JAMES Saunders is a notorious child rapist who is also known by the nickname “Wolfman”.
He gained infamy for escaping from Broadmoor Hospital on more than one occasion and is featured in the new Channel 5 true crime docuseries Broadmoor: For the Criminally Insane.
AlamyConvicted child rapist James Saunders, also known as the ‘Wolfman’[/caption]
Who is James Saunders?
James Saunders, who went by the aliases Phillip Pritchett and Dean Reynolds, is a convicted child rapist.
He was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1985 for raping two girls aged 11 and 15.
Saunders was detained at Broadmoor Hospital — a high-security psychiatric facility in Berkshire, England.
Escapes from Broadmoor
He escaped from Broadmoor Hospital on two occasions in the early 1990s, causing significant concern and public outcry.
One of his breakouts saw Saunders go on the run after sawing through a one-inch-thick steel bar and squeezing out of a third-floor shower room.
After one of his escapes, Saunders gave himself up without a struggle after a constable on foot patrol spotted him walking along a road in Dorset clutching a fishing rod and blanket.
The police officer followed Saunders at a distance and called for assistance.
After his arrest, Saunders was taken to Weymouth station where he was identified by Broadmoor staff.
William Waldegrave, the Health Secretary at the time, announced an urgent inquiry into the escape.
Chairman of the Prison Officers’ Association at the psychiatric hospital, George Temple, warned that a mass break-out could easily have taken place because the security was so lax.
GettyAn aerial photograph of Broadmoor Hospital just outside Crowthorne in Berkshire[/caption]
“Most of the staff have been waiting for something like this to happen,” he said.
Nickname
Saunders was given the nickname “Wolfman” after he lived in the wild for three weeks while on the run.
The explanation behind the moniker is reportedly down to his skill at living in the wilderness.
The other patient complained when he found out she was having sex with someone who was HIV-positive at the same time as him
Broadmoor Hospital source
Sex in the laundry room
In October 2010, it was reported that a nurse at Broadmoor quit over allegations she had sexual relationships with two inmates — one of whom was the Wolfman, who is HIV positive.
A hospital source told the News Of The World: “The nurse and Saunders regularly met in the laundry room for sex.
“The other patient complained when he found out she was having sex with someone who was HIV-positive at the same time as him.”
AlamyJames Saunders pictured on his way back to Broadmoor following his escape and recapture in Weymouth[/caption]
The newspaper reported that bosses found intimate love letters she had written before escorting her from the premises.
A Broadmoor spokesman said: “We can confirm a staff member was suspended and then resigned following serious allegations.”
Broadmoor: For the Criminally Insane
The Wolfman is featured in the fourth episode of Channel 5‘s documentary series Broadmoor: For the Criminally Insane.
The description of the episode on My5 reads: “Broadmoor’s walls have held dangerous criminals and infamous escapees like The Wolfman.
“This episode explores those who reintegrate, like Joshua, and those, like Ronnie Kray, who never expect to leave.”
You can catch the episode at 10 pm on Monday, November 11, 2024.
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