20 Criminals Who Never Faced Justice

20 Criminals Who Never Faced Justice

Welcome to WatchMojoUK, and in this unranked list we’re looking at the UK’s most infamous crooks who escaped punishment.

Frank Mitchell

London gangsters the Kray Twins became celebrities during the 60s. An accomplice of theirs was Frank Mitchell, also known as “The Mad Axeman.” He met Ronnie Kray while both were in Wandsworth prison in the 50s. Due to mental health issues, Mitchell ended up in Dartmoor in 1962, but escaped 4 years later, aided by the Krays. This turned into a decision they’d regret, as he was a bit of a nightmare to handle. Mitchell became increasingly unhinged, so they decided they’d have to kill him, as returning him to prison would implicate them in his escape. We never found his body, and no one responsible ever faced justice.

Thames Torso Murders

One of the most infamous unsolved series of killings came in the late 19th century. Four women’s torsos were uncovered in the Thames between 1887 and 89. Police only succeeded in identifying one of the corpses, leading to decades of speculation about what happened. Outside of the primary four, there were a plethora of similar murders which could be linked to the same killer. A documentary in 2026 claims it was Waterman James Crick, who was actually sent to prison for 15 years for another crime. While there, the killings stopped, so if it was him, he faced some justice, but never for the brutal dismemberments.

Karl Bluestone

In Kent in 2001, local police officer Karl Bluestone unleashed hell upon his family. He’d become increasingly unpleasant towards his family in the years prior. For instance, he attacked his children and bugged his wife’s car. Karl eventually snapped, killing his wife and two of their kids using a hammer, as they’d decided to leave him due to his behaviour. Thankfully, their two older children survived, but it must have been a nightmare to experience. Police were called, but Karl wasn’t arrested, as they arrived to find he’d taken his own life, therefore escaping punishment.

Bible John

The Barrowland Ballroom is one of Glasgow’s most beloved music venues. Unfortunately, it has a bleak past, as the serial killer Bible John operated there in 1968 and 69. We think he killed three women in total, and he earned the nickname because he supposedly heavily quoted the bible. Most of the information we have on him comes from Jean Langford, the sister of his final victim, Helen Puttock. A police drawing was created, and one of Scotland’s largest ever manhunts followed. Tragically, they’ve never caught whoever was responsible. Some detectives speculate that the killings weren’t even done by the same person, but the truth may forever remain a mystery.

The Hammersmith Nude Killer

This felon earned himself the nickname Jack the Stripper, a reference to the Victorian active 80 years earlier. Unlike his predecessor, he operated in West London, but his targets were also believed to be sex workers. He was active in 1964 and 65, but could’ve killed others earlier. Police found a handful of suspects, but they never figured out who truly did it. Over half a century later, we can assume it would be impossible for justice to ever be served. Most of the evidence was sadly destroyed or lost, plus it was so long ago that the culprit is likely dead.

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The Cambridge Five

During the Cold War, espionage between the East and West was an extremely risky business. Some of the most notorious Soviet spies were the Cambridge Five, who were all originally British. They began operating in the 30s, then stuck around until fleeing to the Soviet Union in the 50s and 60s. First to go were Donald Maclean and Guy Burgess in ‘51, then Kim Philby followed in ‘63. The fourth, Anthony Blunt, was the only one to face major repercussions. Blunt confessed in ‘64, but it only became public in ‘79, resulting in his knighthood being cancelled. The fifth member, John Cairncross, was given immunity, but insisted he was loyal to Britain, claiming he was simply helping out an ally during World War 2.

Jamie Meah’s Killers

In Leeds in 2023, a teenager named Jamie Meah was pulled out of a taxi and fatally stabbed. Alongside him was a slightly younger boy who managed to survive with multiple injuries. They believe four people were responsible, but three of them have vanished almost entirely. One was convicted of manslaughter, but the others fled Britain. The suspects' names are Caleb Awe, Aquade Jeffers, and Enham Nishat, and they’ve not been spotted since the day of his death. CCTV captured them in Liverpool, so they’re believed to have fled to Ireland, but whether they’re still there, no one knows.

White Widow

One of the UK’s most diabolical terror attacks was the 7/7 bombings in 2005. 52 people lost their lives while almost 800 were injured. The four bombers all perished in the attack, so they will never be punished. One of them was married to Samantha Lewthwaite, also known as White Widow. They think she played a part in a handful of other attacks, and people do speculate she helped orchestrate the 7/7 bombings. No one’s seen or heard from her in years, but she’s one of the world’s most wanted criminals. People think she’s hiding out in Somalia or Tanzania, but her uncle believes she passed away.

Mohammed Ali Ege

Our next entry is another one of Europe’s most wanted right now. In 2010, Aamir Siddiqi was assassinated by two extremely incompetent hitmen, paid only £1000 to take his life. Turns out, they targeted the wrong person. The two attackers got life sentences, but the mastermind who ordered the hit, Mohammed Ali Ege, is still a free man. Police nearly caught him at a train station in India, but then he managed to escape through a bathroom window. They believe he’s hiding somewhere in the Middle East, and are offering almost £10,000 for any information regarding his location.

Thomas Hamilton

The UK used to have far more relaxed gun control before 1996, with private citizens being legally allowed to purchase handguns. This changed following the Dunblane massacre in Scotland, when Thomas Hamilton walked into a school with four legally obtained pistols. 18 people lost their lives on that dreaded day, including 16 pupils, a teacher, and finally Hamilton himself. It’s unclear why he committed this despicable atrocity. His letters showed he felt rejected and isolated from his local community, where he was nicknamed Mr Creepy. This was likely because he organised a variety of private boys' clubs, which were all shut down due to his predatory behaviour.

Stephen Lawrence’s Killers

One of the UK’s most historically significant killings was that of Stephen Lawrence. It was a racially motivated hate crime, which then exposed significant flaws in the police system, alongside the double jeopardy law. The incident happened in 1993, but no one was convicted until 2012. Two men were locked up for the horrific act, but it’s believed six were responsible. Despite confessing in 2025, killer David Norris still refuses to reveal his accomplices. Supposedly, it’s because his family could be attacked if he snitches on them. Neither is expected to be released anytime soon, but we imagine Parole Boards would be more lenient towards them if they gave up their accomplices.

Henry Every

We’re now turning our attention to the Golden Age of Piracy, specifically the 1690s. Also known as the King of Pirates, Every was notable for never being captured, unlike many of his contemporaries. His most daring robbery involved assembling a small fleet, then pilfering a Mughal convoy, stealing a horde of valuables worth over £100 million in 2025. Britain responded by placing an enormous bounty on his head, resulting in potentially the first global manhunt. A few of his crew were captured, but Every and his loot vanished entirely in 1696. We have no idea what happened to him or his horde of booty.

George Blake

The Cambridge Five weren’t the only Soviet spies who escaped from Britain punishment-free. In the Korean War, Blake was an MI6 agent. The communists eventually captured him, then he defected to their side. They sent him back to the UK, where he continued his career with MI6, all the while sending information to the Soviets. They finally figured him out in 1961, then sentenced him to 42 years behind bars. It sounds like justice was served, but in ‘66 he escaped the prison and then made his way to Russia. Blake lived the rest of his life as a free man in the Soviet Union, and managed to outlive the USSR, dying in Moscow in 2020.

Mr Kipper

The case surrounding Suzy Lamplugh’s disappearance has been unanswered for decades now. This estate agent vanished in 1986 after leaving work to meet a client simply named “Mr Kipper.” We have no idea whether that was their client’s real name, or if she was even murdered. All they found was her car, abandoned in Fulham. Lamplugh was later declared dead in 1993, with authorities believing she was killed. Police officially announced they believed convicted killer John Cannan was the culprit. They never had enough evidence to sentence him, though, and he died before ever confessing.

Michael Ryan

Another one of Britain’s deadliest shootings was carried out by Michael Ryan in 1987. He used legally obtained guns to carry out the Hungerford massacre. The weapons he used were legally acquired semi-automatic rifles. Sixteen people lost their lives, including his own mother. It ended when Ryan turned the gun on himself and became the massacre’s final fatality. No one knows why he did it, with theories at the time claiming he was inspired by violent films. Like the previously mentioned Dunblane shooting, this also led to a major gun law, specifically restricting rifles and shotguns.

Jill Dando’s Killer

During the 90s, Jill Dando was one of the BBC’s best-loved presenters, winning their Personality of the Year award in 1997. Dando’s life was ended tragically early in 1999, when her remains were found outside her home. She’d been fatally shot, and they’ve still not figured out who did it. One man named Barry George was falsely convicted and then released after 8 years. 20 years later, detectives publicly admitted they’d never be able to solve the case. Over 2,000 people became suspects, but we can’t confidently name a single one as the culprit.

Lord Lucan

One of the most significant global manhunts of the past century was the search for John Bingham, 7th Earl of Lucan. They believe he killed his child’s nanny, then tried to take his wife’s life too in 1974. This came after they separated and Lucan lost a lengthy custody battle. Lucan was also an avid gambler, but quite poor at it. This, combined with his unhealthy obsession with his ex-wife, led him to become increasingly unhinged. His wife claimed he attacked her, but he quickly ran away, defending himself in a couple of letters before vanishing completely. Lucan was never seen again and was only declared dead in 2016.

Fred West

One of Britain’s most reviled serial killing couples was Fred and Rose West. Between the 60s and 90s, they’re confirmed to have claimed 12 lives. Details of their crimes are too nauseating to explain here, but they were all nightmarish. All of their victims were vulnerable women, such as hitchhikers and tenants. Their own children were also victims of their despicable deeds. The pair were finally arrested in 1994, but before Fred was convicted, he took his own life in prison. Rose, on the other hand, is currently alive and being held at a prison in West Yorkshire.

Jimmy Savile

For almost his entire adult life, Savile abused hundreds of people from all walks of life. Many were children, some were elderly, and most were women. Savile was so respected that he was even knighted on account of his perceived altruism. After his death, hundreds of individuals came out and admitted to being abused by him. This resulted in Operation Yewtree, which sought to prevent other criminal celebrities from escaping justice. Many were convicted, including Rolf Harris, but Savile managed to die a highly respected individual, never once facing consequences for decades of despicable behaviour.

Jack the Ripper

Easily the world’s most famous unidentified serial killer was the menace of Whitechapel, Jack the Ripper. Five women were slaughtered in some of the goriest murders humanity has ever witnessed. They took place between 1888 and 1891, and they led to immense panic in the UK. This meant many letters were sent to the press claiming to be from the killer, only furthering the panic. People have spent over a century trying to crack the case, but at this point it’s probably unsolvable. Even if they did figure it out, there’s no chance of the perpetrator being alive today.

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