Reflecting on the Tragic Case

We'll get back to your true crime story in just a moment This podcast is part of the always True Cime netwk home of thousands of episodes exploring gripping true crime cases If you're looking for somewhere to start, check out our recent investigative series, Project Mind Control It uncovers a chilling chapter in history, examining the disturbing experiments carried out on vulnerable people in an attempt to erase and reprogram the human mind featuring testimony from one of the last known survivors of a notorious Canadian psychiatric institution powerful story that's as shocking as it is important. Check out the show and more at alwaysTrue crime. com How does a surgeon harm patients not face prison Underneath Staint Helena's volcanic lush scenery is a shocking, ongoing scandal They did the damage to him. make our life harder than it used to be A surgeon came to help devastation behind I'm Luke Jones. After the Pitcan trials, I headed to a different isolated community to investigate. Listen to the surgeon of S. Helena You've got social dialed in Search is doing its thing. So why do your marketing results look the same as six months ago? That's because you're fishing in the same pond as everyone else. Podcast listeners are a different audience entirely more engaged, harder to reach through traditional channels, and ready to act when someone they trust makes a recommendation We're a caste, and we put them right in front of you Browse thousands of the world's leading podcasts, book host reads or run your own ads, and track every conversion in real time. Same skills you already have, brand new results. Acast Acast d. com slash advertise Quiet morning in september twenty eighteen. A man set off on his usual run through woodland, near his home in a small South Yorkshire village, and never came back. Just hours later, it was found in a ditch brutally attacked, his phone still ringing as his wife desperately tried to reach him What unfolded wasn't a random act of violence. It was something far more calculated Gary Dean was a familiar face in his local area. Keeen Runner, a man of routine someomeone who stuck to the same paths day in, day out. But behind the scenes, tensions had been building for years planes, confrontations, and deeply troubling rumours had turned what should have been a simple neighbour dispute into something much darker In this episode of British Murders with Stuart Blues, we're heading to Silkxtston Common in Barnesley to explore the murder of Gary Dean It's a case that shows just how far things can spiral when anger festers and lines are crossed Because sometimes the people we call neighbors can become the biggest threat of all. Before we begin, please take a moment to follow the show on your podcast platform of Choice. It's a free and simple way to support British murders and helps the show reach a wider audience. Ratings and reviews are always hugely appreciated, and for ad free episodes, early access and a range of exclusive content, you can support the show at patreonot com forward slash British Murders. Most of us at some point in our lives have had a bit of a run in with a neighbor I bet every single one of you listening could tell me a story about a nightmare neighbor But in the grand scheme of things, the issue is usually something small and trivial access noise through the wall, or a dog that barks all day while it's human is at work That second one is something I've experienced myself. Maybe it's a row over parking or debates over who should pay for a boundary fence kindind of stuff that winds you up and maybe leads to a few choice words being exchanged But then you just get on with life Perhaps the relationship sours to the point where you no longer want to speak to your neighbourors and in an extreme case, you or them may even move just to get away from the situation But it very, very rarely goes any further than that Because at the end of the day It's just a disagreement An annoying one granted. part of everyday life Every now and then though, something shifts A line gets crossed and frustration turns into something more personal and vindictive. It becomes intense to the highest degree And before you know it, what started as a simple neighbor dispute spirals into something far more serious And in the case of this story, I'm about to share with you ended In murder Gary Dean is the person whose story I'm telling in this episode. And he was forty eight years old during I'm in timeline, which was in the early autumn of twenty eighteen He was an only child, married and lived a fairly quiet life in Silkstone Common. It's either Silkstone or Silkstone. I'm going with Silkstone, sorry if it's wrong But regardless of how you pronounce it, it's a small village in Barnesley, South Yorkshire quQintessential Yorkshire set in that, known for its scenic countryside and historical mining heritage Silkston Common offers visitors access to the Transpenine Trail, a popular route for walking and cycling Rows of terraced cottages, fields dotted around the perimeter of the village, and that sense that everyone knows each other or at least knows of each other Gary lived in village with his wife Caroline, their home being one of the aforementioned terrace cottages located at Mornd houses peopleople were great together peers can be And for the most part, it seems as though they just got on with life all the while enjoying each other's company and looking ahead to their future together Caroline worked as the head teacher at Hunningley Primary School So she had a big job on her hands with a bucket looader responsibility attached Gary, on the other hand, stayed home. He didn't work, but his days were far from empty He had routines, interests, and he stuck to him religiously Now it's important to talk about Gary properly here becausecause it matters for understanding what happened later and provides context as to why Onie Caroline went to work. Garary was on the autistic spectrum That's not speculation on me taking an assumptive leap They actually came up in the court during his killer sentencing And, like with a lot of people on the spectrum, it shaped how he experienced the world around him I must state for the record my knowledge of autism. It's not as great as I'm sure it is with many of you listening Please know that I am doing my best to be respectful while using the correct terminology as best I can As for Gar, it's on record in the Judge's sentencing remarks that he could be difficult at times I'm not intending to say that in a harsh way, by the way, it's just the reality of the situation and a direct result of his autism His condition meant that he sometimes struggled with things like emotional regulation, especially when it came to situations that he couldn't control. But that's only part of the picture Because alongside that, Gart was also known as a keen sportsman He loved running The point of it being an obsession And he was also very fond of cycling But the run in was his main thing And his weren't just casual jogs around the block either, trying to get himself from the couch to complete in a five K part of a local running club. tenennis and footpath runners And if you're ever up early enough on a weekend, I'm sure you've seen such groups out and about Dedicated to the activity, turning up comeome rain or shine ly make the way up hills and through rugged terrain that most people or self included, wouldn't dream of even walking through The people who ran with Gare had a lot of respect for him They described him as a gentleman when they raced He was quiet, focused, and kept himself to himself P was always fair He also had a very specific interest in diesel trains And again, that fits with what we know about autism focused interests that bring comfort and structure I know a lot of this may sound stereotypical And I'm not trying to paint everyone on the spectrum with the same brush I know from speaking to people who listen to this show that everyone is different. But for Gary Those were the things E had keen interest in To tell you the truth though it wasn't all sunshines and rainbows, as with most things, because there were challenges which required managing given Gary's condition He was extremely sensitive to noise Loud, sudden sounds could really affect him times where his behavior because of that, came across as unusual or even antisocial to people who didn't understand what was going on or had no knowledge of his condition He'd sometimes confront people if he felt overwhelmed but it was never done in a violent way. Still, it was sometimes enough that it could make people uncomfortable if they didn't know the full story. And that's the key thing to remember here Once people understood why Gary behaved the way he did, Most of them became a lot more patient with him. But it were those not in the know and perhaps not even considering the possibility that Gary may be autistic who ultimately led to his life ending the way it did. Gary wasn't an aggressive man by any stretch. That's probably the last adjective you'd use to describe the guy based on my research It wasn't someone looking for trouble If anything, it was the opposite Eccentric, yes, A bit introvert Maybe misunderstood at times But at the end of the day Harmless In fact, if Gary ever did confront someone, it was usually in situations where he knew he could back away if needed He required an escape route or a safety net as it were, because he'd struggle in certain moments to hold back his feelings Even so, Gary was by all accounts a lovely guy who wouldn't arm a fly So with that context set, Let's now discuss where things start to go really wrong, and that is putting it lightlyight. We know he was an avid runner. But the odd five or ten K wasn't the limit for him He lived and breathed that hobby Yesterday, as you listen to this was the twenty twenty six London Marathon The twenty six point two mile race was one Gary had competed in a whopping eighteen times according to one source It's seriously impressive to run any marathon just once So if that reporting is accurate then Garret were truly up there with the best of the best amateur long distance runners. Honestly, I can't begin to explain how much graft and discipline it takes to run a marathon It's a mindset that most people, including me just do not have. So every morning without fail, Gary would head out on his run. teeen played a big part in his life, so each time he'd do the same run using the same paths. He'd go through the woodland near his home, often using an area called Baga Wood According to the Woodland Trust, it's sixty seven point five six acres in size or twenty seven point three four hectares, if you're that way inclined And it's described as a rural haven There are even pine trees on the higher of the northwest facing slopes press placed by the sounds of it deal for a morning run or dog walk But here's the problem with what Gary would doing Parts of the trail he used ran across land owned by his neighbourors And they didn't exactly appreciate people stepping even a foot onto their property. It's crucial to note that there was a public right away across that land But like with a lot of these paths, if you step even slightly off the exact route even by accident You're technically on private land That's where things start to boil over And for whatever reason, Gary became the focus of the property owner's anger Plenty of people use those trails and there's no way Gary was the only one who strayed from the path now and then But it was seemingly only him and therefore his wife who was singled out Whether that was because of his behavior, his routines Or the fact he maybe didn't realize when he'd crossed a line. He might have done it more than most. We can't say for certain What do know though is this wasn't a one off disagreement. quickly escalated into years of harassment When I use that strong term harassment, I don't mean a few arguments over offence, chasing someone and shouting at them to get off your property I mean a sustained, nasty campaign against Gary and Caroline Their home was targeted, the car were vandalized. They were followed and threatened At one point their house was even invaded. Bizarrely, the people at the center of all this were a mother and son duo called Carol and Scott Dawson I do usually refer to the perpetrators in the cases I cover by their surnames only, but in this situation, to avoid confusion, I'll be calling them Scott and Carol going forward, or simply the Dawsons They'd bought some land in Silkxtston Common after coming into some money. They didn't farm it themselves, but they did own it and they were very protective over it Overip prrotective is perhaps a more accurate way of describing it. According to them, the issues with Gare started around twenty fourteen and seemed to come out of nowhere because they didn't even know him But instead of trying to sort things out like adults or even just having a conversation with Gary, as we've covered, once people got to know him, they understood his actions better Things escalated fast One of the most disturbing parts of this whole story is the rumours those two spread about the man they had such disdain for At some point a letter was sent to Caroline's workplace, accusing Garriott of being a paedophile claiming he was luring children into the woods I couldn't actually believe that when I read it. The low depths some people are prepared to go to to get their own way It's so often beyond comprehension. I mean, imagine sending such a letter to a school That's not just an insult or exchange of bad words, is it? That's the kind of accusation that can destroy lives Because people typically think that there's no smoke without fire Rumors can be so hard to dispel once they've spread A safeguarden investigation was launched on the back of that claim as you'd expect. I mean, as I say it was sent to a school and accused the husband of the head teacher of being a paedophile But it found absolutely nothing No evidence of any wrongdoing, no history of child abuse or anything along the lines of what was suggested Gary had never done anything inappropriate with children. I want to make that clear And yet, the damage from something like that It doesn't just disappear overnight As the rumors spread, harsh consequences followed from people who took it at face value We're going to take an ad break here. when we return, we'll discuss the horrifying moment when Gary and Caroline's house was broken into while they were asleep inside. See you soon How does a surgeon harm patients and not face prison Underneath Stain. Helena's volcanic lush scenery is a shocking, ongoing scandal. They did the damage to you. make our life harder than it used to be A surgeon came to help devastation behind I'm Luke Jones. After the Pitcan trials, I headed to a different isolated community to investigate. Listen to the surgeon of S. Helena. Quick question, When was the last time a display ad changed your mind Now think about the last time a friend told you about something they loved. Different feeling, right? That's how podcast advertising works. A host who's built real trust with their audience talks about your brand in their own words in their own voice. It doesn't interrupt the experience. It's part of it. With ACast, you can access the world's largest podcast marketplace Choose the right shows, the right audiences, the right format. Then watch the data tell you it worked. You're not buying impressions. You're buying influence. Learn more by visiting aast d. com slash advertise Welcome back. Let's now carry on with the story In june twenty seventeen, things took another terrifying turn when four youths forced their way into Gart and Caroline's home one evening They smashed the way inside while Gary were asleep downstairs, and three of them went straight for him The fourth member of the group went upstairs and attacked Caroline, leaving her with a broken nose. During the attack, one of them shouted Where are you, you dirty bastard I mean, that didn't come out of nowhere, that language does it pure hatred for a man they believed to be a child predator. an emotion which had been planted there by the couple's vindictive neighbours It is widely believed those attacks were fulleled by the rumours being spread about Gare. And as if all that wasn't enough, their house was also daubbed with graffita Words like Pedo and other offensive terms were spread across their home Imagine waking up to that Now Gary himself wasn't completely without quirks in all this. We've sort of covered it, but Nothing justifies what we've just gone through At one point he'd been building scarecrows in the woods on land that wasn't his, whichich was strange behaviour without question. Caroline were clear about that She said he never meant any arm by it Phaps it was his way of getting back at the Dawsononss Only he knows for sure For whatever the reason, it would just one of those things if ferted on But to the Dawss, they all added up They made repeated complaints to the police via phone Calls that were later played in court showed just how hostile and frankly malicious their attitude had become painted Garary as a constant nuisance, someone damaging their property Someone who needed dealing with Eventually, Gary himself ended up in court. In twenty seventeen, he appeared at Barnsley Magistrates after the Dawsons pursued a legal claim. The case against him didn't stick He was acquitted and rightly sow But a restraining order was put in place to stop any direct or indirect contact between him and the Dawss I find it odd that such a thing was granted, but It was And for a short time after that, while the dust setled, things seemed to calm down But underneath it all, the resentment held by the Dawss was still there, slowly bubbling away Scott in particular was known to have a foul temper I don't mean he got a bit snappy just had a bit of a short fuse I'm talking frequent, violent and explosive outbursts He were the kind of guy who looked like you were just waiting for an excuse to cause trouble A molehill would be all it took for him to make a situation into a mountain And despite the court case and the granting of a restraining order, the tension between the parties didn't go away Gary kept running Sticking to his routines And yes, at times that meant crossing the boundary briefly, or going near their land. There were also reports of small fires being started near the area, supposedly by Gart. Now whether that was down to him, reports suggest it was. It's not clear why he did it But again, based on what we know about Gart There's no way he'd have meant anything by it But to the Dawss, it was the final straw And by the summer of twenty eighteen They'd had enough They felt the authorities hadn't done anywhere near a sufficient job sorting the situation out. So in their minds, they had no option but to take the law into their own hands In early september twenty eighteen, they saw Gart as an ongoing problem an irritant that wasn't going away So they armed themselves, getting hold of an air rifle which was kept at Carol's home, which she shared with a son But it didn't stop there. They started forming a plan which would soon end their problems with Garary once and for all. They worked out Caroline's schedule scoping out the couple's home and making note of her weekday routine They knew when Caroline was out, when Gary would be alone, and they also knew about his religious morning runs Dawson' talked about using not just the rifle to exact their revenge on Gary but other weapons too including a metal pole. So based on all that preparation the impending attack clearly wasn't a spur of the moment thing deliberate and premeditated to the highest degree onene fueled by years of anger bitterness and frustration at the perceived lack of interest from the authorities Then, on september fifth, twenty eighteen, another fire was started in the woodland near a Sile close to the Dawson's land And once more, it's believed Gary was responsible why he did it We'll never know But in the minds of Carool and Scott Dawson, that was the final justification they needed to end Gary's life We've now arrived at Thursday september sixth, twenty eighteen. The morning everything changed Like any other day, Gary got up and stuck to his running routine Caroline saw him that morning as she headed off to work and he was dressed exactly how you'd expect Trainers on, beige cargo shorts, then ones with the big side pockets, and a bright red running top. A sort of half and half deal with red across the top and black on the bottom Nothing out of the ordinary so far but unbeknownst to Gare It wasn't a normal morning Because while he was setting off, someone else was already in position Carol Dawson She made sure she knew when Caroline had left the house And Carolinea'selflf record noticing something that would later become really important Volkswagen Tigwan parked up in a nearby on House Car Lane. It didn't seem like much at the time But that vehicle we know now belong to Carol. She was inside acting as a lookout Caroline on her way to work and Gary heading off on his pre brereakfast run. the lead and put him and his mum's sick and twisted plan into motion. He armed himself with that air rifle I mentioned earlier, as well as a metal pole. And let's face it, you don't take those sort of things out where yet unless you know exactly what you're planning to do with them Nothing good, certainly Somewhere between six fifty and seven hundred twenty that morning, Gary crossed paths with Scott And what followed was quite simply a brutal assault Howardle first shot Gary in the back And after he fell continued. Scott used whatever he could get his hands on and used them as weapons A rock was used as were fallen tree branches He struck Garre over and over again, targeting his head and bder At some point, Gary managed to get away from his attacker, briefly at least He made it as far as a nearby culvert. scrambling along it, badly injured and bleeding, no doubt absolutely terrified and unable to comprehend what was happening. desperately tried to get away, crawling along the ground as they did so The evidence later showed dirt on his hands and knees, suggesting he'd been on all fours, trying his utmost to survive but it didn't get far enough And instead of leaving him there, giving him the smallest chance of survival Scott went after him He followed him deeper into the wooded area and carried on the attack, finishing what he started And just like that Gary Dean. Awards, instead of owning up to what they'd done The Dawss tried to cover it up With Carol's help, Scott began getting rid of evidence, cleaning up what they could They thought they could get away with it There was even talk that they'd planned to come back later with a digger to move Gary's body so they could properly hide it. but they didn't get the chance because not long after the attack Gary were found His body was lying near the Transpenine trail close to Mornd Lane, where a dog walker happened upon his body in a ditch. His phone was actually ringing at the time, hence it caught the dog walker's attention And heartbreakingly, on the other end was a worried Caroline desperately trying to get hold of her husband Gary had severe injuries, many of which were to his head and various other wounds Eir gum pellet was still lodged in his spine and the signs of what he'd been through Cia Postmorton later confirmed he had died from injuries caused by a violent and significant assault When police began their investigation, they quickly formed a view that this wasn't a random attack committed by a stranger simply passing through and choosing a victim at random They believe the person or pers responsible New Gart didn't know to what extent Aeal to the local community for information to anyone who may have seen him that morning, or anyone who knew anything at all that could help catch his killers. And before long, attention turned to the Dawsons given the history between the parties and the location of where Gary were found. then Fortter was brought in on suspicion of murder Harl, meanwhile, who was seventy six, was arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender But even then, they didn't come clean and admit to killing Gareh ed to lie repeatedly cover the tracks and build a story that would keep them out of prison Les such as those don't typically hold up for long though And as the police started putting the pieces together, gathering evidence and checking timelines They began to fall apart. Once they did, the truth of what happened that morning became impossible to hide and the case eventually made its way to Sheffield Crown Court. The murder trial lasted five weeks in total and was presided over by his honor, Judge Jeremy Richardson QC. Over that time, the full picture of what had happened to Gary started to come together The jury were taken back years Sown the build up, the obsession, the anger, becausecause this wasn't just about what happened on that September morning The jury actually heard recordings of the nine hundred and ninety nine calls made by both Carol and Scott And one of them from june twenty seventeen, really stood out Carol could be heard saying it was a nightmare She spoke about the twenty seven acres of land they owned claiming they couldn't move forward with their plans because A Gare She accused him of threatening to set fire to their barn Scott said their gates had been smashed, a styile damaged, and even claimed that Gart had left feces on the path Carol told police they were sitting in their car for hours, watching the land themselves from six in the evening to one in the morning Such was their frustration And in their thought they weren't being taken seriously They also claimed Gary had cost them money They reckoned Ed interfered with plans for land they'd invested heavily in, which led to a loss of around three hundred grand apparently What is the thing Despite all those accusations and everything they said Carol Norscott actually took the stand during the trial They didn't give evidence in their own defense, meaning the jury had to weigh up what they'd heard without hearing from the defendants And in the end, they came to a clear decision