Why did Dennis Nilsen plead not guilty?
DENNIS Nilsen was one of Britain's most prolific serial killers.
The necrophile carried out a horrific killing spree on young men and boys between 1978 and 1983 in London, many of whom were vulnerable or homeless.
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Who was Dennis Nilsen?
The serial killer, who was known as the Muswell Hill Murderer, was 35 years into his life sentence when he died.
He claimed he killed 15 or 16 men in the 1970s and 80s, with many of his victims vulnerable boys and homeless.
Nilsen lured his victims back to his flat before he drowned or strangled them.
The twisted Scotsman would then often sit with their bodies for days before he dismembered them, according to reports.
Before his murders surfaced, Nilsen, born November 23, 1945, was a civil servant.
Why did Dennis Nilsen plead not guilty?
Nilsen was arrested in February 1983 after human remains were found blocking the drain of his flat.
But despite confessing to murdering "15 or 16" young men, he was eventually charged with six counts of murder and two of attempted murder.
However, despite his earlier admission, when it came to trial Nilsen pleaded not guilty of the crimes, citing diminished responsibility due to mental defect.
His defence relied on the testimony of two psychiatrists, with his team arguing that he lacked the mental capacity to form the intention to commit murder
How was Dennis Nilsen caught and what was his sentence?
Dennis was only caught when plumbers found human remains blocking the drain of his London flat.
Nilsen confessed to murdering “15 or 16” young men, putting him behind only Harold Shipman as the UK’s most prolific murderer.
He was serving his sentence at maximum security HMP Full Sutton in Yorkshire and was 35 years into his life sentence when he died.
Callous Nilsen had shown little sign of frailty in a sneering letter to a lags’ magazine in January 2018.
After finishing a sex offender course he boasted: “Nothing was revealed that I had not already worked out.”
When did Dennis Nilsen die?
On May 12, 2018, Dennis Nilsen died in prison of natural causes at the age of 72.
It's believed he died from complications following a stomach operation led to the serial killer's demise.
The Prison Service spokesman added: "As with all deaths in custody, there will be an independent investigation by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman."
A source said: “Not surprisingly no tears were shed.”
Britain’s second-worst serial killer was rushed to hospital from his jail cell after complaining of crippling gut pains.
He died shortly after 9am following complications from an emergency abdominal op.
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Who was Jimmy?
The serial killer who died aged 72 wrote about his lover in letters penned from his prison cell.
Reports say he had the fling while at maximum security HMP Whitemoor, in Cambridgeshire.
Nilsen wrote: “My affair was called Jimmy. We were companions.
“The Home Office banned him from visiting me for the rest of our lives. They don’t like ex-cons and they like ex-con p***s even less.
“The prison dept is run by a load of s***s. Prior to Jimmy’s release, they confronted [stole] all 200 of my letters to him.
"That’s the sort of trash they are when dealing with people’s most private property.
“I too am not promiscuous and I’ve come to terms, in many ways, with the isolation and homophobia one feels in prison.