COLIN EVANS CHILD KILLER FROM DAGENHAM AND READING COULD BE RELEASED EARLY

In a chilling case that has shocked the communities of Dagenham and Reading, Colin Evans, a man with a long history of sexual offenses against children, was convicted of the brutal murder of four-year-old Marie Payne. The tragic events unfolded in March 1983, when Evans lured the young girl into his vehicle outside her home in Dagenham. Instead of simply abducting her, Evans subjected Marie to a horrifying sexual assault before fatally striking her over the head with a fallen branch, fracturing her skull. Following the attack, he stripped her of her clothing and buried her body beneath leaves in Epping Forest, a somber act that marked the beginning of a series of further atrocities.

Three days after the initial murder, Evans returned to the scene, exhumed Marie’s body, and committed acts of mutilation by inserting pieces of wood into her private areas. He also took several photographs of her mutilated remains, a macabre act that underscored the depravity of his crime. The young girl’s body was not discovered until 14 months later, when police finally located her remains after Evans was arrested for attempting to abduct other children. His arrest came after he made three more attempts to kidnap young children, which ultimately led to his confession and the police uncovering the location of Marie’s burial site.

During the investigation, authorities found disturbing evidence in Evans’s bedsit, including children’s books, two wigs hidden behind a radio, and a collection of sickening photographs depicting young girls, including images of Marie lying dead on an empty fertiliser bag. Despite the severity of his crimes, Evans’s case was marred by police missteps. A crucial witness, an elderly neighbor who saw a man sitting in a yellow car outside the victim’s house on the day of the abduction, was dismissed, and numerous other witnesses claimed to have seen Marie later that afternoon. Furthermore, Evans was not questioned about Marie’s disappearance when he was arrested six weeks later for indecent assault on a young girl from Reading.

Evans, often referred to as “the evil Pied Piper,” had a notorious criminal record dating back to the 1960s, with multiple convictions for sexual offenses against children. He served over 13 years in prison for these crimes. The case prompted outrage from the public and officials alike, with Sir Gerry Vaughan, then MP for Reading East, calling for an inquiry into how Evans was able to work as a babysitter for Berkshire Social Services in 1982. It was also revealed that Evans had sought psychiatric help to control his sexual urges long before the murder, but his requests were denied by medical professionals.

Following his conviction, Marie Payne’s parents, John and Brenda Payne, expressed their heartbreak and anger, insisting that Evans deserved to be “locked up for life.” They even called for the reintroduction of the death penalty, emphasizing the heinous nature of his crimes. The trial judge, Mr Justice Kenneth Jones, described Evans as “an evil, unfeeling man and a great danger to young children,” and recommended that he serve at least 30 years behind bars, with the expectation that he should spend the rest of his life in prison or remain incarcerated until his sexual drive was naturally removed.

However, in a recent review at London’s Royal Courts of Justice, Mr Justice Owen decided to reduce Evans’s minimum tariff from 30 to 27 years. This decision was based on Evans’s guilty plea, which indicated some degree of remorse, and the fact that he had already served time on remand. The ruling means that Evans, now aged 68, can apply for parole as early as 2011, provided he convinces the parole board that he is no longer a threat to society. Nonetheless, the judge emphasized that Evans would remain on a perpetual “life licence,” subject to recall at any time if he breaches the conditions of his release. The case underscores the ongoing debate about justice, public safety, and the rehabilitation of offenders involved in such heinous crimes.