Harold Wilkins (murderer)

Harold Haywood Wilkins (5 March 1916 – 29 December 1999)[1] was the last juvenile to be sentenced to death in the United Kingdom, on 17 November 1932 at the age of 16.[2] He was convicted of the "sexually motivated murder" of Ethel Corey.[3] The jury made a recommendation for mercy on account of Wilkins's age and the judge took the unusual course of not donning the black cap, indicating that there was no intention of Wilkins being hanged since Parliament was already preparing to ban the execution of juvenile offenders entirely.[4][5] The execution of those under the age of 16 had been banned by the Children Act 1908 (8 Edw. 7. c. 67). The age was further raised to 18 in the year after Wilkins's conviction, by the Children and Young Persons Act 1933.

As expected, within days, Wilkins's sentence was commuted to life in prison due to his age.[6][7] He was released from prison in 1943. In 1949 he married Margaret E. Caddick. There are no known children but it is believed there is at least one child.

References

  1. ^ England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007
  2. ^ "WILKINS Harold Haywood: Convicted at Stafford 17 November 1932 of murder and sentenced".
  3. ^ Bourke, Fionnuala (10 April 2015). "Teenager hanged at Birmingham Prison – one of four youngest prisoners executed last century". Birmingham Mail.
  4. ^ "Article clipped from Birmingham Gazette". Birmingham Gazette. 1 July 1933. p. 7. Retrieved 20 July 2025.
  5. ^ "Article clipped from Evening Post". Evening Post. 2 December 1932. p. 3. Retrieved 20 July 2025.
  6. ^ Radford, Lorraine (5 April 2012). Rethinking Children, Violence and Safeguarding. A&C Black. pp. 19ff. ISBN 978-1-84706-558-2.
  7. ^ "Article clipped from The Sunday People". The Sunday People. 27 November 1932. p. 15. Retrieved 20 July 2025.
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