The chilling legacy of one of Britain's most notorious serial killers is laid bare by the one person who knew him first as a father, not a monster. Suzanne Griffiths, the daughter of the so-called 'Crossbow Cannibal' Stephen Griffiths, has spoken for the first time about the unimaginable trauma of discovering her father's horrific crimes.
In an exclusive and deeply personal interview, Suzanne recounts the moment her world shattered in May 2010. It was then that news broke of her father's arrest for the murder of three women in Bradford, West Yorkshire. The man she knew was charged with the murders of Suzanne Blamires, Shelley Armitage, and Susan Rushworth, sending shockwaves through the nation and forever branding him a depraved killer.
'My life just ended that day,' Suzanne reveals, her voice heavy with the weight of a past she can never escape. 'I saw his face on the news and my whole world collapsed. It's a pain that never goes away.'
Her story is one of a life sentenced to a different kind of prison—one of grief, shame, and relentless public association with unspeakable evil. She describes the immediate aftermath: being thrust into a media storm, the crushing stigma of her surname, and the desperate need to hide her identity for her own safety.
A Childhood in the Shadow of Darkness
While Suzanne admits her father was a strict and often frightening presence during her childhood, she had no inkling of the depths of his depravity. 'He was very clever, very manipulative,' she states, reflecting on the dual nature of the man who raised her.
Now a mother herself, her greatest fear is the moment she must explain her family's dark history to her own son. 'How do I tell him about his grandad? That's going to be the hardest thing I'll ever have to do,' she confesses, highlighting the intergenerational trauma his actions have caused.
Confronting the Monster
For years, Suzanne grappled with unanswered questions. She finally confronted the source of her pain in 2016, visiting her father in the maximum-security Wakefield Prison, where he is serving a whole-life tariff. The encounter was as chilling as it was revealing.
'He wasn't sorry,' she says, a stark finality in her words. 'He asked me if I wanted to know the truth, but I didn't. I didn't want those images in my head.' This meeting confirmed her father's remorseless nature and solidified her decision to permanently sever all ties, choosing to protect her own mental peace over a relationship with a man who showed no humanity.
By sharing her story, Suzanne Griffiths aims to reclaim her identity and show that she, like the families of his victims, is a survivor of Stephen Griffiths' catastrophic actions. Her powerful account is a testament to resilience in the face of unimaginable adversity.
