Miscellaneous
Reverend Edmund Barden-Hythe, parish rector, St Barnabas Church, Sudbury
Jayden Hoyle, London Fire Service, public relations
Ross Tate, former prison associate of Gabriel Angelis
Miscellaneous items printed from online news sites or torn from newspapers and held together with a paperclip. All date from a three-week period in December 2003:
THE STARS ALIGN
Tonight, five planets in our solar system align in a rare astral occurrence that should be visible from dawn tomorrow, 10 December. Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn align in the sky every 20 years, but on this occasion, they will be at their closest distance apart since 16 July 1623, a phenomenon known as a Great Conjunction.
BREAKING NEWS
Police have cordoned off a derelict warehouse in Alperton, northwest London, amid unconfirmed reports multiple bodies have been discovered inside.
BREAKING NEWS
A police source suggests the incident in Alperton is a ‘mass suicide’. Four bodies remain at the scene.
BODY LINKED TO ‘BLOODBATH’
Police believe a body discovered in an empty flat on Tuesday (9 December) may be linked to the three men who died in an apparent suicide pact at a nearby warehouse the following day. Police were called to a flat in Middlesex House on Ealing Road, Alperton, when residents reported suspicious noises. Police constable Jonathan Childs, who was first on the scene, described the body as male and ‘in a state of decomposition’. He urged members of the public to come forward with any information.
‘ANGELS’ LINK TO LOCAL CHURCH
Members of the so-called ‘Alperton Angels’ cult were familiar figures at St Barnabas Church in Sudbury. Three men and two teenagers, who believed they were angels in humanform, occasionally attended Sunday service, raising questions over whether the church failed to exercise safeguarding responsibilities.
BODY IN FLAT NAMED
Police have named the man found dead in Middlesex House last week as Harpinder Singh, 22, a waiter at the Punjab Junction restaurant in Southall. He was temporarily housed at Middlesex House but was not found in the flat he had been allocated, police say. They have linked his death to the Alperton Angels but cannot be more specific for fear of jeopardising that ongoing case. They urge anyone with information to contact Crimestoppers.
1. Formal email template, sent out from 10 June 2021 onwards:
Dear X,
Let me introduce myself. I am Amanda Bailey, the best-selling true crime author ofThe Doorstep,Common GroundandKipper Tied. I am currently working on a book about the Alperton Angels for Kronos Books. I understand you were XX at the time. In order to avoid misrepresenting your organisation/role/department, I would like to set up an interview either in person or over the phone, at your earliest convenience.
I have a long track record in crime reporting and human-interest journalism. I understand the case is still sensitive, even after eighteen years, so if you are happier chatting off the record, that’s fine too. Your participation in this project will help ensure such a shocking failure of safeguarding measures never happens again.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely,
2. Informal email template sent out from 10 June 2021 onwards:
Hi there!
How are you? It’s been so long since X. How is/was baby/wedding/retirement/new job, etc.? Honestly, time flies.
Do you remember the case of the Alperton Angels? I’m writing something about it. It was soooo long ago and I must get up to speed really fast. Do you have records going back to 2003? Can I use you for ambient info about that time period in social services/police/media? I’ll be eternally grateful!
Happy to meet for twilight drinks or daylight coffee.
Best,
WhatsApp messages between true crime author Minnie Davis and me, 11 June 2021:
