The murder case of Becky Godden took a convoluted path to justice. Police knew the killer, Christopher Halliwell, and what he had done, but due to investigative irregularities, he initially evaded conviction for her death. Now, 52-year-old Halliwell has been found guilty of strangling the 20-year-old and faces a second life sentence.
The case began in 2003 when taxi driver Halliwell abducted and murdered Miss Godden, a sex worker who disappeared from Swindon. Her disappearance went unsolved until 2011, when another young woman, Sian O'Callaghan, went missing. Halliwell was arrested and admitted to killing Miss O'Callaghan, leading police to her body near the Uffington White Horse in Oxfordshire. He then confessed to also murdering Miss Godden, whose remains were found in Eastleach, Gloucestershire.
However, Detective Superintendent Steve Fulcher, the investigating officer, had not cautioned Halliwell or allowed him access to a solicitor before the confession. A High Court judge ruled this breach of guidelines made the confession inadmissible, and without it, the case for Miss Godden's murder had to be dropped. In 2012, Halliwell pleaded guilty to murdering Miss O'Callaghan and was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 25 years.
New evidence was later gathered, including forensic soil analysis linking tools to Halliwell's garden, a witness who recognised him as a regular of Miss Godden's, and GP records showing injuries after her disappearance. Despite this, Halliwell pleaded not guilty, representing himself at Bristol Crown Court and claiming his confession was false to destroy Mr Fulcher's career. The jury rejected his argument and found him guilty.
Mr Fulcher faced an inquiry by the Independent Police Complaints Commission and later resigned from the force. While Miss Godden's mother praised his methods, her father believed he made a "massive mistake." The case highlights the tension between following guidelines and pursuing justice.
