A tale of two crimes linked to John Cannan

Instead, the lawsuit against Cannan alleged that he took her to a wooded valley known as Dead Woman’s Ditch in the Quantocks in Somerset and killed her there.

Months after Cannan was arrested on suspicion of murder in December 1987, his body was found in a shallow stream in the area more than six months later.

Three weeks after Shirley’s disappearance, a tax disc for her Mini was found in Cannan’s car.

The Mini itself was later discovered painted blue in his garage, and investigators found his thumb print at the flat in Leigh Woods where Cannan was living at the time.

Cannan was charged with the murder of Shirley and his trial began on April 5, 1989.

He also faced eight other charges, including sexual offenses and attempted kidnapping, relating to incidents involving other women.

He was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1989.

In October 2023, a parole board ruled Cannan was too dangerous to be released, and the panel heard he still insists on his innocence and has not participated in any programs to reduce his risk of re-offending.