David Fuller, 68, received two whole life sentences on 15 December 2021, after pleading guilty at Maidstone Crown Court to the murders of Wendy Knell and Caroline Pierce in 1987. Last month (3 November) Fuller plead guilty to a further 16 charges in relation to sexual offences committed in a mortuary setting.
These included sexual offences against 78 deceased females at mortuaries in Tunbridge Wells Hospital and at the former Kent and Sussex Hospital, between 2008 and 2020.
The Fuller Inquiry was established to investigate “the issues raised by the David Fuller case has been established to investigate how David Fuller was able to carry out inappropriate and unlawful actions in the mortuary of Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust and why they went apparently unnoticed.”
At the beginning of this month, the Inquiry published a statement confirming that a compensation scheme to facilitate compensation payments to the family members of Fuller’s victims has been established.
Family members who qualify will receive a fixed amount of compensation, of around £7,500 with increased payments of up to £25,000 made for psychiatric trauma and financial loss, subject to relevant evidence.
Over 90 people have already applied to this new scheme.
The report relating to Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust is now planned for the first half of 2023. Fuller is to face further sentencing at the Old Bailey next week.
Minister for women, Maria Caulfield, commented: “My sincerest sympathies are with the families of all the victims of David Fuller. These were horrific events and the independent inquiry we have launched will help ensure this never happens again… Thank you to NHS Resolution, Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust and the families’ representatives for your collaboration in developing this compensation scheme.”
Police are still wanting to speak to anyone who may still have information about these horrific offences. If you have any such information please contact Op Sandpiper via the Major Incident Public Portal or call 01622 654030.
