• 6 years ago
• Posted in:Murder/ Manslaughter, Public Decency Offences, Rape / Sexual Assault, Sexual Offences, Violent Offences
• 0
• Author: Thomas Gradgrind
• Tags: Aged <20, Aged 20-29, Aged 40-49, Autogynephilia, Beard, Convicted 1970s, Convicted 1980s, Convicted 1983, Convicted 2001, Cross dresser, DNA, England, Female victim, Fetish, Gagged victim with object, Lied to police, Life sentence, Multiple victims, No remorse, Offended 2000, Pornography, Repeat offender, Staffordshire, Transvestite, Women's/child's underwear

Michael Chidgey, a violent male transvestite, was convicted at Stafford Crown Court of the sexually-motivated murder of 17 year old Heather Tell in 2001 and sentenced to life imprisonment.

The judge told Chidgey: “You have inflicted an untold pain on her family and friends. I know now that you present a serious and continuing danger to women wherever you might be. You will go to prison for life.”

Chidgey, 46, had previously been convicted of a catalogue of sexual offences against women over the previous 30 years, but had not been on the sex offender’s register; it was his daughter that suspected he was responsible and this led to his arrest. 

Chidgey’s DNA was found on Heather Tell’s underwear which had been stuffed into her mouth by her killer. He told a series of preposterous lies to police to explain it, saying she must have bought the knickers after he had fondled them in a shop, which he often did as well as buying and wearing women’s clothing and underwear for sexual gratification purposes.

The court heard Chidgely was convicted of attempted rape in 1983. He had had spent the day watching pornographic films at a cinema in Birmingham and approached a woman motorist whose car had broken down, offering help before attempting to rape her. She managed to free herself and he was traced via his number plate. He served two years of the four year prison sentence he received.

He also had 10 convictions for indecent exposure between 1972 and 1974 – he perpetrated the first in 1971 when aged 16 and another in 1973 in the same park where he killed Ms Tell. 

Det Supt Peter Hall said: “`Michael Chidgey was pure evil and the public have got to be protected from him. I cannot imagine a time when he will not be a danger.”

See also Martin/Jade Eatough a trans-identified male rapist and Steve Wright, a transvestite murderer who were also convicted on DNA evidence. See also the trans identified male Karen Jones who stuffed a lemon into a woman’s mouth when attempting to rape her.

Photo credit: Birmingham Mail

Media reports 

Birmingham Mail https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/local-news/heather-tell-murder-tamworth-146877 archive 

The Independent https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/transvestite-serial-sex-offender-given-life-for-strangling-student-9272691.html archive 

BBC http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/1709612.stm  archive

Birmingham Mail https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/murdertown-tamworth-heather-tell-sky-15105678  archive

Staffordshire Live https://www.staffordshire-live.co.uk/news/local-news/murder-staffordshire-teenager-heather-tell-1951330  archive

Daily Mail https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-87050/Tragic-Heather-phone-plea.html  archive