'˜Babes in the Woods' murderer jailed for minimum of 36 years

The scene at the sight of the discovery. Picture: Flora Thompson/PA Wire

The 52-year-old convicted paedophile was found guilty of killing nine-year-olds Nicola Fellows and Karen Hadaway, bringing to an end two families’ long fight for justice.

Bishop was 20 years old when he sexually assaulted and strangled the girls in a woodland den in Brighton in October 1986.

He was cleared of their murders on 10 December, 1987 but within three years went on to kidnap, molest and throttle a seven-year-old girl, leaving her for dead.

While serving life for attempted murder, Bishop was ordered to face a fresh trial over the earlier deaths under the double jeopardy law, after a DNA breakthrough.

A Pinto sweatshirt discarded on Bishop’s route home was linked to the defendant by DNA, while fibre, paint and ivy transfers placed it at the scene.

Tests on a sample from Karen’s left forearm also revealed a “one in a billion” DNA match to Bishop.

Bishop responded by trying to cast suspicion on Nicola’s devastated father, Barrie.

Bishop gave evidence during the trial in an effort to counter the new forensic information, claiming to have touched the bodies to feel for a pulse after they were found by two 18-year-olds.

But jurors took just two-and-a-half hours to convict Bishop on the “overwhelming” evidence, on what was the 31st anniversary of his acquittal. He refused to attend court for his sentencing at the Old Bailey yesterday.

Handing him a life sentence with a minimum term of 36 years, Mr Justice Sweeney said: “I have no doubt that you were a predatory paedophile. The terror that each girl must have suffered in their final moments is unimaginable.”

Members of the two girls’ families wept and hugged each other after the verdict.

Karen’s mother, Michelle Hadaway, said Bishop was an “evil monster”.

In a victim impact statement, she said: “Finally justice has been done and Bishop has been seen as the evil monster he really is … This is the result we should have had 31 years ago. Having to go through a second trial has been traumatic.”

Sue Eismann, Nicola’s mother, said her world “turned upside down” after the death of her daughter.

She said: “I have lived with the pain, the loss and sheer hate towards him for what he had done for the last 32 years.

“Russell Bishop is a horrible, wicked man. No child is safe if he is allowed to be free.”