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Debunking the myth that Peter Tobin was the Bible John serial killer.
The identity of Bible John continues to be of great interest to the people of Scotland and yet no solid evidence has ever been uncovered to establish Bible John’s true identity. One theory claims that the convicted serial killer Peter Tobin was responsible for the murders so we look to examine the evidence and ask the question, was Peter Tobin really Bible John?
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Bible John is thought to have claimed a total of three victims between 1968–1969. His victims were 25 year old auxiliary nurse Patricia Docker on the 23rd of February 1968, 32 year old mother of three Jemima MacDonald on 16th of August 1969 and Helen Puttock aged 29 on the 30th of October 1969. All three murders appeared to follow a clear pattern with severe beatings to the face and death by strangulation. It was this pattern of behaviour that has added certainty to a theory by leading criminologist Professor David Wilson that Peter Tobin is Bible John.
During evidence at Peter Tobin’s trial for the murder of Dinah McNicol, a witness who had accepted a lift from Tobin after a festival he had attended with Dinah, had recalled their conversation with Tobin. Tobin made claims that another festival in the area was “more his style” and he was trying to come across as socially superior similar to the way Bible John did. Professor Wilson believes this was an attempt to put his passengers at ease, the same way in which Bible John did by referring to passages from the bible in the back of that fateful taxi journey in 1969. Professor Wilson claims at the trial Tobin remained expressionless throughout however at this moment, Tobin looked up from the box realising the significance of what the witness had just said. Professor Wilson believes that Tobin has a strong resemblance to photofits made at the time. Wilson is confident in this theory and has publicly stated he is willing to put his…
