Patrick Mackay
Encyclopedia
Patrick Mackay is a serial killer
who confessed to murdering eleven people in England in the mid 1970s.
Later in his youth, he suffered from extreme tantrums and fits of anger, indulged in animal cruelty and arson (at one point setting the pet tortoise on fire), bullied younger children, stole from elderly women's homes and people in the street, and even attempted to kill his mother and aunt. He also attempted to kill a younger boy, and later said he'd have succeeded had he not been restrained, and attempted to set fire to a Catholic
church. Because of such incidents, he spent his teenage years in and out of mental homes and institutions. At 15, he was diagnosed as a psychopath by a psychiatrist
, Dr. Leonard Carr. Carr predicted Mackay would grow up into a 'cold, psychopathic killer'.
, calling himself "Franklin Bollvolt The First" and filling his flat with Nazi memorabilia. He lived in London
and was frequently drunk or on drugs. In 1973, near his mother's home in Kent
, he met and was befriended by Father Anthony Crean, a priest. Regardless, Mackay broke into Crean's home and stole a check for £30. Arrested and prosecuted by the police, he was ordered to pay the fine back but never did. The incident caused a rift between the two and Mackay returned to London. It was around this time that Mackay said that he had drowned a tramp
in the River Thames
.
On March 21, 1975, then aged 22, Mackay used an axe to kill Father Crean, hacking through the victim's skull and watching him bleed to death. He was swiftly arrested and was soon considered by police to be a suspect in at least a dozen other killings over the previous two years, most victims being elderly women who had been stabbed or strangled during robberies. Mackay bragged that he had murdered eleven people.
Mackay was charged with five murders, but two charges were dropped through lack of evidence. In November 1975 he was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment. He is reported to be among the 50 or so prisoners in the United Kingdom who have been issued with a whole life tariff
and are unlikely ever to be released from prison.
Serial killer
A serial killer, as typically defined, is an individual who has murdered three or more people over a period of more than a month, with down time between the murders, and whose motivation for killing is usually based on psychological gratification...
who confessed to murdering eleven people in England in the mid 1970s.
Early life
As a child, Mackay was frequently a victim of physical abuse at the hands of his violent, alcoholic father Harold. When Mackay was ten, Harold died from complications of alcoholism and a weak heart. His final words to his son were 'remember to be good'. Patrick was said to be unable to come to terms with the loss, telling people Harold was still alive and keeping a photograph of his father on his person.Later in his youth, he suffered from extreme tantrums and fits of anger, indulged in animal cruelty and arson (at one point setting the pet tortoise on fire), bullied younger children, stole from elderly women's homes and people in the street, and even attempted to kill his mother and aunt. He also attempted to kill a younger boy, and later said he'd have succeeded had he not been restrained, and attempted to set fire to a Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
church. Because of such incidents, he spent his teenage years in and out of mental homes and institutions. At 15, he was diagnosed as a psychopath by a psychiatrist
Psychiatrist
A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. All psychiatrists are trained in diagnostic evaluation and in psychotherapy...
, Dr. Leonard Carr. Carr predicted Mackay would grow up into a 'cold, psychopathic killer'.
Adulthood and murders
As he entered adulthood, Mackay developed a fascination with NazismNazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
, calling himself "Franklin Bollvolt The First" and filling his flat with Nazi memorabilia. He lived in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and was frequently drunk or on drugs. In 1973, near his mother's home in Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, he met and was befriended by Father Anthony Crean, a priest. Regardless, Mackay broke into Crean's home and stole a check for £30. Arrested and prosecuted by the police, he was ordered to pay the fine back but never did. The incident caused a rift between the two and Mackay returned to London. It was around this time that Mackay said that he had drowned a tramp
Tramp
A tramp is a long term homeless person who travels from place to place as a vagrant, traditionally walking or hiking all year round. In British English meanwhile a tramp simply refers to a homeless person, usually not a travelling one....
in the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
.
On March 21, 1975, then aged 22, Mackay used an axe to kill Father Crean, hacking through the victim's skull and watching him bleed to death. He was swiftly arrested and was soon considered by police to be a suspect in at least a dozen other killings over the previous two years, most victims being elderly women who had been stabbed or strangled during robberies. Mackay bragged that he had murdered eleven people.
Mackay was charged with five murders, but two charges were dropped through lack of evidence. In November 1975 he was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment. He is reported to be among the 50 or so prisoners in the United Kingdom who have been issued with a whole life tariff
Life imprisonment (England and Wales)
In England and Wales, life imprisonment is a sentence which lasts until the death of the prisoner, although in most cases the prisoner will be eligible for parole after a fixed period set by the judge. This period is known as the "minimum term"...
and are unlikely ever to be released from prison.