The Awful Killing of Sarah Watts: A Story of Confessions, Acquittals and Jailbreaks

by Mick Davis, David Lassman

A true crime account of a murdered teen in Victorian-era England, the Scotland Yard sergeant sent to investigate, and the gripping events that followed.Before Road there was Frome . . . before Whicher there was Smith . . . before the heartless slaughter of four-year-old Saville Kent, there was the brutal rape and murder of fourteen-year-old Sarah Watts.Taking place nine years earlier than the Road Hill case, made famous by the bestselling book The Suspicions of Mr Whicher and a subsequent television adaptation, The Awful Killing of Sarah Watts recounts the shocking details of this 1851 murder on an isolated farm near Frome and the incredible events that transpired from it.On Wednesday 24th September 1851, with her parents at market, Sarah Watts was alone at Battle Farm. Sometime during the afternoon, an intruder battered, raped and brutally murdered her.As the case gripped the nation, a London Detective was sent to investigate. The result was three local men—all notorious felons with previous convictions—were arrested and charged; but with a huge reward on offer, were they really guilty or just hapless victims of others’ greed?When they did stand trial, it set in motion a series of riveting events that culminated a decade later in a sensational confession; but was this confessor’s sanity to be questioned and were they even in the country at the time of the murder?For the very first time, this sensational story is told in full-length book form, with the authors having meticulously researched newspaper accounts, court transcripts, prison records and eyewitness accounts.Praise for The Awful Killing of Sarah Watts“A fascinating account of the murder and the subsequent arrest of three men who might not have had anything to do with the crimes against the little girl; this is a cold case that deserves this attention, and the authors have done the little girl proud!” —Books Monthly

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction

401 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 28, 2018

About the author

Mick Davis was brought up in Plymouth before moving to London and finding gainful employment with one of London’s top criminal defence lawyers covering everything from shoplifting to serial killers. He moved to the Somerset town of Frome permanently in 2006 and now spends his time researching and writing full time as well as volunteering at the local museum and contributing to local publications. His interests include prehistory, archaeology and criminology. He is the author of over 15 books

Reviews

[Nikki Copleston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating crime investigation - and a glimpse of Victorian Frome

This examination of a brutal murder in 1851, at a remote farmhouse near Frome, uncovers not only the various potential suspects but also the dire social conditions in which many of these people lived. Children were whipped for stealing food; men were transported for thefts that might have been their only way of making ends meet in those years before a more benevolent social movement emerged. The authors, acknowledging their debt to Lyndon Thomas's original booklet on the murder of young Sarah Watts, have unpicked the various testimonies and provided a thorough evaluation of the evidence available. Illustrations and a sound bibliography enrich this very readable account of a sordid episode in Frome's history. Recommended to anyone interested in the history of crime in this country.

[Shirley Leavitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just read the true story of the murder of a fourteen year old girl Sarah Watts . The brutal murder and robbery took place in 1851 in a small town called Frome, outside of London at Sarah's farm house while her parents were at the local market selling eggs and fresh goods. Three local men were tried in court but never found guilty. Some of the town's people felt differently about the verdict. It was a very interesting true crime story. the authors had alot of research to cover that many years ago. Scotland Yard was even brought in to investigate the case. I learned how Scotland Yard got started and that was most interesting. I certainly found the book very well written except the subject matter was very sad and tragic.

[Paula Corregan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating book!

This book details the rape and murder of fourteen year old Sarah Watts , in September of 1851 at the home she lived in with her parents, John and Leah Watts outside Frome, Somerset, England. Three well known criminals were tried for the crime but acquitted. This book was well written and meticulously researched by the two authors. I highly recommend this book to other true crime readers.