The Truro Serial Murders

The Trial

At his trial in February 1980, Miller pleaded not guilty to seven counts of murder. He sat quietly as the prosecution tore his defence apart. The Crown prosecutor, Mr B. J. Jennings, was merciless in his attack, claiming that Miller and Worrell had 'lived, worked and indeed committed murder together'.

He alleged that it was a joint enterprise that they pick up girls and murder them. "He referred to the girls as "rags". That was the attitude that led him to throw in his lot with Worrell," he said. "No rapist and murderer could have had a more faithful or obliging ally."

Mr Jennings continued; "You will never know the truth but have no doubt that it is a horrible truth that these young women were murdered because they were going to point the finger at the young man who tied them up and sexually abused them. They could also point the finger at the older man who ignored their plight and their terror. If a man assists another by driving him to a place where a girl is going to be raped and killed, then he is guilty of murder."

It was obvious, Mr Jennings said, that no one could possibly believe the girls had been willing partners in their own murders and that Worrell had never used any force. This was what Miller would have the court believe. Mr Jennings went on to say that the Crown rejected the claims that Miller had played no part in the sexual prelude to the girl's deaths. He said that three of the victims had been dumped partly clothed.

They were Tania Kenny, who was found only in a shirt; Vicki Howell, who was found only in shorts and Deborah Lamb who was buried only in pantyhose. Counsel for the defence, Mr K. P. Duggan, QC, said that there was a tendency to use Miller as a scapegoat: "He was just waiting for Worrell and there was no joint enterprise as far as he was concerned. Miller had found himself in one of the oldest relationship problems in the world that of the involvement in the wrongdoing of someone else. He was trapped in a web of circumstance. Although Miller admits that he handled the situation incorrectly, he maintains that he is not a murderer."

The jury did not agree with the defence and on March 12, 1980 Miller was found guilty of six counts of murder. He was found not guilty of the murder of the first victim, Veronica Knight. The jury agreed that he did not know that Worrell intended to murder the girl.

Mr Justice Matheson sentenced Miller to the maximum term of six life sentences. As Miller was led from the court, he snarled at Detective Sergeant Lawrie: "You filthy liar, Lawrie — you mongrel".