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Narborough Murders: How DNA Exposed Colin Pitchfork | Britain's Most Evil Killers | S5 E8

Pick Crime

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Two villages. Two schoolgirls. One breakthrough that changed criminal justice forever.

Step inside the Leicestershire cases of Linda Mann and Dawn Ashworth, where fear spread across Narborough and Enderby as a local baker, Colin Pitchfork, hid in plain sight. See how a false confession rattled detectives, a forged passport nearly derailed a mass DNA screen, and a casual pub conversation shattered a killer’s disguise. From the chilling decision to leave a baby in a car to the moment a new science spoke louder than alibis, this episode traces the investigation that pioneered DNA fingerprinting and rewrote how the world catches killers. Discover what finally linked both murders, why one suspect was cleared in a landmark test, and how a last-minute boast led to the arrest that stunned a community. Watch to uncover the turning points you won’t see coming and the questions that still haunt Leicestershire.

Watch now for the full story behind Britain’s first DNA conviction and the case that reshaped forensics.

#ColinPitchfork #DNATrueCrime #Narborough #LindaMann #DawnAshworth #AlecJeffreys #Leicestershire #BritainsMostEvilKillers

20 Comments

@cbjgdicad1 2 months ago

Unbelievievable that a double child killer could ever be released...

@Belinda-u2j 1 month ago

He was also sentenced for sexual assault and for the conspiracy around the DNA test. The irony was that DNA fingerprinting had been used to try to eliminate suspects or catch the killer. When the trial came, he pleaded guilty, so they did not need to use the DNA evidence. In the first case, which is famous for DNA, the DNA was never actually used in the trial to convict him, although it led to everything that resulted in his conviction. Pitchfork was sentenced to a minimum of 30 years in prison. It was welcome news to the local community. When we finally heard that it was Pitchfork who had committed both murders, there was a real sense of relief that justice had finally been done for the families. That was the overwhelming feeling.

@KA-ld7ge 2 months ago

He was released but was then returned to prison after parole violations he remains in prison as of 2026

@rustyrussell1981 1 month ago (edited)

I live on haybarn close (where colin lived), i wasn't born at the time but my parents knew him as he was there neighbour, they've always said they would of never thought it was him or how he could of done such awful things, my dad even use to wash his car for him. still to this day you'll get the odd person taking a photo of where lived or someone looking to ask questions. His wife at the time came out the house with a knife when she found out what colin did. she still lives in the area and has unfortunately had bricks through her windows over the years, bless her she's already been through hell...

@jojo61981 2 months ago

Im born and bread Leicester and i know we never want this scumbag evil monster free from prison

@FionaMercer 1 month ago

I lived in a village not far from where this happened it was very scary times

@Zarkava8 1 month ago

Pitchfork? That's a red flag.

@Abbie-UK 1 month ago

Life should mean Life .

@MTBPathé 11 days ago (edited)

There's a YouTube channel called 'British Crime Shows' with a good TV reenactment / documentary of this case, made in 2002.

@garryshenton2780 1 month ago

We used to walk to school that way remeber seeing the police that morning when we got to school; we had found out what had happened. She lived around the corner from me, Linda Mann

@TimLambert101 1 month ago

Pitchfork is a horribly dangerous man. He should never be released again.

@nikg5556 13 days ago

I used to go to the Clarendon arms as I had a little terrace house round the corner, probably even met him without knowing, never let this bastard out.

@coparker587 6 days ago

He was actually released in 21 before being recalled. Unbelievable that those appointed to the parole board are that naive to the manipulation of this kind of offender who has nothing else to do for decades but devise methods that might lead to his release, such as transcribing music for the blind. Wake up! This guy left his baby in the car while he murdered his first victim!!!?!

@ChrisJones-ht9zn 1 month ago

They were girls not women.

@AndreaHall-k4v 4 weeks ago

30 yrs for 2 murders and rape again is ridiculous and he will do it again if he gets out

@NATASEXISTS 2 months ago

Colin Pitchfork was twisted creature for sure but he is also a P D File who raped and then murdered two innocent children and whomever gave that disturbed creature freedom from prison should have been arrested, prosecuted and sent to prison for their thoughtless cruelty shown towards the victims families and
for their act of negligence in letting that monster free for even a split second.

@jeanettehinds4253 1 month ago

They dumped him where my youngest is living and they got him together real fast and out of there.

@ianbiles8756 2 months ago (edited)

The death penalty should exist for people like this. It's the only true justice. I'm not saying hanging, a modern more humane method should be used. Those girls didn't get a chance to keep on living, nor a second chance. Why the hell should the killer? Its just not right.