David Fuller: Double murderer pleads guilty to more mortuary sexual abuse

David Fuller pleaded guilty to the murders of Wendy Knell and Caroline Pierce during his previous trial

A former hospital electrician has pleaded guilty to abusing the bodies of 23 women over a 13-year period.

David Fuller, previously from Heathfield in East Sussex, appeared at Croydon Crown Court on Thursday.

The 68-year-old admitted 12 counts of sexual penetration of a corpse and four counts of possession of extreme pornography between 2007 and 2020.

Fuller received two whole-life tariffs in December 2021 after murdering Wendy Knell and Caroline Pierce in 1987.

Fuller beat and strangled the two women before sexually assaulting them in two separate attacks in Tunbridge Wells, Kent.

He was also given concurrent sentences of 12 years after pleading guilty to sexual offences against 78 dead women and girls between 2008 and 2020.

Wendy Knell and Caroline Pierce were murdered in 1987

Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb said Fuller, who appeared in court by video-link from HMP Frankland, must appear in person when she sentences him in the week starting 5 December.

He is likely to be sentenced at the Old Bailey, the judge said.

Prosecutor Michael Bisgrove said victim personal statements were being prepared.

"There are many family members of the victims who would like to attend court in one way or another, some of whom who would wish to read their victim personal statements to the court," he said.

Fuller's office, where millions of images of his abuse were found on hard drives, discs, USB sticks, and in hard copies

Fuller had filmed himself abusing corpses in the now-closed Kent and Sussex Hospital and the Tunbridge Wells Hospital, in Pembury, where he had worked as an electrician since 1989.

Kent Police said an investigation had led to evidence relating to a total of 101 victims and the latest charges relate to the 23 remaining victims, all of whom were deceased adult women - 10 have not been identified.

Libby Clark from the Crown Prosecution Service, said: "Fuller's actions were depraved, disgusting and dehumanising, on a scale that has never been encountered before in legal history.

"It was vital for us to bring these additional charges for the women we could identify, and those we sadly couldn't, to reflect his offending and bring justice for the families that we can.

"The horrors of this case will no doubt remain with everyone who has worked so tirelessly to bring the case to a close."

The charges

Fuller has pleaded guilty at Croydon Crown Court to:

• Ten charges under section 70 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 relating to offences involving 10 identified victims

• Two charges under section 70 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 relating to offences involving three unidentified victims

• Two charges under section 63 of the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008 relating to the possession of extreme pornography in connection with 13 identified victims

• Two charges under section 63 of the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008 relating to the possession of extreme pornography in connection with 10 unidentified victims

The government has announced an independent inquiry into how Fuller went undetected until being arrested for what have been dubbed the "bedsit murders" on 3 December 2020 following new analysis of decades-old DNA evidence.

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