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Why the gruesome murders and disputed sentence of serial killer Peter Manuel still fascinate us 60 years on

13 March 2018

In 1958 Peter Manuel was hanged in Glasgow’s Barlinnie prison for the murder of seven people. His infamous trial is the subject of author Denise Mina’s novel, The Long Drop, now serialised for Book at Bedtime.

Manuel had been a violent and sadistic man with previous convictions for rape and sexual assault. And while his death sentence was passed for the murder of seven, it is believed he killed many more.

But the story of Peter Manuel continues to fascinate, particularly since .

It has been suggested that had Manuel’s psychopathic personality been given sufficient weight in court, the outcome may have been different.

Documents relating to the case have been sealed until 2033, further fueling the macabre appeal of Peter Manuel’s case.

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