The Guardian from London, Greater London, England • 5

The Guardian Monday August 30 1999 5 National News Otffl Police believe the suspect in the deaths of at least five pensioners enjoyed murdering JamieWilson WI He stran8led. Mrs Boarclman The charges were discon The charges were discontin before attacking her husband Jemima Cargill (left), and Dorothy Harris, who both died in Tires Knoiograpns courtesy Blackpool Gazette A suspected serial killer found hanged in his prison cell after being charged with the murders of five pensioners was yesterday described by the detective who led the investigation as "one of the most dangerous men 1 have ever Stephen Akinmurele, 21, who police believe got a kick out of killing elderly people, was found hanging from clothing attached to his cell bars at Manchester prison on Saturday. He was arrested last November and charged with murdering three people in Blackpool and two on the Isle of Man. Files on at least 10 other cases of sudden death, including a number of fatal fires in Blackpool, were reopened by detectives following Akin-murele's arrest. Detective Superintendent Bob Denmark of Lancashire police said Akinmurele, from the Isle of Man, was a very dangerous and disturbed young man.

"I've interviewed him personally and regard him as one Stephen Akinmurele described by a detective as 'the most dangerous man I have ever met' Hague keeps up pressure on asylum those granted refugee status after appealing against initially negative decisions. Rachel Rees, the council's communications director, said the success of appeal cases highlighted poor initial decision-making, which wasted taxpayers' money. Figures released this month showed that applications hit a new record last month with 6,600 people claiming asylum. But in contrast to Tory claims that numbers were rising because the government had sent out the message that Britain was a "soft the Refugee Council said numbers were affected by civil unrest and wars an argument endorsed by Mr Straw. ued due to legal complexities over his nationality, although the case was due to be reviewed by the Isle of Man attorney general after his trial in Blackpool.

Detectives believe he could have been responsible for at least two other murders on the island. While in custody Akinmurele confessed to three further murders which police do not believe he committed. They suspect he made the false confessions to throw detectives off his real motive for murder that he liked to kill old people. He claimed he had killed a rambler on the Isle of Man and buried his body on a cliff overlooking the sea. Police discovered a gun bearing Akinmurele's fingerprints near the location, but despite extensive digging no body was found.

Akinmurele, who seriously assaulted a police surgeon while in custody, tried to kill himself earlier this year. He left a note saying he regretted what he had done and expressed fears he would have been driven to kill again. with the cosh. "Akinmurele left Mr Board-man for dead, but he recovered and no doubt decided to tackle him," Det Supt Denmark said. "I have no doubt that Mr Boardman put up a terrific struggle in defence of himself and, he believed, his wife." It was Mr Boardman's actions that led to Akinmurele leaving behind incriminating evidence, including the cosh.

In the weeks following his arrest Akinmurele was charged with three more murders, including that of Jemima Cargill, 75, who ran a guesthouse. "Our contention at his trial would have been that he murdered her then set fire to the house to conceal the evidence," Det Supt Denmark said. Akinmurele was also charged with the murder of Dorothy Harris, 68, a partially deaf and blind pensioner who died in a house fire in Bal-lasalla on the Isle of Man in February 1996, and Marjorie Ashton, who died in a house fire in the same town in 1995. PHONE HUSINtiSS Lucy Ward Political Correspondent William Hague will spend the first day back from his holiday tomorrow discussing asylum seekers at a summit of Tory council leaders. The move is seen as a clear signal of Tory determination to maintain pressure on the government over the issue as the number of applications continues to rise.

Mr Hague, returning from a three-week break in the United States, will meet Tory leaders of councils, including Kent and Westminster, at Central Office. The summit reflects Tory strategists' belief that the party has succeeded in scoring direct hits against the government on the issue. The shadow home secretary, Ann Widde-combe, sought to highlight the matter while she stood in for Mr Hague during his break. The Conservatives will seek to press home the message, rejected by home secretary Jack Straw and sharply criticised by campaigners, that Britain is a "soft touch" for asylum seekers. Mr Hague will argue that plans to disperse those waiting to hear the results of asylum applications intended to take the pressure off councils in London and Channel ports will do nothing to tackle the problem of rising numbers.

Details of the Tory strategy emerged as campaigners moved to quash "hysterical" claims that Britain is being inundated with bogus asylum seekers. The Refugee Council said that the latest home office figures showed the legitimacy of many claims, since more than 35 of asylum applications decided last year were granted. The proportion was further swelled to closer to 50 by of the most dangerous men I have ever met, I would always have been concerned about his propensity to kill and the risk he would have posed to other people whether in custody or not," the detective said. Born in Nigeria, Akinmurele, who lived on the Isle of Man until 1996 when he moved to Blackpool to work as a barman, had been due to appear at Preston crown court in September to stand trial for the three murders on the mainland. POSTCODE He was arrested after the bodies of Joan and her husband Eric, 76, were discovered by one of their daughters at their home in Seafield in October.

Mr Boardman's body was lying in the hallway under a toppled wardrobe and his wife's was on the floor in the living-room. Police found a bloody cosh next to Mr Boardman's body bearing Akinmurele's fingerprints. Police believe he entered the couple's home on October 30. PIIONB HOME The council said the only cri sis was with the immigration service's handling of applications. The backlog of cases has risen to almost 83,000 up 28,000 since last year.

Those attending tomorrow's summit include Sandy Bruce-Lockhart, Tory leader of Kent county council; Lord Han-ningfield, Conservative group leader of Essex county council whose region includes Stansted airport and the port of Harwich; and Melvyn Caplan, Tory leader of the Lon don borough of Westminster, where many asylum seekers end up. Last night an aide to Mr Hague said: "Labour's incompetence created a crisis in the asylum system. It failed to heed graphic warnings from council leaders. "Now, forced dispersal of asylum seekers is set to make matters even worse. Labour should solve the problem, not just spread it around the country." "Under Tony Blair, Britain is seen as a soft touch.

Applications have soared, and so have the numbers of people entering the country illegally." feated John Nunn, 44, player and author of world renown. The victory will convince the 150 nations of the world chess body Fide that Britain has a new star. Although it was only five-minute blitz chess, a race of moves against the clock, experts take this form of the game extremely seriously. All the olympiad blitz events have been won by grandmasters, and each offers 500 prize money. The audience of experts yesterday was too stunned to applaud when Dr Nunn resigned.

But David, who learned the game at five, had already shown the promise of a Nigel Short. In a side event at the British Championships in Scarborough this month he defeated the top woman, Harriet Hunt, in a game that broke an age performance record that had stood since 1920. Dr Nunn won a gold medal for England at the 1984 Chess Olympics and wrote a best-selling book on openings. He was the victim of a prodigy 12 years ago when he tied a blitz match with Judit Polgar, then 11, who became the first woman to match the top men, Chess star is born, aged 8 Leonard Barden Chess Correspondent Even in a game known for its prodigies it was a momentous achievement. British chess was hailing a new child star yesterday after a boy aged eight took on England's number five grandmaster and won.

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