Extracts from the autobiography of one of Britain’s most notorious serial killers have been leaked online, despite a ban on publishing the controversial book.
Fraserburgh-born Dennis Nilsen is serving a full-life sentence at maximum security HMP Full Sutton in Yorkshire for the murder of 15 men in London between 1978 and 1983.
The 67-year-old was sentenced 30 years ago today.
He has been trying for more than a decade to publish his book, Nilsen: History of a Drowning Man but has insisted that he is not seeking nor will he receive any money and that any proceeds would go to charity.
But the authorities, including former home secretary David Blunkett and the European Court of Human Rights, have repeatedly banned publication, claiming the gruesome details of the killings would be distressing to the victims’ families.
Excerpts from the book have appeared on an online blog, with the publisher claiming to have no approval from the killer. Chapters published so far include details about Nilsen’s childhood in the north-east and about the death of his grandfather which he used to try to explain why he killed. It is known that copies of the autobiography have been taken out of prison, but it is not clear who is responsible for putting the material online. More extracts are expected to be published in coming days. Nilsen is denied access to the internet in prison.
Professor David Wilson, a criminologist who has met Nilsen and read some of his writing, confirmed that the posts appear to be genuine.
He said: “I received two volumes of his autobiography around seven years ago and read them. Then I destroyed them as there was no way they should be made public.
“I would describe them as pornographic in the manner they presented his crimes.
“The man is a narcissist and is looking for attention. Whoever has posted this material is entirely wrong in their belief there is educational or criminological value in it. There is not.
“It’s worrying that there’s a promise of even more material being published, especially if it describes his crimes.
“That would be very upsetting for any friends and relatives of his victims.”