One of Britain's most notorious and longest-serving serial killers is preparing to make a fresh bid for freedom, half a century after he was first imprisoned. Patrick MacKay, now 72 and known as the 'Devil's Disciple', is scheduled for a parole hearing in March 2026, sparking fresh anguish for the families of his victims.
A Trail of Brutal Murders and Withdrawn Confessions
MacKay's reign of terror culminated in his conviction for the murders of three people in the mid-1970s. In 1974, he strangled and stabbed 87-year-old widow Isabella Griffiths in her Belgravia home. The following year, he killed 89-year-old Adele Price in Kensington. His most brutal attack saw him murder 62-year-old Catholic priest Father Anthony Crean with an axe in the village of Shorne, Kent, leaving the priest's mutilated body in a blood-filled bath.
MacKay's arrest came just two days after Father Crean's killing, when a police officer recalled the killer had previously been held for stealing a cheque from the priest. At trial, 24 other offences, including robberies and thefts, were taken into consideration. He was jailed for life for manslaughter on grounds of diminished responsibility and has since changed his name to David Groves.
Most chillingly, MacKay confessed to eight additional murders, which have never been solved. He told police his first victim was 17-year-old German au pair Heidi Mnilk, whom he stabbed on a train in South London in 1973. His alleged other victims included a homeless man pushed into the Thames, and Stephanie Britton, 57, alongside her four-year-old grandson. However, he withdrew all these confessions before facing trial.
A Troubled History and Previous Parole Rejection
MacKay's violent tendencies were identified early. Medical professionals noted his psychopathic traits, and he was sectioned at the age of 16, only to be released four years later. His parole journey has been rocky; a bid was rejected just two years ago after it was discovered he had been taking drugs while in custody.
Despite this, he has been held in open prison conditions since 2017, a status that often precedes release. The prospect of his potential freedom has been met with dismay. Vic Davies, 67, the son of alleged victim Ivy Davies, said previously: "It doesn't make sense. There is clearly a desire to get him out of prison and it's a massive gamble."
The Upcoming Parole Decision
The Parole Board has confirmed an oral hearing is scheduled for March 2026. A spokesperson stated that its decision will be "solely focused on what risk a prisoner could represent to the public if released and whether that risk is manageable in the community."
This hearing will determine if Patrick MacKay, after five decades behind bars and with a history of withdrawn confessions to multiple unsolved killings, is deemed safe enough to walk the streets of Britain once more. The outcome will be awaited with intense scrutiny by the authorities and a horrified public alike.
