Solicitor casts light on murder plot that 'claimed 11 victims'

A retired solicitor has uncovered evidence suggesting that a group of 19th century murderers may have killed up to 11 more people.

Angela Brabin, formerly a Merseyside-based sole practitioner (who practised as Angela Hewett), discovered the evidence while researching her MA in women's history at Liverpool University.

Margaret Higgins and her sister Catherine Flanagan were hanged in 1884 for poisoning Margaret's husband Thomas.

Suspicion fell on the women when they collected a large life insurance claim for the deceased.

However, Ms Brabin has discovered evidence showing that at least nine other women were involved in the scheme.

Her study - to be published in the October issue of History Today - shows that the Flanagan sisters established a network of women, many drawn from their neighbours, who would murder their husbands, collect the insurance policies and move on to the next victim.

'I started my research looking at the image of the Victorian murderess, but as I studied the sisters' trial, more facts came to light and I discovered six more murders and at least a probable further five,' she said.

Victoria MacCallum