Chris Gregg Explained

Christopher Adam Gregg is a former Detective Chief Superintendent and was head of West Yorkshire Police's Homicide and Major Enquiry Team (HMET).^[1] Gregg joined the force in 1974 and as a constable was put on front-line duties in the Yorkshire Ripper inquiry in the Helen Rytka murder incident room. He left the force in 2008 to take up a senior position as an adviser to a forensic service provider company, LGC Forensics.^[2] In 2010 Gregg, together with Lord Stevens and Dr Angela Gallop, founded Axiom International Limited.^[3]

Career

In his career, headed some high-profile criminal investigations including:

• The kidnap and murder in November 2000 of 16-year-old Leeds schoolgirl Leanne Tiernan by John Taylor, described at his trial in 2002 by the judge as a "sexual sadist".^{[4] [5]} In February 2003, he was convicted of two rapes, based on DNA evidence, and given two additional life sentences.^[6]
• The American fugitive David Bieber who murdered traffic PC Ian Broadhurst and attempted the murder of two other policemen on 26 December 2003.^{[7] [8] [9] [10] [11]}
• Identification of the Yorkshire Ripper Hoaxer, John Humble, who was tried and sentenced in October 2005 – 25 years after the offence which was one of the most notorious – and damaging – hoaxes in criminal history.^{[12] [13] [14] [15]} Gregg won £50,000 libel damages, plus costs, after being accused by Irish writer Noel O'Gara of "stitching up" John Humble as the writer of the hoax letters and sender of a tape recording purporting to be from the Yorkshire Ripper.^{[16] [17] [18]}
• Serial killer Colin Norris, dubbed the 'Angel of Death' who murdered four elderly patients in a hospital in Leeds, receiving a life sentence in 2008.^{[19] [20] [21]}
• Gregg led the enquiry into the Harold Shipman deaths in West Yorkshire, when Shipman, a practising medical doctor, was apprehended, later having 218 murders positively ascribed to him.^[22]

On leaving the force he spoke against the misuse by suspected murderers of the protective shield of human rights legislation.^{[23] [24] [25]}

Awards

• 2008: Gregg was awarded the Queen's Police Medal (QPM) in the 2008 Queen's Birthday Honours.^[26] Chief Constable of West Yorkshire, Sir Norman Bettison, described Gregg as one of the finest detectives the force had ever known.^{[27] [28]}

Notes and References

1. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7408633.stm Gregg talks about his career"
2. http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/2275146.chief_is_off_after_30_years_in_force/ "Chief is off after 30 years in force"
3. http://www.axiom-international-ltd.com/key-people.asp "Axiom International Key People"
4. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/2116337.stm BBC News"
5. Web site: Documentary revisits murder and abduction of Leeds schoolgirl Leanne Tiernan. www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk. 31 August 2019.
6. http://www.exploreforensics.co.uk/forensic-cases-murder-leanne-tiernan.html "The murder of Leanne Tiernan"
7. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/01/25/48hours/main1237669_page6.shtml CBS News"
8. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article398316.ece "Police killer will die in prison for brutal, cold-blooded crime"
9. http://news.scotsman.com/leedspoliceshooting/Hunt-stepped-up-for-police.2490512.jp "Hunt stepped up for police officer's killer"
10. Web site: Leeds PC shooting tragedy remembered. www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk. 31 August 2019.
11. News: Ex-officer fears for police safety. 26 December 2013. 31 August 2019.
12. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_yorkshire/4828828.stm Man still held over Ripper hoax"
13. http://www.independent.ie/world-news/europe/callous-ripper-hoaxer-sent-to-prison-for-eight-years-108883.html'Callous' Ripper hoaxer sent to prison for eight years"
14. https://web.archive.org/web/20100714042545/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/wearside-jack-i-deserve-to-go-to-jail-for-evil-ripper-hoax-470742.html 'Callous' Ripper hoaxer sent to prison for eight years"
15. http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/39I-did-it-because-I.1392084.jp 'I did it because I was bored and on the dole'"
16. http://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/Ripper-detective-wins-50000-damages.3864354.jp "Ripper detective wins £50,000 damages"
17. Web site: Former detective speaks out after Yorkshire Ripper hoaxer's death Bradford Telegraph and Argus. www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk. 31 August 2019.
18. Web site: Police came so close to catching Wearside Jack hoaxer before Ripper struck again. Thornton. Lucy . 20 August 2019. mirror. 31 August 2019.
19. https://web.archive.org/web/20080510133909/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1580651/Colin-Norris,-%27Angel-of-Death%27-nurse,-jailed-for-life.html Colin Norris, 'Angel of Death' nurse, jailed for life"
20. http://news.bbc.co.uk/player/nol/newsid_7270000/newsid_7275500/7275593.stm?bw=bb&mp=wm&asb=1&news=1&ms3=22&ms_javascript=true&bbcws=2 BBC TV News interview with Gregg after the trial"
21. https://web.archive.org/web/20080510133909/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1580651/Colin-Norris,-%27Angel-of-Death%27-nurse,-jailed-for-life.html Colin Norris, 'Angel of Death' nurse, jailed for life"
22. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/how-many-more-did-shipman-kill-630689.html "How Many More did Shipman Kill?"
23. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1952950/Human-rights-law-'shielding-rapists' "Human Rights Law 'Shielding Rapists'"
24. http://www.dailyexpress.co.uk/posts/view/44333/Human-rights-loopholes-condemned "Human Rights 'Loopholes' Condemned"
25. http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/2267493.detective_attacks_criminals_pleas_for_human_rights/ Detective Attacks Criminals Pleas for Human Rights"
26. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/queens-birthday-honours-full-list-846831.html Queen's Birthday Honours 2008
27. https://web.archive.org/web/20080616065156/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1952950/Human-rights-law-%27shielding-rapists%27.html "Human rights law 'shielding rapists'"
28. http://www.dailyexpress.co.uk/posts/view/44333/Human-rights-loopholes-condemned "Human Rights Loophole Condemned"