ITV is bringing the horrific crimes of Dennis Nilsen to life in their flagship Autumn drama Des.
The three-part series, which sees David Tennant assume of the role of Nilsen, focuses less on the killer’s crimes and more on his candid confessions, as Detective Peter Jay (Daniel Mays) and biographer Brian Masters (Jason Watkins) try to see past friendly, affable and helpful ‘Des’, and look at the murderer that lies beneath.
Nilsen, called the ‘kindly killer’ as he would lure victims back to his flat under the guise of offering them lodgings, food or alcohol, is thought to have murdered as many 15 people between 1978 and 1983. Because a number of people Nilsen prayed on were homeless or vulnerable in some capacity, not all of his victims have been identified.
Here’s the grisly timeline of Nilsen’s spree which landed him an indefinite life sentence in prison.
The Dennis Nilsen killings
195 Melrose Avenue
Following a troubled upbringing and a string of failed relationships, Nilsen found himself living a mostly isolated existence in 1978, in which he made his first kill.
While living at 195 Melrose Avenue, Nilsen met 14-year-old Stephen Holmes at a local boozer, and after convincing Holmes to come back to his house, Nilsen strangled Holmes before drowning him in a bucket filled with water and keeping the body beneath his floorboards.
His second victim, killed in late 1979, was Canadian student Kenneth Ockenden, who was visiting relatives in the capital. After meeting in a West End pub, Nilsen offered to show Ockenden the sights, which the student accepted. After inviting Ockenden home for more drinks and dinner, Nilsen strangled Ockenden with his headphones before burying the corpse beneath his floorboards.
Nilsen’s third victim was 16-year-old Martyn Duffey, who had found himself in London after hitchhiking. Finding him sleeping rough outside Euston station, Nilsen offered Duffery a bed for the evening and some food, which Duffey accepted. Nilsen then strangled Duffey while he slept and then drowned Duffey by putting his head in the kitchen sink.
After killing Duffey, Nilsen actively began killing more people, with a further five young men killed in 1980. Only one of these men, 26-year-old William Sutherland has ever been identified during this spree.
In 1981, Nilsen is believed to have killed “a young Scot, an English skinhead and a Belfast boy”, with 23-year-old Malcolm Barlow being Nilsen’s final victim in the house before moving to 23 Cranley Gardens. Nilsen had a number of bonfires to dispose of the remains of his victims, often dismembering then beforehand.
23 Cranley Gardens
Nilsen’s new attic flat meant no floorboards or garden, with Nilsen having to find a new way of disposing bodies.
His first victim with 23-year-old John Howlett, who he met at a Leicester Square pub before strangling and drowning him.
Nilsen met second victim Graham Allen in June 1982, as he tried to get a lift home from Soho, before strangling him. Nilsen’s final victim was 20-year-old Stephen Sinclair.
In his flat, Nilsen dissected his victims, keeping various parts of their remains within his property as well as flushing some down the loo. The waste led to a drains blockage, which Nilsen - along with other tenants - complained to his estate agents about. When a plumber saw what looked to be human remains in the blockage, he contacted to the police – which led to Nilsen’s subsequent arrest.
Nilsen confessed to the police about his killings, and was sentenced to life imprisonment. He died in prison in 2018.
Des airs on Monday 14th September at 9pm, and continues throughout the week, on ITV
