Killing Keighley Barton
This is a documentary very close to my heart, as I have an intimate relationship to the subject matter, the killers brother Harry Barton, Ronnies younger brother, was like a father to me and his son was my best friend growing up, so I was amongst this mayhem as this horrific event unfolded and experienced first hand the damage it did to all involved.
Killing Keighley Barton, is a story of how a simple case of a possible runaway London teenager turned in to one of the country's most complex murder cases without any physical evidence, and solved only by a hunch and a gamble.
It's also a shocking example of how the justice system failed a family and allowed a sexual predator to reoffend numerous times, finally resorting to murder. Keighley's mother moved in with her new boyfriend when she was just 5 months old, and took on her stepfather's surname. Her two half brothers came along soon afterwards.
Ronnie had begun abusing her when she was just 8 years old. He was first convicted of two charges of gross indecency against her on 12th December 1980 and was given a 12 month suspended sentence. He returned to the family home but continued to abuse Keighley and was arrested again in 1982. Sadly the case was dropped as Keighley refused to testify against him for fear of Ronnie and breaking up the familly (she loved her brothers). In 1984, Barton was arrested and charged again with abusing Keighley but, once again, she withdrew her accusations at the last minute.
Barton had control of the household by fear. Threats of murder were commonplace infact his whole family feared him, including one incident where he held a gun to Keighley's head until she agreed to withdraw allegations of abuse. Keighley was placed in to council care but frequently ran away back to her family home such was the state of care homes back then. Following yet another incident of abuse in 1985, Theresa finally found the strength to remove Barton from the home by obtaining a Court Order preventing him from going near Keighley or the family home. Theresa then brought Keighley home for good or so she thought.
Barton began a hate campaign of persistent phone calls and spying on the household as he could not accept the relationship was over.
He used one of two cars he owned to abduct Keighley (niether of them were ever found) and admitted to other inmates in prison that he had killed her. He initially stated that her body had been put in a car crusher then said she was still alive and he could help police find her.
Barton was born in 1940 in Hackney to Henry Barton and Winifred Geary he had 3 younger siblings, Harry, Richard (Dick) and a sister Joanne. Unknown to Theresa, Ronnie had numerous convictions for violence and GBH, as well as abusing young girls, and had served time in jail five times, including:
1959: Admitted unlawful sex with a 14 year old girl and was given an absolute discharge.
1961: Assaulted a 15 year old girl, but remained free.
1962: Jailed for six months for indecently assaulting a teenage girl.
1963: Jailed for 12 months for an attack.
1965: Jailed for nine months for an attack.
1966: Jailed for 18 months for ABH with attempt to rob.
1970: Jailed for 21 months after luring a 15 year old girl in to his car and assaulting her.
Ronnie Barton was a 45 years old when convicted of the abduction and murder of Keighley.
CLASSIFICATION: Murderer
ORIGIN: English
ACTIVE YEARS: August 18th 1985
METHOD: Stabbing
NUMBER OF VICTIMS: 1
DATE OF ARREST: August 31st 1985
STATUS: In custody with chance of parole