In 2021, the United Kingdom was stunned by the monstrous acts of David Fuller, known as ‘Necro Lord’, who sexually abused the corpses of 101 women and girls in hospital mortuaries over 15 years. Following these gruesome revelations, the UK is poised to pass legislation mandating a minimum of five years imprisonment for such offenders.
Strengthening laws against necrophilia
As per reports, under the new law, criminals who sexually abuse dead bodies will face a prison time of seven years. The forthcoming legal amendments will introduce a new category of “sexual activity with a corpse,” addressing non-penetrative acts with a maximum penalty of five years in prison, as reported.
This will be made possible after the government amends the existing 2003 legislation and increases the current sentence for penetrating corpses from two to seven years, said Justice Minister Laura Farris, as cited by Daily Mail. The amendment was initially brought forward by Conservative former ministers Greg Clark and Tracey Crouch.
Addressing the House of Commons, Clark said, “All of Fuller’s crimes are, frankly, unspeakable, but as well as the current sentencing limit being absurdly inadequate to deal with, in effect, the rape of dead bodies, it does not cover at all any form of sexual assault that is non-penetrative.”
He said there was “clearly a gap” in the current law that needs to be patched up, and “That’s what this new clause aims to do.”
Responding to the widespread impact of the crimes
Justice Minister Farris affirmed, “Such was the extent of Fuller’s offending, we’ve had to do so and the Government is pleased to confirm the Sexual Offences Act 2003 will be amended under this legislation to capture the sexual touch of a corpse, with a new maximum sentence of seven years for penetrative offenses, and five for non-penetrative acts.”
The Heinous Acts of David Fuller
Fuller, a maintenance worker, sexually abused the bodies of at least 101 women and girls aged between nine and 100 while employed at the now-closed Kent and Sussex Hospital and the Tunbridge Wells Hospital, in Pembury, between 2005 and 2020.
Not only that, he had recorded himself committing the gruesome crimes. He was also found guilty of murdering 25-year-old Wendy Knell, 20-year-old Caroline Pierce, and two separate attacks in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, in 1987.
