A Dark City
Delve into the dark heart of Glasgow, a city with history steeped in mystery and violence. A Dark City takes you behind the headlines to explore the city's most notorious murders - stories that shocked the nation, shattered communities and left scars that still linger. From cold blooded killers to infamous gangland slayings, we uncover the chilling details, the victims stories and the impact on Glasgow's streets.
A Dark City
Peter Manuel
Few names strike fear into the hearts of Scots like Peter Manuel - the Beast of Birkenshaw. Born in New York but raised in Scotland, Manuel's transformation from bullied outsider to Scotland's first documented serial killer represents one of the darkest chapters in Glasgow's crime history.
From 1956 to 1958, Manuel embarked on a killing spree that claimed at least seven lives across Lanarkshire, leaving communities paralyzed with fear. What makes his case particularly disturbing wasn't just the brutality of his crimes, but the cold calculation and bizarre behavior that followed. After murdering the Smart family on New Year's Day 1958, Manuel stayed in their home for nearly a week, eating their food, feeding their cat, and even driving their car around town - at one point giving a lift to a police officer who was searching for another of his victims.
Manuel's arrogance ultimately led to his downfall. When he began flashing crisp new five-pound notes in Glasgow pubs - money stolen from his victims - an observant barman alerted police. The subsequent trial became a media sensation as Manuel, refusing legal representation, defended himself with theatrical flair. His execution in 1958 brought relief to a terrorized region, but many questions remain unanswered. With case files sealed until 2033, we're left wondering about potential accomplices and additional victims who may never receive justice. Was Manuel born evil, or was he shaped by circumstance? The truth may be more complex than we imagine.
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Welcome to A Dark City, the podcast that delves into the shadowy underbelly of Glasgow, a city with a storied past and a reputation for resilience.
Speaker 1:Here we uncover the chilling true stories of serious crimes that have left their mark on the city's history, from notorious gangland wars to unsolved mysteries.
Speaker 1:Join us as we explore the darker side of Glasgow and the people whose lives were forever changed by its crimes. Welcome back to A Dark City, the show where we delve into the darkest corners of true crime history. Today we are exploring the chilling world of Peter Manuel, scotland's first documented serial killer, a man whose ruthlessness earned him the moniker the Beast of Birkenshaw. Between 1956 and 1958, manuel terrorised communities in Lanarkshire and beyond, leaving a trail of bodies and a legacy of fear. His story is one of violence, cunning and a relentless pursuit by one determined detective. Therefore, we invite you to join us as we unravel the tale of a killer who haunted Scotland's nightmares. This is the Beast of Berkenshaw.
Speaker 1:Peter Thomas Anthony Manuel was born on March 13th 1927, in Manhattan, new York, to Scottish parents. His family had emigrated to the United States during the Great Depression, seeking the American dream. However, this aspiration proved elusive. His father fell ill, finances dwindled and by 1932, the Manuel family had relocated back to Scotland, settling in Berkenshaw, lanarkshire. At the tender age of five, peter exhibited an unsettling aura. As a child, manuel was a target for bullies due to his small stature, wiry, build, outsider status and American accent. This may have contributed to the development of his anger. By the age of ten, he was already known to the local police as a petty thief, having stolen from neighbours and broken into sheds. However, this behaviour was not merely childish mischief. It exhibited a darker undertone. At 15, he brutally assaulted a sleeping woman with a hammer during a break-in, resulting in his first prison sentence. This would not be his last. By his late teens, manuel's criminal activities escalated, housebreaking, transformed into sexual assaults. He spent nine years in Peterhead Prison for a series of attacks, being released in 1953 at the age of 26. Upon his release, he returned to Lanarkshire, but freedom did not rehabilitate him. Instead, it exacerbated his criminal tendencies.
Speaker 1:On January 2nd 1956, the body of 17-year-old Anne Canilans was discovered on a golf course near East Kilbride. She had been brutally beaten to death with a blunt object and her skull had been fractured. Police suspected Manuel as he was out on bail for a nearby burglary, but they lacked sufficient evidence to link him to the crime. Anne's murder marked the beginning of a series of violent acts committed by Manuel.
Speaker 1:Nine months later, on September 17th 1956, manuel struck again with chilling precision In Burnside, lanarkshire. He broke into the home of the Watt family. Marion Watt, her 16-year-old daughter Vivienne and Marion's sister Margaret Brown were asleep. Manuel shot all three members of the family at point-blank range with a revolver. The scene was horrific Blood-soaked beds, a family wiped out in a matter of minutes. At this point the situation becomes peculiar. Matter of minutes.
Speaker 1:At this point the situation becomes peculiar. Marion's husband, william Watt, was away on a fishing trip 90 miles distant in Ardresheg. The police did not accept his alibi no-transcript. Consequently, they arrested him and held him in Barlini Prison for over two months. However, the evidence did not align no firearm, no blood in his vehicle. Subsequently, manuel performed an unexpected action. He composed letters to Watt's lawyer asserting that another prisoner had confessed to the crime, providing details that only the perpetrator could comprehend. Was this a taunt to the police or a details that only the perpetrator could comprehend? Was this a taunt to the police or a display of bravado? We will explore this aspect further. For the time being, watt was released and Manuel reverted to the underworld.
Speaker 1:However, his malevolent intentions persisted by late 1957,. Manuel's bloodlust reached its zenith On December 29, 1957,. Manuel's bloodlust reached its zenith On December 29th 1957, 17-year-old Isabel Cook vanished while en route to a dance in Mount Vernon. Her remains were discovered later interred in a field, but the search for her was extensive, hundreds of police officers combing the area. Concurrently, manuel struck again.
Speaker 1:Just days later, on January 1st 1958, manuel entered the residence of the Smart family in Uddingston. Peter Smart, his wife Doris and their 11-year-old son Michael were asleep. Manuel executed them all in the head, displaying a callous lack of remorse. However, his actions took a chilling turn as he remained in the house with the bodies for nearly a week. During this time, manuel engaged in disturbing behaviour, including consuming their leftovers, including hogmanay scraps from New Year's celebrations, feeding their cat and even driving their car around town. Notably, he provided a lift to a police officer searching for Isabel Cook, engaging in casual conversation while the Smart family lay lifeless. This incident stands out as a macabre performance where Manuel reveled in his actions, concealing his true nature. In plain sight, however, his arrogance was about to meet its downfall. Sight, however, his arrogance was about to meet its downfall.
Speaker 1:The breakthrough in the case occurred due to a seemingly mundane factor money. Peter Smart had withdrawn seven crisp five-pound bank notes from the bank for a holiday. After the murders, these notes were mysteriously missing. Days later, a Glasgow barman noticed a peculiar individual Manuel paying for drinks with brand new fivers. Suspicious of this behaviour, the barman promptly informed the police. Through their investigation, the police traced the serial numbers on the banknotes back to Smart's withdrawal. This crucial piece of evidence led to the arrest of Manuel on January 13th 1958.
Speaker 1:Arrest of Manuel on January 13, 1958. During interrogation, manuel displayed a remarkable level of cockiness, vehemently denying any involvement in the murders. He even smirked at the detectives, displaying a complete lack of remorse. However, the evidence against him was overwhelming. A button from his jacket was found in a taxi that was subsequently linked to another suspected murder. Additionally, witness statements and the incriminating banknotes provided further proof of his guilt. Detective William Muncy had been pursuing Peter Manuel for several years. Their encounters began during Manuel's early housebreaking days and Muncy recognised this as his long-sought adversary. When Manuel was apprehended, muncy found himself in a cell at the Hamilton police station, face to face with the man he had relentlessly pursued for over a decade. In a later interview, muncie expressed his habit of double-checking his locks, acknowledging Manuel's lingering presence.
Speaker 1:Peter Manuel's trial, which took place in May 1958 at the High Court in Glasgow, was a media sensation, aptly dubbed the trial of the century. Manuel was charged with seven murders, although many believe he was responsible for at least nine, including the unsolved case of Sidney Dunn in 1957. In response to the mounting evidence against him, including his own notebooks detailing a victim's burial, manuel dismissed his legal team and took matters into his own hands. He engaged in a series of wild and incriminating stories, cross-examining witnesses with relentless ferocity. Despite his claims of innocence, the jury remained steadfast in their conviction. His claims of innocence. The jury remained steadfast in their conviction. After a protracted trial that lasted 21 days, manuel was found guilty on all seven counts. On July 11, 1958, at the age of 31, he was executed by hanging at Barlinny Prison. His final meal consisted of fish and chips, tomatoes, tea and a shot of brandy.
Speaker 1:As the noose tightened, glasgow breathed a sigh of relief, finally free from the reign of terror known as the Beast of Birkenshaw. However, the true nature of Peter Manuel's crimes remains shrouded in uncertainty. The case files which are sealed until 2033, may contain further evidence suggesting the involvement of accomplices or the existence of additional victims. The true extent of Manuel's depravity remains an enigma, leaving the public to ponder the chilling question Was he truly a psychopath or was there more to his character than met the eye? Today's exploration delved into the psyche of the Beast of Birkenshaw. If you found this episode engaging, we encourage you to subscribe and provide feedback.
Speaker 2:Thank you.