ROBERT BLACK, THE ALL AREAS CHILD KILLER, TO OPEN UP ON TV ABOUT HORRIFIC CRIMES IN NORTHUMBERLAND AND BEYOND

In a development that has stirred mixed emotions among the families of his victims, Robert Black, the notorious child murderer known for his heinous crimes across various regions, is set to appear in a television documentary where he will confess to some of his most horrifying acts. The program, scheduled to air on Channel 5, is part of the series 'Killers Behind Bars' and will be broadcast tomorrow night from 8 to 9 pm.

Black, a convicted serial killer responsible for the abduction and murder of at least four children, is the focus of this upcoming episode. Criminologist Professor David Wilson will delve into the possibility that Black's criminal activities extend beyond the four confirmed murders, exploring links to two long-unsolved cases in the United Kingdom. The episode aims to shed light on the true extent of Black’s crimes, which have haunted communities for decades.

Among those affected are the parents of Susan Maxwell, a young girl from Northumberland who was abducted and murdered in 1982. Susan’s parents, Liz and Fordyce Maxwell, who reside in Berwick, have expressed their conflicted feelings about the upcoming broadcast. Mrs. Maxwell stated yesterday, “We have not decided whether we are going to watch it yet. We have very mixed feelings. It is very upsetting.”

On July 30, 1982, Susan left her home in Cornhill-on-Tweed, Northumberland, to play tennis in Coldstream. Tragically, she was abducted near her residence by Robert Black, who then subjected her to sexual assault and strangulation before disposing of her body along a roadside near Uttoxeter in Staffordshire, approximately 250 miles away. Black, who was 65 at the time of the broadcast, was later convicted of her murder, along with those of Sarah Harper, aged 10, and Caroline Hogg, aged 5. In 1994, he received a sentence of 10 life terms at Newcastle Crown Court.

Black’s criminal activities spanned several years, with his killing spree ending in 1990 when he was caught in the act of kidnapping a six-year-old girl in Scotland. Police found her in a sleeping bag, hooded, bound, and gagged inside his van in the village of Stow. His arrest marked the end of his reign of terror, but justice for some victims was delayed for decades. For instance, the family of Jennifer Cardy, a nine-year-old girl from Northern Ireland, endured a 30-year wait before Black was finally sentenced to life imprisonment for her murder. Jennifer was abducted while cycling to a friend’s house in the quiet village of Ballinderry, County Antrim, on August 12, 1981. Her body was discovered six days later in a dam behind a lay-by in Hillsborough, County Down.

The upcoming episode of 'Killers Behind Bars' will feature interviews with Robert Black, recorded at Aberdeen’s Peterhead Prison, where he is currently incarcerated. The program aims to provide a detailed account of his crimes, his motives, and the extent of his criminal activities, which have left a lasting scar on multiple communities across the UK.