Fear the Stranger by Hector Clark

Robert Black is a serial killer and child abductor of the early to late 1980's.

He is most famous for the murders of Caroline Hogg, Sarah Harper and Susan Maxwell although he has been linked to many others.

He was born on the 21 April 1947 near Falkirk, Scotland and was fostered out by his parents shortly after his birth. As a child he became aggressive and slightly odd in his behaviour.

After the death of his foster mother at the age of 11, he found himself back in a children's home where his fascination for sex crossed over from fantasy to reality. His first attempt at rape was at the age of just 12.

A job as a delivery boy covered his admitted molestations of 30 to 40 girls. His first convictions came shortly after this admission.

There are three elements of a murder: Motive, Means and Opportunity. When all these elements are taken into consideration, the chances of solving the case is increased. If there is no obvious connection between murder victim and the criminal, then often these crimes will go unsolved.

Motive:

Robert Black is a paedophile. It's not clear whether he intended to kill his victims although the chances are that he did. By killing his victims he ensures that they cannot identify him or reveal important facts about him as a killer and his methods.

His victims were chosen at random and it was his lust for young children which caused him to strike more than once. An eye witness of the abduction of Teresa Thornhill was the downfall which led to his arrest.

Means:

Robert Black abducted his victims. He often slept in his white van which enabled him to be anywhere he chose within striking distance of his target.

Opportunity:

His job provided him with a white van which he used to take him all over the country giving him plenty of means and opportunity.

Captivating, thought provoking and worrying all at the same time.

It takes you back to the three worst child killings in Britain's history and gives you the low-down on the whole police investigation.

It features details of each crime, interviews with the parents of the children involved and how police eventually caught up with Robert Black.

It allows the reader to really get a feel of the emotions that were involved in this investigation and the time, effort and skill it took to finally capture this cunning and dangerous killer.

It, in my opinion, is one book you should read to get an idea of how moving this particular true crime story really is.

Carrie White
Freelance Writer and Reviewer

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Caroline Hogg - 5, from Portobello, Edinburgh.


Susan Maxwell - 11, from Cornhill on Tweed.


Sarah Harper - 10, from Morley near Leeds, West Yorkshire.

Jennifer Cardy - 9. 10th April 2008.
It has been confirmed that police are to question Black about the murder of Jennifer Cardy, when she was abducted and murdered in 1981. Police originally spoke to Black about this case in 2005, but are now looking at taking Black to trial in Northern Ireland. She was snatched from her bicycle on her way to a friend's house.

Other possible victims?


April Fabb, Norfolk in 1969
Abducted from her bicycle on her way to Roughton from her home which was the same way that Genette Tate was abducted in 1978.

Christine Markham, 9. Scunthorpe, 1973
Snatched.


Genette Tate, 13. Devon, 1978


Suzanne Lawrence, 14. Essex, 1979


Colette Aram, 16. Nottingham, 1983
Sexually assaulted and strangled. Found in a field.

Patsy Morris, 14. 1990
Found strangled on Hounslow Heath, West London in June 1990.
Levi Bellfield Linked With Murder When He Was 12
Re-investigate the brutal murder of 14-year-old Patsy Morris

Marion Crofts. 1990

Lisa Hession. 1990