Colin Ireland - Gay slayer

Colin Ireland was a British serial killer who was active in the 1990s. He is known as the "Gay Slayer" due to his targeting of gay men.

The key facts about his crimes:

• Between January 1993 and June 1993, Ireland murdered 5 gay men in London. His victims were Peter Walker, Christopher Dunn, Perry Bradley III, Andrew Collier, and Emanuel Spiteri.

• Ireland would meet his victims in gay bars and lure them back to their homes, where he would then murder them. His modus operandi involved tying them up, torturing, and then eventually strangling them.

• Ireland confessed to the murders and was arrested in 1993. He was convicted of the 5 murders and received 5 life sentences in 1993.

• During his trial, Ireland claimed he had become a serial killer "by accident" after initially only intending to rob his victims. He said his crimes escalated from robbery to murder.

Early Criminal Activities:

• Prior to his serial killings, Ireland had a history of petty crime and minor offenses.

• In the 1970s and 1980s, he was convicted of burglary, theft, and other property-related crimes.

• He also had a history of assaulting police officers when they attempted to arrest him

• Ireland died in prison in 2012 at the age of 57. He had spent nearly 20 years incarcerated .

Victims

Peter Walker (1993):

• The first victim, killed in January 1993

• A 45-year-old lecturer at Middlesex University

• Lived in Vauxhall, South London

• Strangled to death by Ireland in his own flat

Christopher Dunn (1993):

• Killed in February 1993

• A 37-year-old unemployed man

• Lived in Deptford, South East London

• Strangled to death by Ireland in his own flat

Perry Bradley III (1993):

• Killed in March 1993

• A 35-year-old American art dealer

• Lived in Vauxhall, South London

• Strangled to death by Ireland in his own flat

Andrew Collier (1993):

• Killed in April 1993

• A 33-year-old hospital social worker

• Lived in Dalston, East London

• Strangled to death by Ireland in his own flat

Emanuel Spiteri (1993):

• The final victim, killed in June 1993

• A 41-year-old bank worker

• Lived in Kentish Town, North London

• Strangled to death by Ireland in his own flat

The victims were all gay men living alone in London. Ireland specifically targeted this vulnerable community, luring them from gay bars back to their homes where he would then murder them in a similar fashion each time. Strangulation.

There have been several TV shows, books, and films that have covered the "Gay Slayer" case over the years:

TV Shows:

• "Killers: Behind the Myth" (2009) - A documentary episode that profiled Colin Ireland and his crimes.

• "Manhunt: The Raoul Moat Story" (2014) - A dramatized TV movie that briefly covered Ireland's case as part of a wider look at high-profile British manhunts.

Books:

• "Gay Slayer: The True Story of Colin Ireland" by Brian Masters (1995) - A biography of Ireland and an in-depth look at his murders.

• "Serial Killers: The World's Most Evil" by Stewart P. Evans and Keith Skinner (2000) - A true crime book that dedicates a chapter to Ireland's crimes.

• "A Map of the Dark" by Karen Ellis (2018) - A fictional crime novel inspired by the "Gay Slayer" case.

Films:

• "The Pride" (2014) - A short film that explored the impact of the "Gay Slayer" murders on the LGBTQ community in London.