Serial rapist from Silksworth, known as “The Fox” dies in prison

A serial rapist originally from Silksworth who became known as “The Fox” has died in Prison, the ministry of justice has confirmed.

Malcolm Fairley carried out horrific sexual attacks on women in 1984 across Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire, sparking one of the largest manhunts in British criminal history.

Born in Silksworth, Fairley was one of nine children and entered a life of crime in the 1960s and 1970s, committing petty theft and burgalries.

He later moved to Peterlee, before heading down south to Leighton Buzzard in the 1980s where he worked as a labourer.

In 1984, he began his sickening sexual crimes in addition to his burglaries, starting by breaking into the home of a 75 year old woman and sexually assaulting her.

From hereon he began systemtically breaking into the homes of women and raping them, and even returned to the North East to commit several of these crimes.

His break ins and assaults created a climate of terror in the home counties region which led to residents keeping knives by the door side, using code words to identify each other and even sealing windows shut during hot summer days.

After an investigation involving over 200 officers eventually caught him having identified specks of paint scratched from his car onto nearby bushes, he was sentenced to six life terms for his crimes at St Albans Crown Court in 1985.

The Prison Service said the 72-year-old died on Tuesday at HMP Hull.

Fairley acquired his nickname because he would build dens in the houses he broke into while waiting for the occupants to return.

He prepared and ate meals in their homes, watched television and collected trophies.

Fairley, masked and brandishing a shotgun, would then commit violent attacks including rape and indecent assaults.

At the height of his offending, in the summer of 1984, there were three attacks in one week.

Two hundred officers were involved in the hunt for him.

In a recent ITN documentary, retired Det Ch Supt Brian Prickett, who led the investigation into his crimes, said: “Malcolm Fairley should never come out of prison after all the fear and harm he put into the community.

“He never deserves to be released because I think he’s still a real risk to the public.”

The documentary also revealed Fairley had only recently been eligible for parole board hearings.

HMP Hull said the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman had been informed of Fairley’s death.