BBC warned author claimed to possess murder victim's lost clothes

Key facts

• The BBC was warned by two whistleblowers that author Christopher Berry-Dee claimed to possess the missing clothes of child murder victim Karen Hadaway.
• The clothes were originally obtained by the BBC in 1991 for a potential documentary but were later lost.
• The BBC realized the clothes were missing in 2004 and subsequently apologized and settled with the victim's mother.
• Berry-Dee admitted to the Guardian that he had obtained the clothes and claimed to have burned them.
• The BBC's whistleblowing unit closed its investigation into the matter without further action after receiving a warning in 2022.

The BBC was alerted by two whistleblowers that a prominent British true crime author, Christopher Berry-Dee, claimed to possess the missing clothes of Karen Hadaway, a child murder victim whose case gained notoriety as the 'Babes in the Woods' murders. The clothes had been obtained by the BBC in 1991 for a potential documentary but were subsequently lost, a fact that came to light in 2004, leading to an apology and financial settlement with Karen's mother, Michelle Hadaway.

Journalist Eileen Fairweather, who had previously worked with Martin Bashir on the case, was informed by sources that Berry-Dee had boasted about having the clothes during the 1990s and 2000s. She subsequently contacted the BBC's whistleblowing unit in 2022 with her concerns. Separately, Ian Heffron, an uncle of Nicola Fellows, Karen's co-victim, also emailed the then BBC director general Tim Davie to inquire about any association between the BBC and Berry-Dee, citing his understanding that the author claimed possession of the clothes.

Berry-Dee confirmed to The Guardian that he had obtained the clothes and stated he had since burned them, though he did not provide a clear timeline. A lawyer for Martin Bashir stated that Bashir had no recollection of Berry-Dee and that his involvement with the clothing ended when he left it at the BBC's offices. The BBC stated that it believes the matter has been investigated as thoroughly as possible and that it has settled with Michelle Hadaway.