WARNING: DISTRESSING CONTENT. The teenager endured a campaign of horrific abuse but was able to bravely tell police who was responsible before her death.
Suzanne Capper was forced to endure a week of fatal torture (Image: MEN Media)
The Christmas period should be a time of joy and happiness spent with loved ones, but in a frightful December week in 1992, 16-year-old Suzanne Capper was held captive, beaten, injected with amphetamines, and burned with cigarettes. Her heinous murder rocked the UK and even reduced jurors to tears as the horrific details of her killing came to light.
The friendly and gentle teenager, from Moston in Greater Manchester, had her whole life ahead of her before she got into a row with six accomplices. Her ordeal began in December 1992 at a time when she was spending an increasing amount of time at the home of 26-year-old Jean Powell. Suzanne spent time babysitting Powell’s three children as she looked for friendship and companionship. However, the terraced house in Moston was a hotbed for anti-social behaviour, attracting people for drug dealing, parties and sex.
As reported by the Mirror, Bernadette McNeilly, a 23-year-old with three children, moved into the home while her boyfriend, 16-year-old Anthony Dudson, was also having a sexual relationship with Powell. Both Jeffrey Leigh and Powell’s younger brother, Clifford Pook, were also regular visitors to the property.
According to Suzanne’s sister Michelle, Powell and McNeilly bullied Suzanne, who would “do anything for them”. The teenager was said to be lonely, with no friends, and was willing to do anything they asked of her.
Both McNeilly and Dudson were convinced that they had caught pubic lice from Suzanne, who regularly slept in their bed, while the former believed the teenager had stolen her pink duffle coat worth around £50. As their fury reached boiling point, they decided to strike on December 7, luring Suzanne from her stepfather’s home to Powell’s house.
Glyn and Dudson were lying in wait, grabbing and holding Suzanne the moment she arrived at the property. They shaved her head and eyebrows before beating her up.
The group then took her to the bathroom and forced Suzanne to shave off her own pubic hair. The vulnerable teenager was then locked in a cupboard overnight as the murderers plotted their next move.
Jean Powell’s home was a hotbed for anti-social behaviour. (Image: MEN Media)
Bernadette McNeilly moved into Jean Powell’s home where she met Suzanne. (Image: PA Archive/PA Images)
Suzanne was held tortured and held captive for six nights
Suzanne was taken to McNeilly’s house on December 8 before being held captive for the following six days and nights. She was tied to a bed base with a cord, rope, electric flex, belts and a chain.
The group made sure no one could hear her screaming by stuffing socks in her mouth. As well as beating and burning her, they also pulled out Suzanne’s front two teeth in a campaign of devastating abuse.
The teenager was forced to lie in her own urine and faeces for days. She was then placed in a bath containing concentrated disinfectant and scrubbed with a stiff brush, using sufficient force to remove her skin.
Glyn Powell was waiting for Suzanne and pinned her down. (Image: MEN Media)
Clifford Pook was Powell’s younger brother. (Image: Jim Duxbury/Shutterstock)
McNeilly sings ‘Burn baby burn! Burn baby burn!’
In the early hours of December 14, Suzanne was forced into the boot of a stolen white Fiat Panda and driven to the outskirts of Stockport. After arriving, she was pushed down a bank and into a patch of brambles.
McNeilly then poured petrol on her and set her alight while singing “Burn baby burn! Burn baby burn!” from The Trammps’ song “Disco Inferno”. Suzanne miraculously escaped and managed to stagger around a quarter of a mile away from the scene where she was found by workmen.
She managed to survive for four days and was able to tell police who was responsible for inflicting her horrific injuries, as well as Powell’s address. She then fell into a coma and died on December 18, 1992.
Jeffrey Leigh was a regularly visitor to Powell’s home. (Image: Jim Duxbury/Shutterstock)
Anthony Dudson helped shave Suzanne’s eyebrows and hair off. (Image: MEN Media)
Six attackers denied murder
All six of the attackers were charged on December 23. However, they denied murder, and their trial began almost a year later on November 16, 1993.
Jean Powell (now Gillespie), who was 26 at the time of the killing, Bernadette McNeilly, 24, Glyn Powell, 29, and Anthony Dudson, 16, were all found guilty of murder. Gillespie, McNeilly, and Powell were sentenced to life with a minimum of 25 years.
Dudson was given a minimum term of 18 years, later reduced to 16. Clifford Pook, Jean’s brother, and Jeffrey Leigh, 27, pleaded guilty to false imprisonment and were given 15 and 12-year sentences, respectively.
Suzanne’s funeral was held on January 18, 1993. (Image: Mirror)
Killers released from prison
The four convicted of murdering Suzanne Capper have since been released from prison despite an active campaign from the victim’s family. They were:
- Anthony Dudson (16 at the time of the murder) was released in 2013.
- Bernadette McNeilly was paroled in 2015.
- Jean Gillespie (formerly Powell) was released in 2017.
- Glyn Powell was the last to be released, paroled on licence in May 2023.
They were each released on a perpetual life licence, which means they are now subject to supervision. They will be recalled to prison if they breach their licence conditions or commit another crime.
