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Islington police officer Raymond Henry Summers |
Policeman whose murder led to end of the death penalty
50 years on, ‘stark reminder’ of dangers faced by cops
ISLINGTON’s senior police officers have paid tribute to the cop whose murder 50 years ago pushed forward the campaign to end the death penalty.
Ronnie Marwood was hanged for killing PC Raymond Henry Summers in Seven Sisters Road, Holloway, in 1958.
A further 20 people met the same fate before hanging was finally abolished under a Private Members Bill brought by Sidney Silverman MP in 1965.
PC Summers was just 23 and still serving his probation as a new officer when he was stabbed to death by Marwood. Prior to working for the Met, he had served three years in the RAF.
On the night of Sunday, December 14, PC Summers was patrolling by himself when he came across a gang fighting in the street with axes and knives.
The officer, who was 6ft 4ins and considered well able to look after himself, bravely intervened. As he tried to arrest one of the ringleaders, he was stabbed in the back and collapsed.
PC Summers was taken to hospital, but was dead on arrival. It was first thought he had died from a heart attack. It was only when his body was being prepared for a post-mortem examination 12 hours later that a single stab wound was discovered.
The knife had penetrated five layers of clothing and the wound was four inches deep.
Before long the officers investigating his murder found the knife and identified the suspects.
Ronald Marwood, 25, became the prime suspect. He had left his wife and disappeared the day after the murder.
Six weeks later, with his name and picture in the papers, Marwood gave himself up and confessed.
On March 19 1959, Marwood was found guilty of the murder of PC Summers at the Old Bailey and, despite a public outcry, was hanged on May 8.
Within a year of PC Summers’ death, his fiancée, Sheila McKenzie, collapsed and died. She was aged just 21, and was buried alongside him.
Speaking this week, Detective Superintendent David Miveld, of Islington Police, said: “This is a stark reminder of the dangers officers face when fighting crime and protecting the public, though things have moved on significantly since 1958.
“Today, all officers wear stab-proof vests and always carry radios. The nature of PC Summers’ death is particularly poignant in light of the current concern about knife crime.”
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