Peter Bryan | Morbid | Podcast
- Nov 18, 2024
- 55:02
- Full Episode
On April 25, 2004, Broadmoor Hospital inmate Peter Bryan attacked a killed fellow inmate Richard Loudwell, a man awaiting sentencing for the murder of an eighty-two-year-old woman. The fact that the murder occurred in England’s most famous and supposedly secure psychiatric hospital was shocking, but more shocking was that this was Bryan’s third murder, and the second in as many months. Indeed, just two months earlier, while he was under the care of doctors and social workers in an open in-patient mental health hospital, Bryan left the facility in February and a few hours later he’d killed, dismembered, and partially cannibalized forty-three-year-old Brian Cherry.
Peter Bryan’s murders were highly sensationalized by the press, particularly the tabloids, who fueled the ongoing moral panic over the abysmal state of England’s mental health system. While the reporting did little more than exacerbate the public’s growing anger with the government, they nonetheless highlighted a very important question everyone wanted answered: How was a man with Bryan’s mental health and criminal history able to get released institutional care, and moreover, why was he not under surveillance when he murdered a third time—this time in heavily guarded psychiatric hospital?
References
Bennetto, Jason. 2005. "Care in the community patient sought `buzz' from killing and eating his victims." The Independent, March 16.
Bowcott, Owen. 2009. "Cannibal who killed three had seemed normal, NHS finds." The Guardian, September 3.
Chelsea News. 1994. "Grudge ended in murder." Chelsea News, March 3: 1.
Cheston, Paul. 2005. "Cannibal set free to kill in London." London Evening Standard, March 15.
Feller, Grant. 1993. "Police hunt evil King's Road murderer." Chelsea News, March 24: 3.
Garvey, Geoff, and Peter Dobbie. 1993. "Girl battered to death in King's Road." Evening Standard (London, England), March 19: 73.
Mishcon, Jane, Tim Exworthy, Stuart Wix, and Mike Lindsay. 2009. Independent Inquiry into the Care and Treatment of Peter Bryan - Part I. Mental Health Treatment Review, London, England: National Health Service (NHS).
Raif, Shenai, and Andrew Barrow. 2005. "Triple-killer 'cannibal' told: you'll never be freed." The Independent, March 14.
Tendler, Stewart, and Laura Peek. 2004. "Cannibal fears after body found cut apart." The Times (London, England), February 19. Connect with Wondery http://wondery.com/shows http://facebook.com/WonderyMedia http://twitter.com/WonderyMedia http://instagram.com/WonderyMedia
Brief Summary
Peter Bryan's case reveals a chilling story of cannibalism, mental illness, and systemic failures in mental health care.
Key points
- The London Cannibal. Elena and Ash dive into the chilling story of Peter Bryan, a man whose life spiraled into violence and cannibalism.
- Nisha Sheth's Tragic Murder. Nisha Sheth, a compassionate young woman, becomes the victim of a brutal attack by Peter Bryan.
- Peter's Erratic Behavior. In the week leading up to Nisha's murder, Peter's behavior became increasingly erratic and frightening.
- The Gift Before the Murder. Peter gave Nisha an ornate box full of flowers, which struck Rita as very strange.
- Peter's Disturbing Claims. During psychiatric evaluations, Peter claimed Nisha wanted him to kill her, a shocking and unfounded assertion.
- Peter's Transfer to Rampton. After months of evaluations, Peter was transferred to a high-security psychiatric facility due to his violent tendencies.
Episode highlights
- The London CannibalElena and Ash dive into the chilling story of Peter Bryan, a man whose life spiraled into violence and cannibalism.“We're going to talk about the London cannibal.”0:47Nov 18, 2024
- Nisha Sheth's Tragic MurderNisha Sheth, a compassionate young woman, becomes the victim of a brutal attack by Peter Bryan.“This was a cowardly and horrific attack.”14:15Nov 18, 2024
- Peter's Erratic BehaviorIn the week leading up to Nisha's murder, Peter's behavior became increasingly erratic and frightening.“He would steal items off the shelf regularly and get super aggressive when confronted.”19:35Nov 18, 2024
- The Gift Before the MurderPeter gave Nisha an ornate box full of flowers, which struck Rita as very strange.“I had never seen him be nice or gentle before.”20:00Nov 18, 2024
- Peter's Disturbing ClaimsDuring psychiatric evaluations, Peter claimed Nisha wanted him to kill her, a shocking and unfounded assertion.“He said she wanted me to kill her.”22:44Nov 18, 2024
- Peter's Transfer to RamptonAfter months of evaluations, Peter was transferred to a high-security psychiatric facility due to his violent tendencies.“He was hard to diagnose, with bits and pieces of everything.”26:00Nov 18, 2024
- Peter's Release to the CommunityIn 2001, Peter was transferred to a transitional program, raising concerns about his behavior with women.“His attitudes about women and behavior with female staff were a big source of concern.”33:33Nov 18, 2024
- The DiscoveryA girl finds Peter shirtless and holding a knife, revealing a gruesome scene.“Oh no, when the girl asked where Cherry was, Peter told her, 'Brian Cherry is dead.'”38:51Nov 18, 2024
