survival techniques written by him.

McGee was brought in by police after Prudom murdered Sergeant Winter.

Winter was responding to a report of a man acting suspiciously in the village of Malton when Prudom shot him dead at point blank range.

How did Barry Prudom die?

Prudom died on July 4, 1982, after police, with the help of McGee, managed to track down his hideout.

His makeshift shelter was just 300 yards behind Malton Police Station in North Yorkshire.

Upon discovering his whereabouts, police ordered Prudom to surrender and threw stun grenades into the hideout.

Police then heard a gunshot and opened fire, and Prudom was then found dead inside.

He had 21 gunshot wounds, including a self-inflicted shot to the head which was later declared as the shot that killed him.

Read More on The Sun

Mum shares her quick summer snack idea but parents warn it’s so dangerous

Woman who is always skinny-shamed says strangers whisper about her appearance

The jury at the inquest into Prudom's death returned a verdict of suicide.

Prudom was buried in an unmarked grave in Harehills Cemetery, Leeds.

Source: Read Full Article